German Car Scene

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  • BMW M5 700 mile review by Auto Express


    Auto Express magazine’s Mat Watson recently picked up a brand spanking new 412 kW (560 hp) BMW M5 from Southern France and, rather than simply drive it back home, he headed to Spain before embarking on a 700 mile roadtrip. Jealousy is not a good quality, but… (more…)

  • Opel high performance seats to debut in Astra OPC


    Opel’s Astra OPC model will be the company’s first car to benefit from its new high performance seats.

    OPC (Opel Performance Centre) engineers use an organic injection molded sheet to construct the seat’s shell, which returns a 45 percent saving in weight compared to conventional shells. The sheet is then filled with a composite material of fibre glass and polyamide. The end result is a material so strong that it only needs to be 2 mm in thickness.

    The new seat sits 17 mm lower than in the Astra GTC and 40 mm lower than the regular Astra, and also features 18 different settings, including cushion length extension, four-way lumbar support adjustment, and adjustable side bolster support in the back and seat cushion. Additionally, pneumatic cushions are available for the seat’s flanks, allowing the driver and passenger to receive maximum support at the touch of a button.

    The seats can be specified in a choice of three different leather, fabric and colour combinations.

    [Source: Opel]

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  • Air suspension lowering module by Vogtland


    Hagen-based suspension specialist Vogtland Autosport has developed a lowering module to suit vehicles equipped with air suspension.

    Available for Audi’s ‘adaptive air suspension’, the ‘Porsche Active Suspension Management’ (PASM) on the Panamera and Cayenne, and the ‘AIRMATIC’ or optional ‘Active Body Control’ (ABC) suspension set-ups seen on Mercedes-Benz models, the system uses a vehicle-specific plug to connect to the steering electronics of the on-board power supply.

    Once fitted, the suspension is controlled by the driver via an on-board menu, with a 40 mm reduction in ride height possible.

    [Source: Vogtland]

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  • Ski joring with a Bentley


    Auto Express magazine’s Kyle Fortune recently headed over to Gstaad, Switzerland to try his hand at ski joring. But, whereas the sport is usually carried out with the pulling power of a horse or dog, Kyle is relying on a W12-engined Bentley Continental GT, which transfers its 423 kW (567 hp) to all four wheels. Perfect for those snowy shenanigans. (more…)

  • DRIVE: Chris Harris’ Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 goes into hibernation


    DRIVE’s Chris Harris is about to put the Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 that is “rapidly bankrupting” him into winter storage – but not before one last blast around those stunning Welsh roads. Where else would you find out that the 3.8 RS’ wing makes for a better tea tray than the 4.0’s? (more…)

  • BMW reveals diesel M models


    You may remember, last December, we revealed that BMW M GmbH would be creating a range of diesel-powered M Performance vehicles? Well, the Munich giant has finally released all the details along with photos and a great promo video.

    SUV fans will be offered the choice of either an X5 M50d, which will start at € 82,300 or X6 M50d at € 85,800. The diesel version of the F10 M5 – which comes equipped with the company’s xDrive all-wheel drive system as standard, begins at € 80,800 for the M550d xDrive and € 83,750 for the family-friendly M550d xDrive Touring. Power comes courtesy of a tri-turbo 3.0 L inline-6 cylinder unit which develops 280 kW (381 hp) and 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) of torque.

    Performance is obviously brisk, with the M550d xDrive taking 4.7 seconds to crack 100 km/h (62 mph) and its Touring counterpart just 0.2 s behind. The X5 M50d races to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 5.4 seconds, while the X6 M50d is a fraction faster at 5.3 s. Top speed on all vehicles is electronically governed to 250 km/h (155 mph).

    If you’re interested in their drinking habits, the M550d xDrive Saloon gets through 6.3 litres every 100 kilometres (Touring: 6.4 L/100 km), and the X5 M50d returns 7.5 L/100 km, while its bigger brother requires an extra 0.2 litres to cover the same distance.

    The vehicles will make their world début at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show (8 – 18 March) before they hit German showrooms towards the middle of the year.

    [Source: BMW]

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