Innehållsförteckning för August 2023 från TOTAL BMW

I'm going to dive straight into this month's cover car because I have so much admiration and respect for engine swaps. I have looked into engine swaps in the past, and we even did a massive guide to them in PBMW back in the May 2018 issue, but for someone like me who's never had one done on any of my cars, it feels like such a huge undertaking. Even with popular swaps, where you've got off-the-shelf parts and support from people who have experience with them, it still feels like there's a huge amount of work involved. And then you've got someone like the owner of our 1 Series cover car, who casually swapped an S55 into his E82 on his own. For me, that's mind-blowing, and the resulting…

NEWS BMW has presented the world premiere of its Concept Touring Coupé at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2023. The closed two-sseater, which was developed for one off production, continues the tradition of legendary BMW classics: a timeless symbol of freedom on four wheels and the joy of travelling together. BMW Design has reimagined the traditional body shape of an elegant sports car, giving the vehicle a shooting brake concept. In the interior, precisely crafted leather surfaces from Italian manufacturer Poltrona Frau create a luxurious ambience. The compartment behind the seats provides ample room to stow luggage for spontaneous trips; the luggage itself was also exclusively custom-made at the Schedoni leather workshop in Modena. “The BMW Concept Touring Coupé celebrates the original Sheer Driving Pleasure,” says Domagoj Dukec, head of…

It's with a sense of relief that we climb up into the driver's seat of the XM and note a perfectly round steering wheel. Everything else may have changed, but it would have been too much for M to ditch such a thing. And yes, we may have averted our eyes getting in and used the introduction paragraph to avoid talking about the exterior design of the XM. You can see it for yourself. You've already decided whether it's Angry Birds pig-ugly or the best thing since the M1. Us? We really don't like the front, though the rear has appeal, but the biggest takeaway is that it's incredibly colour- and specification-sensitive. The Label Red model, for example, was shown in black and red and looked for all the world…

E36 M3 EVO If you asked 100 people what their favourite M3 was, it's probably a pretty good bet that the E36 wouldn't come at the top of the list. There will be plenty of votes for the original, motorsport-derived E30 and many, no doubt, for the iconic E36, while the V8-powered E9x and the latest turbocharged machinery will also get a look in. But what about the poor old E36? It's certainly not been as loved as its siblings over the years, and that's down to the motoring press who just didn't ‘get’ what BMW was doing with the M3 when the E36 was introduced. The original was only manufactured to satisfy homologation requirements, and while over 17,000 were ultimately produced, it was hardly a massmarket model. Greater numbers…

When assessing cars, one doesn't always start at the same point. It may be a mere facelift of an existing model where 99% of it is totally familiar, it might be a design so radical that it's like starting from scratch, or, for the vast majority of cars, it will fall somewhere in between the two. The buying process is similar: you start with what you want, from what you know and add what you'd like. If you are changing to an unfamiliar make, do you go for that brand's core values or unique selling point, or simply find the nearest equivalent model to your familiar ground? That whole doctrine rather falls down in the case of my i4 M50, since, although I'm familiar with the BMW brand and many…

We are putting together a directory of BMW clubs from around the world, and we want you to be part of it! Just send us an email with the name of your club, its location, and your social media details and website if you have one, and we'll add it to our directory! We'll also be putting your clubs in the spotlight, so if you'd like to see your club mentioned in the magazine, send us a write-up of no more than 500 words about what your club gets up to, along with some hi-res photos, and we'll get it in the magazine for you! Get in touch: Tbmw.ed@kelsey.co.uk…

E28 M5 So much of the performance car lifestyle depends on which side of the cat-and-mouse scenario you find yourself settling into. Arguably, there's only one way to win the game, and that's not to be the mouse – although Jerry and the Warner Brothers could tell you a few things about reframing perceptions. Anyway, there's nothing wrong with being reserved and mouse-like, driving sedately and carefully, obsessively monitoring gauges and avoiding excessive revs and whatnot. These are the people who never have stress-induced meltdowns… but the flipside, being the cat is a much more exciting way to live. After all, you only live once – no one ever lies on their deathbed thinking ‘Ooh, I'm really glad I bought that Qashqai, that was so economical'. Cat-like mischief, then, is…

The first-gen 1 Series was kind of a big deal, what with it being BMW's first proper standalone hatchback and everything. While BMW didn't quite nail the styling, and the range of engines available at launch wouldn't set your world alight, what always stood out about the OG 1 Series was its handling. The steering was meaty and full of feel and feedback, the chassis felt taut and responsive, and we recall being seriously impressed at how fun the 1 Series was to throw down a winding country road. It was clear that BMW had put a lot of effort into ensuring that its first hot hatch effort aligned with its original “Ultimate Driving Machine” slogan, and that made it incredibly appealing to enthusiasts. Once the 130i Hatch arrived, and…

We've never met an E30 M3 we didn't love (well, almost), and this erformance icon is just so incredibly desirable. One reason for that is ts status as one of the greatest sports cars of all time. But then ou've got those perfectly angular ‘80s lines that combine to create a design that is simply retro-perfection. It is beautifully cohesive, uncluttered, simple, and just so right from every angle, every perspective. And yet, somehow, John Zuberek (@slowprogress) has taken something so good and made it even better, and his M3 is imply glorious. John's Instagram handle is telling because he is something of a rarity, an owner who has kept their car for many, many years, and who plans to keep it for many more. His passion for and commitment…

After decades of steady evolution, there's a revolution brewing within the automotive industry. Rapidly tightening regulations, focused on reducing the environmental impact of the way we travel, are fuelling investment in cleaner technologies for future vehicles, and that change is the thin end of the wedge for enthusiasts. But there's still plenty of scope for the modified scene to find its feet in that new world. An end to fossil fuels Time is ticking for the combustion engine, at least as we know it. Hybrid will become the bare minimum for new cars and vans sold in the UK from 2030, and sales will be restricted to “zero tailpipe emission” vehicles five years later. That deadline matches the European Union, China, Canada and several of the United States, effectively banning…

(@abcarpix) Another episode and the E34 just keeps on going without any hassle. I had gained so much confidence that there was no doubt in my mind it was the car of choice when a Euro road trip to the Bremen Classic Motorshow was on the cards. This was a trip where the car would be five-up, as one reason for the trip was a good friend's stag do. The other was to shoot a magazine feature on the show (yes, stag-do and work don't exactly sound like a great mix, but it all came together!). My main concern was that the E34 isn't exactly a very big car inside! That's one of the few areas BMW improved on when they replaced it with the E39, in my opinion. I…

The eighth generation 5 Series has been officially unveiled, and it's packed with a huge range of impressive features and technology, including the introduction of two all-electric models. The eighth generation vehicle has grown in length by 97mm to 5060mm, in width by 32mm to 1900mm and in height by 36mm to 1515mm. The wheelbase has been increased by 20mm to 2995mm for improved seating comfort, especially in the rear. It is the first BMW in the UK to feature Veganza upholstery as standard from launch, encompassing the seats, dashboard and door panels, while the striking BMW Interaction Bar first seen in the7Series is now incorporated in the new G605Series. Furthermore, the saloon is now available with a panoramic roof – the first time in the model's history – and…

What's better than having one thing you like? Two things you like of course. Two scoops of ice cream. Two pieces of cake. Two BMWs in matching colours. You can't eat those, but then you can't drive two ornettos, either, and looking resplendent in Imola red 2, Guido Pitzen's (@ProfFutzemannsGarage) duo is a seriously tasty offering. Guido is all about cars. His day job is being a race technician, and he's been around cars and had that passion for cars throughout his life. “I did my apprenticeship at Ford in Cologne,” he tells us, so it's no surprise that his first car was a Mk1 V4 Ford Capri, but that's ot where his heart belonged. “I've been interested in BMWs since I was kid, especially the M models,” he smiles,…

The Monday 1 May bank holiday was a special date for Jay and the team at BHP events as this was the Performance Show's 15th anniversary, and it didn't disappoint. Usually held at Lydden Hill race circuit, this year the team relocated to the Kent Event Centre in Maidstone. With three indoor halls and 150 acres of outdoor space, it promised to be the best yet, and it was, and with 100 car clubs booked in and over 2000 cars on display, it sounds more like a three-day festival than a one-day show. Throughout the day, there were demonstrations from Drift Outlaws, 2 Bros Stunt Team and Extreme Bike Battle BMX and FMX. The indoor halls had some of the best cars in the country on display, including a selection…

In the last update, I reported that my local BMW independent specialist (Auto Technik, Lutterworth) diagnosed a couple of oil leaks on the car. And when I mean oil leaks, I mean oil leaks from two major components that are quite fundamental to the car working. One was from the gearbox area, and the other looked like it was coming from the timing chain area but required further investigation. Firstly, in relation to the gearbox leak, it was actually coming from the gearbox output seal shaft, with the specialist recommending the replacement of the output shaft seal. There was also a leak from the gearbox sump itself, whereby the specialist recommended a full service of the gearbox which would include replacing the gearbox filters and gaskets, both of which I…

Best laid plans. That's what folks say, isn't it? Well, this month, I had intended to relay some actual driving experiences behind the wheel of OV71, but as is the way of these things, reality had other ideas. A trip to South Wales was on the cards. This was swiftly supplanted by a jaunt over to Essex to see some family friends, on what turned out to be one of the warmest days of the year thus far. Cue the presence of epic traffic, and all that entails, including seemingly every single member of the Southern England Outside Lane Club. Why, oh why, do these people not pull over? Anyway, the journey was actually going well until we neared Colchester. We'd even managed to successfully navigate the tense and congested…