Innehållsförteckning för March 2024 från TOTAL BMW

Hello, and welcome to 2024! I hope you had a fantastic Christmas– a throat infection almost ruined mine, but the antibiotics kicked in just in time to save the day, which was nice. And now,after the overindulgence has come to an end, the decorations have come down, and the resolutions have been set in stone(for a couple of months, at least), it's time to crack on with the new year. Looking ahead at the content we've got lined up for the next 12 months, it feels like 2024 is going to be acracker. We've got some spectacular builds that I cannot wait to showcase on these pages. Some of them are well-known cars from the UK, US and beyond, while others are hidden gems, and I promise you thatyou are…

MStyle M3-look F30 package Thanks to MStyle, your F30 SE Saloon can now enjoy M3 looks while you get to enjoy the day-to-day economy of whatever sensible engine your car has. MStyle starts with one of its own custom exhaust conversions with a rear box delete. The system is fabricated to suit and welded by MStyle's workshop. Next comes the bodywork: front bumper, side skirts and rear bumper, and finally, the lights are brought up to M3 spec with LED angel eye headlights and LED sequential rear lights. Now that your F30 is looking like an M3, you might want to take things further. MStyle can help you with more performance, new alloy wheels, high-performance tyres, suspension and brake upgrades, a full respray and new custom interior trim. All are…

V8 1 SERIES “I drove my 1M Coupé as a daily but was looking for a successor. It should be small but practical, rear-wheel drive, with a powerful NA engine and the perfect looks. The problem was that the perfect car didn't exist BMW is, without question, best known forbeing the master of the straight-six. The company produced its first straight-six, the M78, in 1933, which powered the 303 and has refined the concept over the following 91 years, and it remains a staple of the BMW lineup, even if smaller cylinder counts are the flavour of the moment. However, BMW's engine repertoire extends far beyond six cylinders, and among the more exotic engines the company has offered throughout its history, the V8 has featured prominently. Cast your eye over…

ALPINA B3 & B7 If you're reading this magazine, it points to the fact that you probably have a healthy – or in some cases an unhealthy – interest in BMWs. Once you've driven one, it's all too easy to be afflicted by the bug, and most of us become serial owners or even slightly obsessive collectors. Today's owner, Mitch Davis (@m7tcx), probably falls into that latter category, and his particular passion is typified by the two beauties you see here. Not just a BMW fan, but a fully paid-up member of the Alpina aficionados club; “Yes, I'm aware I have a problem!” he says with a laugh. Mitch's current fleet includes two E65 Alpina B7s, two E36 Alpina B3 3.2s and an E92 Alpina D3 Bi-turbo, but the two…

M50 E30 What do you know about the planet Saturn? What's the first thing you think of? Some people may point out that it's the sixth planet from the sun, or that it's a gas giant, or that it's the second-largest planet in the solar system; for most folks, however, the go-to will be those iconic rings. It's a classic sci-fi trope, the image of rings around a far-off planet, and what's particularly interesting about those twinkly skirts is that they're not solid circles like a hula hoop. No, they're actually made of billions of particles of ice mixed in with a load of dust and rocks to really make the sparkles pop. Some scientists hypothesise that the origins of the rings lie in the remnants of a destroyed moon,…

E46 M3 What is the best M3? The debate will rage on through the ages, but, really, there's no right answer because there's no bad M3. Every generation has so much to offer, representing the pinnacle of the 3 Series, the ultimate in performance, handling, involvement and sheer driving pleasure. Of course, each generation has its loyal fans who will fiercely fight to defend its honour. Some generations have a greater following than others, and it's fair to say that among them all, the E46 M3 remains universally loved by all. It's easy to see why. It's got the muscular looks, the sublime chassis, the screaming S54 – it's got it all. And when you apply a few upgrades to the already excellent base package, the E46 M3 very quickly…

DCT E39 M5 The E39 M5 is alot of T things to alot of people, and to many of them, it is the ultimate M5. It has the purity of the six-speed manual gearbox, the surging power of the S62 V8, and the sublime chassis that effortlessly blends divine handling with supreme comfort, all wrapped up in an understated and elegant package that still looks great today. It's no wonder that prices are so strong and desire is so high. And while it is a sublime road car, it is also more than capable of impressing on track. But a track car, it is not. It's quite big and heavy, a little soft for the circuit, and you'd have to be incredibly committed to decide to try and take aluxury…

All the way from Australia comes this month's Readers’ Cars offering, and it's a four-for-one bundle in the shape of Lawrence's eclectic collection. “I got hooked on BMWs when my older brother bought abeautiful new 2002 in Inka orange in early 1973,” he says. “I was just starting a mechanical engineering degree, and Iwas blown away by the high quality of the BMW's engineering. Idecided Iwould have a BMW just as soon as I could afford one”. Lawrence picked up an E21 323i in 1978, which set him back almost twice his annual salary, but he says it was worth every penny. But, when he emigrated to Australia in 1982, the E21 had to, sadly, got owards helping to fund his family's new life Down Under. But Lawrence could not…

Dartmoor National Park is leading the charge in more sustainable tourism with five new electric vehicle charging points going live, funded by BMW UK through its Recharge in Nature partnership with National Parks UK. The new chargers can charge two cars simultaneously, meaning EV drivers can travel with more confidence to enjoy the beauty of Dartmoor. The five new twin chargers have been installed in three key locations to increase the availability of public EV charging options for local communities and visitors alike. The chargers are in Postbridge Visitor Centre Car Park, Princetown Visitor Centre Car Park, and Meldon Reservoir Car Park. The installation of these chargers is also a significant step towards the goal of increasing the EV charging infrastructure in the UK National Parks through the Recharge in…

FIRST DRIVE On the face of it, the X6 M Competition has never made much sense. If nothing else, it's essentially a less practical version of an already fairly ridiculous car. The car in question is the X5 M Competition, which shoehorns a massive V8 and a bucketful of sporting intent into an enormous 4x4 for reasons that aren't entirely clear. Yet, while the X6 and its more conventionally shaped sibling might feel a bit superfluous in the grand scheme of things, that has never stopped them from receiving our respect. Not because they make more sense than you think – they don't, really – but because they're works of engineering genius to be celebrated like Concorde or the Burj Khalifa. The world doesn't really need them, but the fact…

If you're lucky enough to have up to £30,000 to spend on a Motorsport saloon, then these two close relatives have to be near the top of your list of potential targets. Controversial with some BMW purists when launched, both the F80 M3 and the F10 M5 were the first of their kind to feature turbochargers. But over time, an acceptance of forced induction has unlocked the door to some serious tuning potential. Both rivals boast rear-wheel drive, now represent good value, and there are loads of examples of each advertised for sale – so you can expect to lever a decent discount into the bargain. The slightly younger F80 M3 sports a more youthful appearance, while the understated F10 M5 claims greater car-park kudos. But which of these M…

S54 E36 It's funny how a person's job can affect their hobbies, and Jamie Morley (@s54jam) is a case in point. The 25-yearold Monmouthshire-based petrolhead earns his keep on the railways driving, operating and maintaining tamper machines. These are the hefty beasts that compact the ballast under the rails and keep us mere mortals safe as we trundle up and down the line on the daily grind. These behemoths move along the track slowly as their hydraulic rams periodically compact the ground below. Perhaps the slow and steady pace at which they move means that Jamie is compelled to have a car with significant get-up-and-go on his days off. Tamping is a fine art that corrects track geometry, longitudinal level and alignment. Could this be why he has a keen…