Archive for Automotive Videos

The new BMW X1 must be a very important car for BMW as for the first time ever with BMW press packs, I was having trouble handling the amount of photos they released! They released over 150 photos of a brown and a white X1 and the total file size for the hi-res pix was over 1,5GB, which I had to download then resize down to about 150MB before uploading.

The X1 measures 4454mm in length, 1798mm wide (2006mm with mirrors included), and 1545mm tall with a 2760mm wheelbase. In comparison, the X3 measures 4570mm long, with a 2795mm wheelbase. So it’s definitely a smaller vehicle, but the wheelbase is quite similiar to the current E90 sedan.

It’s also the first BMW SUV to come with a rear wheel drive version as well as xDrive. The most economical version is the X1 sDrive18d with rear wheel drive, putting out only 136g/km of CO2 and using only a measly 5.2 liters per 100km, equivalent to 54.3 UK mpg. The following are the various X1 variants:

As you can see the European range is mostly diesel-centric, with the sole petrol engine being the 3.0 liter inline-6, tuned to make 258 horses, hence the “28i” rating instead of “30i” which usually puts out about 272 horses in their latest incarnations. The rest are diesel, and ditching the weight and losses of xDrive reduces fuel consumption by about 0.1L per 100km with the 20d and 18d models. All manual models come with auto start-stop and a gearshift indicator.

The interior features a 40:20:40 split backrest at the rear which can extend the 420 liter cargo area up to 490 liters if you set the backrest angle to something more vertical, or if you just drop them down, storage goes up to 1,350 liters. The rest of the interior is a typical BMW and you don’t get some of the more modern interior bits such as the shift by wire gear knob and the Black Panel multi-info LCD, but you do get the new hard disk based iDrive system.

Look after the jump for a full press release, some videos, and a full photo gallery of the new BMW X1.

Click here to read the rest of New BMW X1 compact SUV officially unveiled!

BMW has had immense success with their The Hire short film series. Not sure if you guys have seen it before but tyre maker Pirelli also had something similiar up their sleeves, with two videos released so far, starring Uma Thurman of Kill Bill fame and Naomi Campbell. Both are promotional videos for the Pirelli P-Zero tyres.

The Uma Thurman video titled Mission Zero from 2007 is directed by Kathryn Bigelow of Strange Days and Point Break fame. It features Thurman, a Lamborghini Gallardo, Pirelli P-Zero tyres, and a chase scene through Los Angeles.

The other Naomi Campbell video is also fo the P-Zeros and also stars John Malkovich. It’s directed by Antoine Fuqua and is said to be inspired by the success of the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons series. Naturally it involves priests and etc, and a fast TVR. Watch the videos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: Pirelli P-Zero Promo Films starring Uma Thurman and Naomi Campbell

Here is a fifth video in a series of Jaguar XJ teaser videos. It’s not very long now until the new flagship XJ is unveiled on the 9th of July – that’s next week actually! Some of Jaguar engineers talk about the XJ’s driving dynamics in this video. We all know less weight means better handling, and the XJ’s aluminium chassis contributes to that. But dynamics goes into a scope that extends to more than handling.

Watch the video after the jump.

Related Posts:
Jaguar XJ Teaser Video #1: launch set for 9th July
Jaguar XJ Teaser Video #2: Ian Callum on the design
Jaguar XJ Teaser Video #3: Sound System
Jaguar XJ Teaser Video #4: Aluminium chassis

Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: Jaguar XJ Driving Dynamics Teaser

What happens when you take two canvasses, lots of Akzonobel Sikken paint (1,200 liters to be exact), and a Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 car and put them all together? Well depending on how artsy fartsy you are, it’s either art or a terrible waste of good paint. Seems to be a common theme these days, creating art with paintings done by a car in motion, like the one by BMW with the Z4.

Watch the video after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of Hamilton’s MP4-24 F1 car is a paintbrush

We seem to have no shortage of promo videos for the new Porsche Panamera. This time we get to see the Panamera 4S in an entirely different setting compared to the previously featured video – while the previous video was set in more of an urban environment, this one takes us onto the open roads.

Watch the video after the jump.

Other Porsche Panamera Videos:
New Porsche Panamera Promo Footage: exterior, interior, retractable spoiler, etc
VIDEO: Porsche Panamera Promo Footage

Click here to read the rest of VIDEO: Porsche Panamera 4S Beauty Footage

Like the outgoing Jaguar XJ, the upcoming new XJ set for a 9th July 2009 debut will have an all-aluminium body and chassis construction. That’s the only way a large car like the current generation XJ could weigh less than 1,600kg.

Jaguar has released another teaser video, this time centered around the new XJ’s all-aluminium chassis. We get to see the chassis from the side and top, which should give us a better idea of how the car’s roofline will be shaped like.

Watch the video after the jump.

Previously featured Jaguar XJ Teasers:
All-new Jaguar XJ set for 9th July debut!
Is this what the new Jaguar XJ will look like?
VIDEO: Ian Callum on the new Jaguar XJ
VIDEO: Jaguar XJ Bowers & Wilkins Teaser

Click here to read the rest of New Jaguar XJ’s all-aluminium body and chassis

Italian-based Fiat recently launched the 500C at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. The 500C is not a full convertible variant of the famous micro-car, instead it is a topless model that comes with an electric sliding roof.

The cute little Fiat 500C is offered with three engine options, including a 75HP 1.3 liter MultiJet Turbodiesel mated to a 5-speed manual, as well as a 69HP 1.2 liter and a 100HP 1.4 liter powerplant from the petrol family. It also comes with a Start & Stop engine shut down system.

On that note, Fiat has released a 5 minute 27 second-long driving footage of the 500C. Continue reading to watch the 500C being driven on some gorgeous European routes.

Click here to read the rest of Fiat 500C: 5 minute-long driving footage

One of Top Gear’s most highly guarded secret has been finally revealed, and yes, we are talking about the true identity of the show’s quirky track driver, The Stig. Prior to this, many have been linked to The Stig’s identity, including former British racing driver Ben Collins and reigning Formula 1 World Champion and fellow Brit Lewis Hamilton.

There was also the Black Stig, which was revealed as Perry McCarthy, former Formula 1 test driver and then ‘terminated’. On the premier of the show’s 13th season, The Stig was accompanied into the studio and while sitting on the guest seat, the man in white removed his helmet, and the 7 times Formula 1 World Champion was revealed!

So, is Michael Schumacher really The Stig? Or is this just another publicity stunt? Well, its up to you what to believe in, but if you ask me, I’d rather believe that there are a number Stigs around, not just one. Meanwhile, continue reading to watch a 54 second-long video of the reveal.

Click here to read the rest of Michael Schumacher revealed as The Stig?

Here’s a new set of promotional footage and beauty shots for the upcoming 4-door Porsche Panamera. You can check out the exterior and interior (I think it’s got the most wood in a modern Porsche that I’ve ever seen!) in detail and even watch the car in motion. There’s also footage of how stuff like the retractable rear spoiler works.

Check the video out after the jump!

Click here to read the rest of New Porsche Panamera Promo Footage: exterior, interior, retractable spoiler, etc

The results for the 2009 International Engine of the Year Awards have been released, and the grand overall winner is the 1.4 liter TSI Twincharger engine from Volkswagen, ending for the first time in 4 years BMW’s dominance over the awards.

Quite interestingly out of the 8 entries for the title, 6 and a half are German engines, with the remaining one being the 1.0 liter in the Aygo and the “half” being PSA’s share in the BMW Prince engine, which managed 7th place with 107 points. Check out the videos in this post which talk about the winning engines.

Continue reading after the jump for the full story.

Click here to read the rest of Volkswagen’s 1.4 TSI Twincharger wins 2009 International Engine of the Year Awards!