A Sportier, Faster 1-SeriesBMW hasn't yet brought its small 1-Series five-door into the United States, working, it's presumed, on the theory that us 'Mericans are already thoroughly addicted to the 3-Series and don't really like five-doors anyhow, and BMW doesn't need a smaller car in this big market. But the three-door version of the 1-Series is coming, and it looks like it could make it to our above-average shores.
Unlike virtually all its similarly equal sized direct competition, the 1-Series is rear-wheel-drive, and that means it can accommodate both BMW's four- and six-cylinder engines. And the 1-Series captured in these spy shots has both a deep front air dam and dual exhausts indicating the presence not just of a six, but of BMW's new twin-turbocharged version 3.0-liter straight-six. That engine is now available on the 3-Series coupe where it's rated at 306 bhp, and the thought of it in the smaller, lighter 1-Series is super-delicious. To put it in perspective: It's a car about the size of a Corolla with a drivetrain similar to the '97 Supra Turbo's installed. In short, it's likely a rocket-with a lot more tuning potential beyond that 306 bhp.
By the way, don't you love the fake rear doors on the prototype? Complete with fake door handles? How damned clever!
If the 1-Series is ever coming to America, it won't be before next year-at the earliest. So don't hold your breath...because you could develop an embolism and die.
A Generalized Appreciation Of You TubeYeah, these photos are hazy and out of focus-real crap quality. But that's true of virtually all the videos on You Tube (www.youtube.com), which is quickly becoming the place to post homemade videos in order to share them with the rest of the planet. And a lot of these videos are automotive based.
You Tube is a fantastic time waster. You just sort of sit there mesmerized by videos of guys running over themselves with driverless cars...or going full-Frogger while crossing an intersection at high speed against a red light...or buses, trucks, and cars crashing in a tunnel...or an Aston Martin ALMS racer flying over 140 feet and landing right side up. Then you go on to all the noncar stuff.
Chances are a lot of you already have wasted many precious hours staring at You Tube. That's good, but we won't be satisfied until every single reader is mesmerized for four to six hours a day.
Rumors&Lies* In late May, Rob and Lisa Manchester decided to go out to dinner in Richmond Hill, Ontario, on a Saturday night to celebrate their wedding anniversary. While leaving the restaurant at about 10:00 p.m., their car was t-boned by a street-racing Honda estimated to be traveling at nearly 90 mph. Both Rob and Lisa were killed, leaving their daughter Katie, 7, parentless. Marco Gasparro, 18, the alleged driver of the Honda that collided with the Manchesters' car has been charged with dangerous driving.
* Honda will reportedly offer a hybrid version of the Fit small car using the drivetrain from the two-seat Insight. It should go on sale next year.
* Toyota made $12.4 billion during its last fiscal year. Next time we go over there, they're buying lunch.
Just an Excuse to Run These PhotosAt the annual International Academy of Design and Technology Student Fashion Show in Chicago, design students showed off fashions inspired by various GM products. No, we don't care about the clothes and there's no reason for us to care about the event...but the models showing off the designs were truly spectacular. And we have no problem pandering to our readers' basest motivations.
Realtime goes drifting!Last year we obsessively followed RealTime Racing during its antics in World Challenge Touring Car competition (they carried SCC stickers on their Acura TSXes and RSXes). But this year they've added drifting to their schedule in the form of a supercharged S2000 for longtime team driver Pierre Kleinubing.
"It was my idea," said Kleinubing in a conference call with team major domo Peter Cunningham. "It's a new challenge, for sure. Most of the stuff I do on the drift course is stuff I never use on the road course."