Cars,Travel and Military in Germany

MUNICH, Germany — Less than four weeks after it was unveiled in concept-car form BMW has pulled the wraps off the definitive production version of its new M3. The muscular-looking two-door, planned to go on sale in North America as a 2009 model following a planned public debut at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, is the fourth iteration of BMW’s original motorsport-inspired coupe.

 If it looks familiar, that’s because the production car is a virtual carbon copy of the earlier concept shown at the Geneva auto show last month. The two share the same styling and design features, down to the finest detail.

The new M3 is once again based on the 3 Series coupe. However, a host of visual modifications make it appear more athletic than its standard sibling. They include a deep front spoiler, a distinctive power dome in the hood, chrome air vents behind the front wheel arches, new exterior mirror housings, widened fenders and four chromed tailpipes. It is all set off by new 18-inch forged alloy wheels and a lightweight carbon-fiber-reinforced roof that helps to lower the crucial center of gravity. The new model is slightly enlarged to provide it with an aggressive hunkered-down stance befitting its reputation as one of the world’s most distinguished performance cars.

In a move aimed at extending the new M3’s appeal, BMW plans to follow up the introduction of the coupe model revealed here with sedan, cabriolet and wagon variants, each sharing the same mechanical package but with individually tuned suspensions.  >> more

SAAB is not a German car, but you can get one in Germany through a Military car sales program.  Besides, we love the way the SAAB looks, it’s a very sharp looking car, and lots of fun on the German Autobahns.

SAAB is offering a special deal on their 9-3 20th Anniversary Aero Convertible.  The new 9-3 has been updated for 2006, with the addition of an Aero model that sports a new 250-hp 2.8-liter turbocharged V-6 with variable valve timing. The car is still plagued by cheap leather, vague steering, and a clunky shifter says Stuart Fowle of automobilemag.com

We have all seen the German speed trap cameras around.  When you speed past one in your car in Germany, they take a photo of you and your car, register your current speed, and a date and time, then a few days later you get the notice in the mail along with your fine. 

Once we get used to our travel routes, we learn to slow down enough just to get past the cameras. Then we resume our normal speed. But now Germany is making it a lot more difficult.  They have new speed cameras being installed which are very well hidden (see photos below)

They are a lot harder to spot! These new cameras will be found in the Heidelberg area on Speyer Strasse (535) and also on the B3.

Germany no longer sends the photos in the mail in an attempt to curb high divorce rates in Germany.  Evidently there were quite a few cases where the photo was sent to the address of the speeder, but a wife or husband saw the photo with another member of the opposite sex in the car.  Oops.  Don’t get caught cheating!!!   There is lots of information on various speed cameras here

Sure, the new BMW M6 coupe is a dream car that most of us would love to own.  The questions is “If you had $100,000 to spend on a car, would the M6 be the one?”

The 2007 M6 sports a V10 engine (500 horsepower and 383 lb.-ft. of torque). All this comes at a price, of course, but even the base 6-Series is far from bottom-of-the-line.

Persoanlly, I think it is a waste of money.  Where could you possibly enjoy that kind of power and handling in the US?  Over here in Germany, we have the Autobahn to play with our sports cars on.  If I drove a car like the BMW M6 in the states, it wouldn’t take long before they took my liscence. Too much power!  I guess if you could afford a car with a sticker price over $100,000, you wouldn’t be too worried about speed limits.  It’s more an ego thing isn’t it?

Motor Trend gave its “Car of the Year” award to the redesigned Camry, includig the fuel efficient hybrid version. It has also been the best selling car in the stats for quite a few years.

Last year Honda Civic got the award. Could the Japanese quality be surpassign our German engineers? I’m not sure, but I sure like the looks of the German cars a lot better. There’s not much that comapres to the look of a new sleek BMW 3 series or BMW 5 series. But that’s just my opinion.

if you are looking to buy a Honda, contact Mike’s Military Car sales in Germany.  he can hook you up.

The BMW 5 series is one of my favorite cars.  I own a 1998 528i and also a 2003 BMW 330ci.  I love driving the convertible, but I find the drive of the 5 series to be a little smoother and more comfortable for long trips.

I just saw this video ( tv commercial) and thought it was pretty funny. It’s an advertisement for the BMW 5 series touring model. This guy puts his dog in the back with a helmet on so that the dog wouldn’t hurt his head while speeding around in the bimmer.  Pretty funny.  BMW commercials

From Forbes - For years, BMW, Mercedes, Volvo and Saab buyers have taken advantage of European delivery programs, receiving sizable discounts by picking up keys to a car at its home factory.

What’s new is that carmakers are breaking ground on sleek delivery centers and piling on perks to lure autophiles into experiencing the newest car smell of all.

This summer the new BMW Welt - Deutsch for “world” - will open in Munich. The glass-skinned facility, designed by CoopHimmelblau (a cutting-edge Vienna-based architecture firm), will host up to 250 customer deliveries a day, with cars rotating on turntables as they’re introduced to owners.

Porsche is set to open an equally state-of-the-art tourist attraction next year as the focal point of its sprawling campus in Stuttgart, Germany. This museum will house the world’s most valuable collection of Porsches, with hundreds of storied race and production models on display.   Full Article

I just read an article about the new nav system that BMW has coming out on some select 2007 7 Series’.  The service is premium, which means you have to pay for it.  It’s called Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI) and offers timely traffic information and for the first time on any production vehicle sold in the United States.

Unlike other automobile manufacturers that charge a recurring monthly fee for RTTI, or require customers to pay for an additional satellite radio service, BMW has included RTTI as part of the cost of the navigation system for select 2007 BMW models.

With the help of Clear Channel’s broadcast network, customers no longer have to search for traffic reports on radio stations to be in-the-know about traffic situations. Up-to-date traffic information is compiled from a variety of sources including FM radio stations, highway-embedded sensors, video monitors on bridges and roadways, and local traffic monitoring centers.

Germany’s “other luxury car” wants to finally muscle its way into the top tier.
Audi introduced its new $130,000 R8 sports car to the United States Wednesday with a drive down Manhattan’s Park Avenue and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg riding shotgun.

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Since its launch in 1975 the reassuringly expensive BMW 3 Series has become the motoring icon of corporate greed – the middle manager’s chariot of choice. As integral a part of the upscale lifestyle as an espresso machine and exotic holidays, it is a cultural phenomenon and the new 335i Coupe should secure entry into folklore.

Most business-class custodians that restrict their journeys to our motorway system will simply never understand how good their car is. The real core virtues of the middle managers’ outside lane pounder of choice will simply stay a secret, well hidden behind the traction control button and comfy leather seats.  Read the full article