BMW at the 2010 Detroit NAIAS

A wide range of options pointing into the future for enjoying Sheer Driving Pleasure of the highest standard – precisely this is the highlight of the model range and other innovations presented by BMW, the German premium car maker, at the 2010 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

 

Apart from the world debut of the fascinating, ultra-sporting BMW Z4 sDrive35is, the press and public in Detroit will also experience the starting signal for new drivetrain technology at the Show from 16 – 24 January 2010: The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 and the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 are being presented to the US public for the first time.

 

The first hybrids from BMW demonstrate impressively how much extra efficiency and driving dynamics a premium manufacturer such as BMW is able to offer through innovative technologies combining the combustion engine and electric drive.

 

Further proof of the brand’s innovative power is the US launch of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo, a unique new model bringing together luxurious motoring comfort, superior variability and an elevated seating position to provide an unprecedented driving experience also benefiting from impressively low fuel consumption and exhaust emissions thanks to the wide range of technologies from BMW EfficientDynamics.

 

As the epitome of Sheer Driving Pleasure, the new BMW Z4 has made a great name for itself also in the North American automobile market within a very short time. This re-interpretation of the classic roadster with a retractable hardtop, seats moved back almost to the rear axle and a powerful straight-six engine is now entering a new dimension of driving dynamics: At the 2010 NAIAS BMW is proudly presenting the BMW Z4 sDrive35is featuring a Twin Turbo power unit with High Precision Injection for maximum output of 250 kW/340 hp and peak torque of 450 Newton-metres/332 lb-ft.

 

In conjunction with seven-speed Sport Automatic transmission featuring double clutch operation now available in the Roadster for the first time in the USA, the BMW Z4 sDrive35is accelerates to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.8 seconds.

 

Thanks to BMW EfficientDynamics, this significant increase in power, perfor-mance and driving dynamics comes without the slightest increase in fuel consumption. At 9.0 litres/100 kilometres (equal to 26.1 mpg US) and 210 grams CO2 per kilometre in the EU test cycle, both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are the same as on the BMW Z4 sDrive35i with regular Sport Automatic.

 

Following the BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy, the German manufacturer of premium cars offers a unique range of options and technologies giving customers from all over the world exactly the right models to enjoy new standards in terms of both driving dynamics and efficiency. Power units and transmissions with a supreme level of efficiency all round, technologies and features on the engine’s ancillary units likewise serving to enhance efficiency, optimised aerodynamics and intelligent lightweight technology help to provide a perfect symbiosis in all segments of the Sheer Driving Pleasure so typical of the brand, on the one hand, with surprisingly low fuel consumption and emissions, on the other. And as a further cornerstone of BMW EfficientDynamics, BMW ActiveHybrid technology is now also about to enter the market.

 

The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is the first vehicle in the world to combine a V8 gasoline engine, eight-speed automatic transmission and an electric motor as a mild-hybrid concept. This combination of an upgraded eight-cylinder with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and High Precision Injection, on the one hand, and an electric motor, on the other, gives BMW ActiveHybrid 7 overall system output of 342 kW/465 hp and maximum torque of 700 Nm/516 lb-ft.

 

Power is conveyed to the wheels by an eight-speed automatic transmission. The electric motor positioned between the combustion engine and the converter on the automatic transmission, in turn, draws its energy from a lithium-ion battery developed specifically for automotive applications.

 

Precisely masterminded interaction of both power sources serves to optimise not only the supreme level of efficiency, but also the dynamic performance and motoring comfort offered by the BMW ActiveHybrid 7. Just one example is that the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a mere 4.9 seconds, while making do on average fuel consumption in the EU test cycle of 9.4 litres/100 kilometres (24.9 mpg US) and restricting CO2 emissions to 219 grams per kilometre.

 

A further feature of the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is the car’s Auto Start Stop function keeping idle periods when stopping at the traffic lights or in congested traffic to a minimum and thus preventing any superfluous consumption of fuel. For the first time the air conditioning and ventilation may still be operated even with the engine switched off, just as the energy management concept featured in this Luxury Performance Sedan provides the option to run the air conditioning even when the car is at a standstill.

 

Parallel to the BMW ActiveHybrid 7, BMW is also presenting BMW the Active Hybrid X6 at the 2010 NAIAS. The world’s first Sports Activity Coupe with full-hybrid drive capitalises on the options provided by the combination of the combustion engine and the electric motor to a degree never seen before. The vehicle’s drive system is made up of a 300 kW/407 hp V8 with BMW TwinPower Turbo Technology and two synchronous electric motors developing maximum output of 67 kW/91 hp and, respectively, 63 kW/86 hp. The electric motors receive their energy from an NiMH high-performance battery positioned beneath the luggage compartment and also supplying power to the on-board network.

 

Maximum system output available in this case is 357 kW/485 hp, with torque peaking at 780 Newton-metres/575 lb-ft. Precisely controlled interaction of the three drive units optimises the overall efficiency of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 at all speeds. Acceleration from a standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) comes in 5.6 seconds, top speed of BMW ActiveHybrid X6 is limited electronically to 236 km/h or 146 mph (250 km/h or 155 mph in conjunction with the optional Sports Package). Average fuel consumption in the EU5 test cycle, on the other hand, is just 9.9 litres/100 km (equal to 23.7 mpg US), CO2 emissions are 231 grams per kilometre.

 

BMW’s first full-hybrid is able to run on electric power alone up to a speed of 60 km/h or 37 mph, that is without the slightest emission of CO2. The combustion engine cuts in automatically whenever required.

 

The two-mode active transmission serves to enhance the level of efficiency and driving dynamics by providing the ideal combination in each case of the two drive systems. Incorporating the two electric motors, three planetary gearsets and four multiple-plate clutches, the two-mode active transmission conveys the power of the drive system in the same way and with the same qualities as a seven-speed automatic transmission, intelligent xDrive all-wheel-drive technology, in turn, spreading out power variably between the front and rear wheels.

 

A truly innovative vehicle concept forms the third US premiere from BMW at the 2010 NAIAS: Opening up a new segment never seen before, the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo combines the essential features of a prestige Sedan, a modern Sports Activity Vehicle, and a classic Gran Turismo with one another. Stylish and elegant in its looks, this unprecedented four-door comes with frameless windows and a two-piece tailgate. The generous interior offers luxurious comfort, a slightly higher seating position for comfortable access and a superior overview of traffic conditions as well as a truly impressive range of variability.

 

Powerful but efficient engines, eight-speed automatic transmission featured as standard, Dynamic Driving Control also coming as standard, the most advanced suspension technology and innovative driver assistance systems interact with one another in the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo to ensure a truly unique driving experience. The 550i Gran Turismo, for example, is powered by a V8 featuring BMW TwinPower Turbo and High Precision Injection for maximum output of 300 kW/407 hp. The BMW 535i Gran Turismo, in turn, comes with a newly developed straight-six for the first time combining a turbocharger, direct gasoline injection, and fully variable VALVETRONIC valve management. Displacing 3.0 litres, the BMW TwinPower Turbo delivers maximum output of 225 kW/306 hp. And thanks to BMW EfficientDynamics, both versions of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo offer a level of fuel economy and emission management simply outstanding in this segment and with this kind of performance.

 

The BMW Advanced Diesel with BluePerformance technology offers yet another opportunity to enjoy Sheer Driving Pleasure at a low level of fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.

 

Featuring the BMW 335d Sedan and the BMW X5 xDrive35d as special variants of the six-cylinder diesel, BMW is focusing specifically on the challenges of the North American automobile market and is therefore promoting this drive technology in continuing its worldwide entry into the marketplace. Developing maximum output of 265 hp, the power unit featuring Variable Twin Turbo Technology and common-rail direct fuel injection also offers an unprecedented cruising range on the road. And equipped with a diesel particulates filter, an oxidation catalyst, and SCR Selective Catalytic Reduction to reduce the level of nitric oxides (NOX) to a minimum, the new model meets the emission standards now in force even in the strictest States in the USA.

 

The Detroit Auto Show, as it is commonly called, was held for the first time in 1907 as a regional event and has been a regular highlight of the international circuit of motor shows since 1987, representing the most significant annual event of its kind on the North American continent. In 2009 the organisers of the NAIAS registered more than 650,000 visitors to the Cobo Center in