2006 Bmw M5 Sedan 4-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Alpina D3 may be coming to Frankfurt with 350 hp, AWD

Rumors are swirling that Alpina, the tuning house that specializes in all things BMW, will followup its Geneva debut of the B3 Bi-Turbo with an oil-burning variant slated for debut at September's Frankfurt Motor Show. The news comes from Auto Zeitung, which reports that the second-generation D3 will be based off the Europe-only 335d.
This is a departure from the last D3, which had the four-cylinder turbo-diesel from the BMW 123d in a 3 Series body. The new model is expected to use a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged inline-six, which will generate 350 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That should scoot it to 62 miles per hour in under five seconds (likely while towing a tree stump). Both rear- and all-wheel drive should be available on the D3, and we imagine the thrill of this much power channeled through just the two rear wheels to be akin to skydiving sans parachute.
For our European friends that want an Alpina D3, but don't need more torque than any American full-size pickup, there may be plans to offer a four-cylinder variant that still delivers Alpina performance without a compromise in economy. We'll have more on the Alpina D3 when it debuts at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.

2014 BMW 4 Series

Because Four Is Greater Than Three
Say what you will about the name 4 Series, there is a method to BMW's madness. On one hand, it's easy enough to just buy into the logic that odd numbers are reserved for sedans and wagons, and that even numbers are reserved for coupes and convertibles. On the other hand, consider the idea that the higher numbers are used to separate the more dynamic, more engaging vehicles that use the same platform. It's that sort of separation that differentiates the 6 Series so nicely from its 5 Series roots, after all. And if we're being cynical, it also allows BMW to charge a bit more money for its lower-volume offerings.
So with the new two-door version of the 3 Series, BMW has gone the route of strengthening the dynamic virtues of its F30 chassis to create a car that's more removed from its sedan kin than one might think. And after spending some time with the new 4 Series on the roads around Lisbon, Portugal, as well as the famous Circuito do Estoril racetrack, it's increasingly clear that calling this car a 3 Series Coupe simply wouldn't be fair.

Thermal imagery of BMW M4 DTM pit stop is red hot

A pit stop is a pit stop, right? The race car pulls in, the crew changes the tires, pumps in some fuel, maybe swaps out a busted body panel or squeegees the windshield, and off it goes for another heat. Only pit stops have become the focus of news lately for a number of reasons, whether it's because of mishaps (like the ones that prompted F1 to ban mid-race refueling), new time records (due largely to said ban) or interesting new ways to film the fast-paced action.
A few weeks ago we brought you footage of an IndyCar pit stop filmed from multiple angles courtesy of Google Glass. Now BMW has released a brief clip of one of its M4 DTM racers coming in for fresh rubber, all filmed by infrared camera. Its the kind of technology BMW uses to help optimize its German touring cars for competition, and now the Bavarian outfit has released some footage for fans to enjoy.
The resulting thermal imagery gives you an idea of how hot the car runs (and where the heat is emanating from), how warm they get the fresh rubber before they get it onto the car, and what kind of temperatures the pit crew is subjected to. Look closely enough in the 25-second video below and you'll even see the heat sputtering out of the exhaust pipes as the M4 downshifts into its pit box. (Just don't try adjusting your speakers, the clip is without audio.)