BMW CONCEPT ACTIVE TOURER MPV FOR PARIS 2012

The BMW Concept Active Tourer is as long as the Mercedes-Benz B-Class. Clearly BMW is getting into the premium MPV segment and is keen on ticking the class-leader off the list. CAT will be revealed in full at the 2012 Paris International Motor Show and previews the upcoming 2013 1 Series GT. A bit of info then on the concept.

The car is 4.3 metres long, 1.8m wide, 1.6m tall and has a wheelbase of 2.67m. We think the real deal will be of similar proportions when it’s unveiled either at 2013 Detroit or 2013 Geneva Motor Shows. Of course detractors aren’t convinced that BMW should even be thinking about conceptualising cars like this, that it should stick with sporty, luxurious family cars. Sorry to tell you but that ship sailed away way back in 1999 when the first X5 came out.

As for the CAT, it features, among other goodies, a 27cm dashboard information display unit, laminated wood and orange accents, a sunroof with something called Suspended Particle Device technology, which can adjust the amount of light shining through. Yes, it’s similar to Mercedes-Benz’s Magic Sky Control found in the SLK and new SL.

Under the fake bonnet lies a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine which is mated with an electric motor, as well as a lithium-ion battery, all of which combined make 140kW and 200Nm of torque. So obviously the CAT is a hybrid. Seems BMW is now in the habit of hybridising its most uniqueconcepts. A 0 – 100km/h time of under 8 seconds is claimed, while average fuel consumption is said to be less than 2.5 litres per 100km! Plus, the car can travel for up to 30km on electricity alone.

Hopefully many of these claims can be closely translated into reality when the 1 Series GT hybridgoes into production.

GEMMELL AND SWAN TAKE IT FOR TOYOTA

Johnny Gemmell and Carolyn Swan (Castrol Team Toyota Auris) made a sponsor’s dream come true with victory in the Toyota Cape Dealer Rally in the Western Cape yesterday.

It was their second win of the season and in the process they regained the lead in the SA Rally Championship. They now enjoy a five-point advantage with two rounds remaining over Mark Cronje and Robin Houghton (Ford Fiesta), who finished third, 50 seconds in arrears. Former champions Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson (VW Polo) were second, 45 seconds behind the winning Toyota pair.

Leading Toyota privateer and multiple Western Cape rally champion Jean-Pierre Damseaux and co-driver Grant Martin (Team Total Auris) took full advantage of Damseaux’s knowledge of local conditions to finish fifth overall behind the Ford Fiesta of Jon Williams and Cobus Vrey.

The two-day rally, held over 13 special stages and some 180 kilometres of forest and gravel roads in the Grabouw and Caledon areas, featured the same head-to-head battle between Gemmell and Cronje that has characterised most of the previous five rounds and seen them win five rallies between them and share the podium on five occasions.

Gemmell and Swan, seeking a first championship title, led at the end of Friday’s six special stages by 16 seconds from Enzo Kuun and Guy Hodgson (VW Polo) and by 54 seconds from Damseaux and Martin.

They opened up their lead over Kuun and Hodgson with each stage on Saturday, controlling the rally from the front, before slowing their pace on the last of the long gravel stages as victory was assured.

Toyota Motorsport team-mates Giniel de Villiers and Celeste Snyders (Imperial Toyota Auris) finished seventh overall in their third event together.

Leeroy Poulter and Elvene Coetzee were officially classified as finishing 19th overall and 15th among the four-wheel-drive S2000 cars in the second Castrol Team Toyota Auris. They were forced to retire on the fifth stage on Friday when a sheared gearbox input shaft prematurely ended their challenge for what was looking like a podium finish.

They restarted on Saturday after the Toyota Motorsport technicians replaced the shaft and competed under Super Rally rules to gain some seat time and test different set-up combinations. Poulter recorded a number of top-four stage times and won the short, final stage at the Caledon rugby club.

“We’re delighted to have pulled off another win in what has been a challenging event. Regaining the championship lead was our main objective this weekend and Johnny and Carolyn were fast and consistent throughout the rally,” said team manager Glyn Hall.

“Leeroy and Elvene were looking good for a podium finish until their retirement. Giniel and Celeste have made great progress together and are now on the pace of the front-running teams. “At one stage yesterday we were looking at having all three cars in the top four positions.”

The next round of the championship is the Polokwane Rally in Limpopo on October 6 and 7.

STORY BY TOYOTA

3-DOOR MINI PACEMAN NOW OFFICIAL!

MINI owner BMW has now extended its “Sports Activity” moniker to the British-born brand. The new MINI Paceman is being marketed as a Sports Activity Coupe, the first of its kind in the small premium segment. Paceman is essentially a chopped-off Countryman that keeps the same number of seats but cuts off on the number of doors.

Styling-wise the car is characterised by the same massive hexagonal front grille we’ve seen in the Countryman - dubbed the MAXI by yours truly due to its size – a coupe-like side profile, especially at the rear, flared wheel arches, that helmet roof style at the back, black bumpers and chrome-surround rear lights. Despite its size, ride height and shape, MINI insists that Paceman will still prove to supply that go-kart like feeling to the driver.

Inside it’s typically MINI, with that large circular centre, a rounded gear lever, round air vents for the climate control, roundedseats and other figures. There’s very little unique about the front end. At the back things are different of course, due to the fact that both front and rear passengers have to use the same two doors. Loading capacity from the 4.1 metre long Paceman increases from 330 litres to 1 080 litres when the rear seats are folded. A lower, normal ride height can be specified by those who prefer to be on the same level as most other traffic.

The car comes with a range of engines, all of which already exist in both MINI and BMW stables. For the Mzansi market we can expect the following: the normally aspirated 90kW, 160Nm Cooper Paceman. Higher than that is the Cooper S Paceman delivering 135kW and 240Nm of torque, with a 20Nm overboost for overtaking. Both are fitted with 1.6-litre engines, the latter’s being turbocharged. Later we’ll see the 155kW John Cooper Works (JCW) version. They will be driving through 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic gearboxes, with MINI’s ALL4 all-wheel-drive (AWD) system made available to the Cooper S.

New MINI Paceman is in South Africa in 2013 and will not have any direct competitors upon its arrival.

BMW 1.5-LITRE TURBOS BREAK OUT!

BMW seems to be planning quite a splash at the 2012 Paris International Motor Show. Last night various new developments were announced by the Munich-based company. One of these is the introduction of two brand new 1.5-litre turbo engines, one petrol one diesel! We aren’t sure yet where the petrol engine fits in, given that BMW already has a 1.6-litre turbo in place. Nevertheless, here are some of the detailsinvolved.

The 1.5-litre is a 3-cylinder motor. That’s right, it only has 3 tubes, and each of these three displaces 500cc. On the petrol side is produces between 90kW and up to 165kW, with matching torque of between 180Nmand 240Nm. The diesel is good for between 60kW and 225Nm, and 135kW and 330Nm. Such figures have been, up to now, confined to engines with displacements from 1.8-litre and above.

That they are small doesn’t seem to bother BMW, as the company promisesan exhaust note that’s extremely vivacious and sporty. The engines should be fitted in cars like the 1 and the upcoming 2 Series ranges, X1, X2 and possibly even the 3 Series faceliftin 2015.

2013 BMW 1 SERIES GT. REAL OR FAKE?

When you get a copy of the latest issue of AutoBild magazine, assuming you’re in Europe of course, take a very close look at the cover. Are you looking at the new BMW 1 Series Gran Turismo, or is it something fake? We reckon this is the real deal, and the concept model will make its way to the 2012 Paris International Motor Show.

We know that BMW has been working on and will launch a 3 Series GT later this year, to follow in the tracks of the rather pointless 5 Series GT. What we hadn’t counted on was a baby GT, namely the 1 Series GT. While it’s pretty obvious the 3 Series GT is pitched against the Audi A5 Sportback, we aren’t sure where the 1er will fit it. It’s possibly a Mercedes-Benz B-Class rival, but if it’s smaller, then you are looking at a previous-generation A-Class segment.

Word is, this is the first of a number of front-wheel-driven (FWD) BMWs to come. Company chairman Norbert Reithofer said two years ago that a great number of BMW drivers have no clue which wheels their cars pull on. Therefore producing FWD like Audi does, would mean nothing to them.

The 1 Series GT will possibly be powered by a range of small new engines, including 1.5-litre turboand even a 3-cylinder turbo! A full production version goes on sale in 2013.