A summary of the BMW news I heard and read.

BMW to test F1 engine in January 1999

• BMW could be ready to track test its Formula One engine as early as January. Williams will supply two chassis to the German automobile manufacturer which it will run from Munich in Germany using British mechanics recruited by Williams. The cars are likely to be finished in BMW’s white colours, but no test drivers have yet been recruited.

BMW to revive the 6 series!

• Model E63's likely launch date: 2001
• Will be a 2+2 based on the original 6 series launched in 1976 and will replace the current 8 series.
• The engines will be in line sixed (3.0litres later phased to 2.8litres with 200bhp) and V8s (235bhp 3.5litres and 286bhp 4.4litres).
• A 400bhp 5.0litre V8 (from 1998 M5) M6 model is also likely.
• A convertible is likely so that the 6 covers several niches.
• The rear-drive chassis could be based on BMW's unsuccessful plan for a small Bentley coupe.
• Weight savings is a top priority to avoid the criticisms of the current 8 series.

BMW to build lightweight mid-engine coupe for 21st century

• The brief: 2 seater, weighing no more than 1,000kgs, mid-engined drivers car.
• Possible powerplants: V12 from McLaren F1, or V8 from Z07 or a straight six. The six seems most likely, and perhaps spanning 2.3 to 3.2 litres with a 3.5 M-engine.
• Power should be as much as 375bhp (normally aspirated) and 450bhp for the turbocharged version.
• Williams Engineering will come in as advisory capacity, drawing from its F1 experience with material science, lightweight build and aerodynamics.
• BMW may build only 1,000 cars over 5 years.
• Price: slighty under GBP100,000.

BMW now owns Rolls Royce, leaving VW's Piech with egg on his face

• In a stunning transaction, BMW acquired the rights to use the Rolls Royce brand for GBP40million from Rolls Royce Plc, the jet engine manufacuturer with whom BMW has a joint venture arrangement.
• With this transaction, BMW allowed VW to use the Rolls Royce name for free until the year 2002, after which BMW will take over the Rolls brand and the coveted ``Spirit of Ecstacy'' hood ornament, while VW would be left with the Bentley name.
• Earlier last week, BMW had agreed to continue supplying its V12 engine to power the new Silver Seraph until 2002
• From 2003, BMW will start building Rolls Royce cars at a new British plant. Currently BMW already owns Rover Cars which is based in Britain.
• This transaction produced unanimously negative verdicts for Piech's personal performance: While BMW made only one offer for GBP340million, VW increased its bid twice including the decision to purchase engine maker Cosworth from Vickers PLC.

BMW to end supplies to Rolls Royce motorcars

• BMW now has issued a statement, saying that "as warned many times in the past, BMW has cancelled the agreements with Rolls-Royce Motor Cars on the supply of engines and the entire range of parts with effect from July 9, 1999."
• BMW currently supplies around 30% of parts for the new models of Rolls-Royce, including the Silver Seraph, as well as key parts for other models.

BMW and Fiat in merger rumours

• Italy's car manufacturer Fiat and Germany's luxury car maker BMW are rumoured to be in talks about a strategic alliance, or possibly a $45bn merger.
• According to a report in The Economist, published in London, the both companies are "talking at the highest levels", although the newspaper says that the "deal is far from done."
• Quoting sources in Germany, the Economist says that the two major shareholders in both companies - the Agnelli family in Italy and the Quandt family in Germany - could agree to own 30% each of the combined group, or that Fiat Auto could be spun off to form a joint venture with BMW.

Gerhard Berger becomes BMW motorsports director

• Austrian Gerhard Berger, who quit Formula One at the end of last season, has been appointed motor sport director for Formula One-bound engine manufacturer BMW to oversee the German company's competition activities as they head towards a return to the world championship with Williams in two years.
• The appointment is a 5 year deal.
• Gerhard Berger was a winner of 10 Formula One races in his 14 year career.

BMW to build sports cars in Britain

• BMW is planning to invest 100 million pounds to produce a luxury sports car at its Rover factory in Oxford, southern England.
• The plans for a new ``super coupe'' could create some 1,500 jobs around the turn of the century.
• The vehicle would retail at between 100,000 and 150,000 pounds and production would begin from 2001, with annual sales forecast at around 4,000 units.

BMW to develop two luxury models

• BMW plans to manufacture a luxury limousine called the Princess and a luxury sports car called the Z07.
• BMW's Princess model is expected to be a higher specification car than its current top model, the 7-series.
• The Z07 two-seater sports model will have a 500 PC-V8-Biturbo engine and is expected to compete against Jaguar, Ferrari and Bentley. It is scheduled to be on the market by September 1999.
• BMW is to produce 500 Z07 models a year. The car will retail at around 250,000 marks (about $146,000).
• The magazine said the development of the Z07 was more than a certainty, while the development of a Princess model remained in question.

Vickers shareholders approve VW's bid for Rolls Royce over BMW's

• The shareholders of Vickers (Rolls Royce Cars owners) rejected BMW's GBP340million bid over VW's bid of GBP430million which was accompanied by a GBP120million sweetener for Vickers' Cosworth engine making company.
• BMW Chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder had earlier declined to renew its bid for Rolls Royce. BMW had stated that the priced offerred by VW was "not economically vaiable".
• BMW will now be investing into its own luxury limosine model to challenge Mercedes's Maybach and VW's Rolls Royce.
• BMW will be cutting of supply of its new engines to Rolls Royce.

BMW wins bid for Rolls Royce and Bentley

• Vickers (RR's present owner) has announced that BMW will take over Rolls Royce and Bentley for GBP350million. With that BMW announced that it shall triple production to 6,000 cars per annum whilst doubling the labour force, BMW Chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder said.
• BMW currently supplies a 5.4litre V12 for the new Rolls Royce Silver Seraph.
• BMW also has a joint venture with RR to manufacture aero engines.
• Rolls Royce is the second British company to be taken over by BMW, which now has other brand names such as Rover, MG, Land Rover which it acquired from the British Rover Car Group.

BMW sport utility 4WD ("SAV")

• BMW plans to build its new sport-activity vehicle ("SAV") - code named E53 - at its South Carolina plant. The car will be based on the 5-series platform, and will sell for around UD50,000. It will be marketed as the best in class on-road vehicle.

3-series

• New 3-series released with range of 1.8litre 120bhp (318i), 2.0litre 150bhp (320i) and 2.8litre 175bhp (328i).
• The new 3-series will later be available in coupe, touring (spring and summer 1999), cabrio and compact (in the year 2000) versions.
• The new 3-series compact will be given a differentiated identity compared to its 3-series sisters.
• Future engine variants will be a 2.0litre direct injection turbo diesel, and a hot M3 versions.
• No word yet on what engine variant the 2000AD M3 will use.
• Some of these engines will be shared with the new Rover 600 (code name R40) versions, out in October this year.
  
  new M5
  
• The new 5-series M5 variant should arrive in summer 1998 with a possible 4litre 380+bhp powerplant
  
  new off-roader E53 4x4
  
• This will be based on the new 5-series, with perhaps a little influence from Land Rover. The BMW owned Land Rover will be producing a new model with the Freelander and an updated Discovery.
  
  New Z07 roadster
  
• The exciting Z07 should be put into production and released in 1999. However, only 1,000 units of this car will be built annually.
  
  Revised Z3 roadster
  
• The current Z3 will receive a revise tail end in 1999
  
  New 6-series
  
• There is a mouth-watering prospect that the 6-series would be revived around 1999/2000. This car will be largely based on the 5-series but with its own body design. At the same time the 8-series will be discontinued
  
  New 7-series
  
• The new 7-series will be released in the year 2001, with a new design direction compared to the current batches of BMW 7, 5, and 3-series.
• BMW is expected to takeover the British Rolls Royce company in the year 2001. This will give BMW the chance to take the battle to Mercedes Benz new Maybach concept.
  
  

Formula 1

• BMW will be joining the formula one fray towards the end of 1999 with full participation in the year 2000. BMW currently has a V10 powerplant which is undergoing testing
  
  

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