News:
Alpina D3 pricing announced | BMW EfficientDynamics protects the planet

Products:
Hartge goes hunting | Bring the noise

News

Alpina D3 pricing announced

After much speculation as to how the Euro/Pound situation would affect the price of new Alpinas in the UK, Alpina GB has announced the final pricing and specification of the D3 Bi-Turbo Coupé. At £32,950 on the road, the D3 is a scant £45 more expensive than BMW's own 325d M Sport Coupé, yet offers more performance, better economy, a more comfortable ride and Alpina exclusivity.

The D3's standard equipment list is pretty impressive, too. Naturally, you get all the Alpina embellishments - twin-turbo 214hp/332lb ft engine, 19-inch Classic or Dynamic alloys, Alpina sport suspension, front and rear spoilers, Alpina bespoke exhaust plus Alpina instrumentation, steering wheel, door sills and floor mats. There are Sports seats finished in cloth/leather, six airbags, cruise control, Professional radio/CD, manual air-con and Xenon headlamps.

True, the D3 is missing a couple of items that you'd find on an M Sport, such as auto air-con, but Alpina GB was keen to get the D3 Bi-Turbo into the UK at a competitive price. Unlike BMW, which is able to ride out currency fluctuations thanks to its manufacturing bases in the UK, US and Eurozone, Alpina is tied to the Euro, which has recently experienced a ten per cent shift in its relationship with the pound. Thus Alpina GB has had no option but to raise its prices. Unlike the 'old' D3 there will be no hefty premium for adding some extras to the Bi-Turbo, with prices for the options list being the same as for the current BMW E92 range with the odd exception. Alpina's excellent Switch-tronic transmission will cost £1590.

BMW EfficientDynamics protects the planet

BMW has published details of the CO2 and fuel savings that its EfficientDynamics-equipped cars will enjoy in 2008. Over 95 per cent of all BMWs sold feature some form of EfficientDynamics technology, which is expected to equate to approximately 700,000 EfficientDynamics-equipped cars sold across Europe this year. These cars will save over 33 million gallons of fuel when compared with the pre-EfficientDynamics cars sold in 2006, which in turn means a Europe-wide reduction of CO2 of 373,000 tons, of which 54,000 tons will be saved in the UK alone. In terms of energy, that would be enough to power the city of Geneva - which is where BMW's latest EfficientDynamics latest project, the Vision debuted - for four years..

It was also at Geneva that BMW was once again recognised as the leading automotive manufacturer in environmental technology when it was presented with the Innovation Award at the prestigious Auto 1 Awards ceremony, held at the recent Geneva Motor Show. The pan-European awards are supported by 26 motoring titles from across the continent and are voted for by a combined readership of 40 million people. BMW was given top honours thanks to its extensive and exhaustive EfficientDynamics program.

Products

Hartge goes hunting

Bucking the trend for creating off-roaders that are designed to be used on the road, Hartge has turned the X3 into a proper mud-plugger with its latest Hunter package. Designed for the keen hunter, such as Herbert Hartge himself, the modifications allow the X3 to cope with all manner of rough terrain. 23cm of additional ground clearance has been added thanks to longer spring and damper units, along with additional front spacer blocks. 18-inch Classic 2 alloys have been fitted and come with special all-terrain tyres, while a solid stainless steel skid plate has been fitted to protect the car's underbelly from damage. Off-road capability has been further increased by the fitment of a shortened final drive ratio and an ECU remap, which endows the 3.0d with 253hp, and is also available for the 3.0sd, which sees power rise to 335hp. These modifications enable the Hunter to clamber up 48º inclines in addition to its 50cm wading depth and a 63 per cent axle articulation index, with automatic front and rear diff locks improving its off-road capabilities, while stainless steel grating protects the radiator.

Among the outdoorsy interior options you'll find Sensatec washable seat covers and you can really go overboard with the nature-themed trim options, which include a green leather and maple steering wheel, green instruments and green leather - you can even have a tub in the boot for transporting game. To find out more, visit www.hartge.de.

Bring the noise

AC Schnitzer UK has now added Export spec rear silencers for the E92 335i, M3 and M6 to its product range. The Export versions are not bound by Germany's strict TÜV regulations, meaning the volume level has been ramped up - without becoming silly and overly intrusive, mind. We've had first-hand experience of the system on the M3 and it sounds fantastic without making it unusable on longer journeys. It gets a thumbs up from the editorial team and would be money well spent if you love a mean exhaust note. The 335i and M3 get the classic figure of eight exhaust trim while the M6 gets quad slash-cut 70mm pipes. Prices start from £1382.40 plus VAT - for more information visit www.ac-schnitzer.co.uk or call 01485 54200

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