BMW to be the biggie amongst the 3 German rival

BMW M6 Coupe

German car maker BMW will be displaying the X1 in the upcoming Auto Expo in New Delhi. The car luxury car maker will also be displaying the Z4, BMW 3-Series and the BMW 5-Series.

BMW is currently India’s number one luxury car maker. It has launched the X4 in the Indian car market in October 2009. It has rolled out the 3-Series and the 5-Series sedans in the India.

The X1 is the most compact SUV from BMW. It will be pitted against the Land Rover Freelander 2. The BMW X1 will be available with a choice of three 2-litre turbo-diesel engines. The 1.8d can derive 143 bhp, the 2.0d 177 bhp and the 23d 240 bhp. A 6-speed manual transmission comes standard on the 18d and the 20d, while a 6-speed automatic gearbox comes standard in the 23d and as an option in the 20d. The BMW X1 is expected to hit showrooms in mid-2010.

The Z4 is yet to make a mark in India. But this convertible promises to make an impact among the speed lovers in the coming year. The Z4 is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre engine with 306 bhp and a 7-speed semi-automatic gearbox.

The 3-Series is available in 4 variants, 320i petrol, 325i petrol, 320d diesel, and 320d Highline diesel in India. The 320i and 325i are powered by 2.0L inline 4-cyl and 2.5L inline 6-cyl petrol engines respectively. A 2.0L turbocharged diesel engine powers 320d and 320d Highline variants.

On the other hand, the BMW 5-Seriesis a midsize luxury sedan that incorporates attractive appearance and state-of-the-art technology along with luxurious interiors. It comes in five variants, 525i, 530i (petrol) and 520d, 530d and 530d Highline diesel. The 5-Series has 2.5L, and 3.0L 6-cylinder petrol engines that power the 525i, and the 530i respectively. The 520d is powered by a 2.0L Inline 4 diesel engine, whereas 530d and 530d Highline are mated with a 3.0L 6-cylinder diesel engine.

[Via http://gratiscarconnect.wordpress.com]

Our favorite cars of 2009..

..that is to say, modified cars that we’ve had on here, on this very blog. Not necessarily the most expensive, the rarest, or even the best- just our personal favorites, examples of which we can reasonably aspire to one day own (some sooner than others). Here, then, in no particular order, are those cars.

Porsche 911 Targa:

Porsche 993 911 Carrera 4S:

BMW 2002:

BMW Z3 M Coupe:

BMW E30 M3:

Audi RS4 Avant (yes, we realize it’s unavailable here in the States):

Volkswagen MkII Golf GTI:

Volvo 850 T-5R wagon:

BMW E9 3.0 CSI:

Porsche 964 911:

[Via http://bulgogibrothers.wordpress.com]

[Update] My 2009 Recap

Aside from the world of iPhone (wait, there is a world outside of the iPhone?), there are a million things have happened and are happening with me.  Let’s recap…

• Birth of my son Roman Pierce Zamostny on December 8th 2009
• Rome Apart began writing new material, this time as a band!
• Shot my first music video (watch it here: youtube.com/user/romeapart – lol to ensue for sure!)
• New video shoots planned for Rome Apart to support “Self”
• Both Rome Apart CD’s became available on iTunes
• Rome Apart debuted on stage for the first time at the ripe age of 3 years old!
• I’ve grown to hate my cars
• My daughter learned to count in English and Spanish, speak in full sentences, say “no” and more before she was 2 years old
• Found many more grey hairs on my head
• Found more grey hairs in my beard
• Launched my Tumblr account : mochasync.tumblr.com
• Met a ton of really cool people on Twitter [follow me!]
• Made my second trip down to SXSW in Austin, Texas.  Loved every minute of it.
• Got a MacBook Air.  Love that too.
• Lost 15 pounds.
• Gained it back.
• Went from an iPhone to an iPhone 3G to an iPhone 3GS
• Hated AT&T every step of the way

Im sure there is so much more I am forgetting… Anyway, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has supported me.  I am glad to have met so many cool friends here and on Twitter.  I can’t wait to see what 2010 has in store for us all.  On a side note, I will likely be incorporating another blog for Rome Apart or maybe posting more general music related content here, not sure yet.  It’s time for me to go home and enjoy the holidays, so please do so yourself!  Thanks for rockin!

[Via http://mochasyncsoftware.wordpress.com]

MINI recalling the Cooper and Cooper S

MINI, or if you want to be pedantic, their parent company BMW, is recalling 205 2010 MINI Coopers and MINI Cooper S’, due to incorrect tire information.

Affected vehicles were fitted with new 17-inch wheels, but the tire labels state the wheels are 16-inch. For the Cooper S, the tire pressure on the label is incorrect too. This could lead to improper tire fitment and inflation, decreasing the durability of the tire and stability of the vehicle, and therefore the safety of it as well.

BMW is unaware of any accidents or injuries occurring from this problem, but it could eventually happen.

BMW says “With the release of the 17-inch wheels for the 2010 Mini Cooper and Cooper S, a simultaneous release of the corresponding 17-inch tire pressure labels did not occur.”

Dealers will send the proper labels to consumers via mail, or owners may choose to have the label installed by their local dealer. The recall begins sometime this December.

If you own a MINI Cooper or MINI Cooper S, have it checked out with your dealer. Don’t do anything with the tire pressure until then.

Source: Inside Line

[Via http://theblogofcars.wordpress.com]

News: 2011 BMW 7-Series Engines

BMW has just released details on the engines available in the 2011 7-Series sedan.  While it’s had a V8 for many years, a 6-cylinder engine has been unavailable for some time.  With recent engine designs giving far more power and power adders like the turbochargers BMW employs on its 335 and 535, an 8-cylinder engine is no longer needed to move the big 7-Series with gusto.  A side benefit, of which every car manufacturer is worried about these days, is efficiency.  Gas mileage is a bigger and bigger deciding factor when buyers narrow down their car-shopping lists, but the people shopping in the rarified air that the 7-Series occupies are less likely to care than the average commuter.  The gas mileage matters more to the manufacturer, with Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) requirements slated to rise in the coming years.  The CAFE standard, put simply, is the average fuel economy of all passenger cars a manufacturer sells, so by offering a smaller engine on its 7-Series, BMW is hoping to raise their CAFE number ever so slightly.  Look for a 1-2 MPG difference between the available 6 and 8-cylinder engines on the 2011 7-Series cars, which will be labeled the 740 and 750, respectively.

by John Suit

Source: BMW

[Via http://roadreality.wordpress.com]

The Dog Ate My Motorcycle Keys?

Little bitch. Since I’ve exhausted all rational possibilities, blame falls on the newcomer, our dog Sofie. My motorcycle keys have disappeared. I wasted much of the day tearing the house apart looking for them. Had them just a day or so ago. Used them to pull the GPS off the bike so we could find our way to a Christmas party. Got that secret tool on the key ring to remove it from the bike. That was the last known contact.

My wife thinks she saw them the day after, put them on the key rack. They’re not there now. I had plans to explore some roads today to confirm I’d not missed any for my motorcycle maps. I was ready to leave before the sun came up, but no keys. I searched everywhere, then growing impatient, I attempted to convince my wife I might use her bike to “make sure everything was running OK“.

“My bike’s fine“, she retorted.

“But you know the battery needs a good charge in it with the cold weather” I alluded.

I don’t know if that was the trump card or not, but she was in a hurry to leave for work and I didn’t hear anything that countered my extremely plausible and rational argument before she left. I’m pretty sure it would hold up in a court of law if it came down to that. With permission essentially granted, once she left, I grabbed her keys and headed out on the road.

Jackie rides a Beemer. I could write pages about it. So different from my snarling Triumph Tiger, yet with a character all it’s own. It’s not just any BMW, it’s a rather unique, if not exotic model, an F 800 S. I’ve never seen another one on the road. I could be convinced she owns one of the few in the country, if not the world.

Tall gearing means it’s not likely to lift the front wheel with a roll of the throttle or an eager exit from a turn like the Tiger. In the saddle, it feels small compared to the roomy Tiger, almost toy-like until you glance down at the speedo. The riding position is comparatively cramped, though it’s probably ideal for my wife outside of being typically Beemer tall for her shorter legs. It is deceptively fast, so composed you don’t realize how quickly it accelerates. The twin cylinders are barely burbling at highway speeds, yet a roll of the throttle has it surging ahead with electric smoothness.

The mystery road was a good distance from home which meant the most practical approach was via the Interstate. While I hate the four lanes, this bike is so at home on it. It feels as if it were built for the Autobahn. Solid, planted, stable and in control, bumps and potholes disappear through the plush Germanic suspension as if they only existed visually. It didn’t seem fair to limit it to the posted speeds, it was a long way from it’s happy place where the speedometer would be recording triple digits and the engine would sing with Wagnerian enthusiasm. This bike can tour with a passive comfort that comes from the Teutonic drawing boards of it’s BMW heritage and meticulous design.

After an hour or so of resisting the urge to roll the throttle to nirvana level, I pulled off the Interstate and started clipping down the back roads to reach my goal. I was barely getting a feel for the wet roadway when it turned to gravel. As feared, I’d not missed a great ride in my previous mapping explorations. I’m used to this, another mountain road that starts out with so much promise then half way in the paving crews just packed up and went home. Why bother with the first half? Your hot date disappears mid-prom when she catches you checking your wallet for the prophylactics.

I paused to mark the spot with spent coffee like the big dog I pretend to be, pulled up my hoody under the helmet as I’d misjudged how the day would warm once the sun came up, and spun about for the ride home. I distracted myself from the urge to really ride this bike home by methodically supposing all the potential places my keys could be hiding, a mental logic puzzle that worked for the most part. There would be no challenges for this bike that wouldn’t risk a day in the pokey, at least on the highway.

The dogs were enthusiastically waiting at the end of the driveway when I pulled in and if those keys jingled as Sofie pranced about I couldn’t hear them through my helmet. I went back to searching all the places I now knew they must be to no avail.

I’m pretty sure that one ride was inadequate to fully charge the battery against the winter chill and riding some twisty roads might do the trick. There’s only one way to be sure…

Wayne@americaridesmaps.com

>> Go To America Rides Maps.com – http://americaridesmaps.com Cross-posted on The Cultivated Biker Blog

[Via http://americaridesmaps.wordpress.com]

2010 BMW M6 Images

 

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2010 BMW M6 review, specs, pictures and prices by U.S. News & World Report. … The 6 Series-based 2010 BMW M6 deserves to be more of an automotive icon than it …

[Via http://bmwcar.wordpress.com]

Romantic Valentine's Day Ideas for Her

The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's cut its outlook for the Kingdom of Spain  to “negative” on Wednesday,
marking the third time this week the credit agencies have raised concerns about the financial health of governments worldwide.

S&P affirmed its long-term “AA+” credit rating for Spain but cut the outlook from “stable” saying the country “will
experience a more pronounced and persistent deterioration in its public finances and a more prolonged period of economic weakness
versus its peers.”

The cut in the outlook indicates that Spain's credit rating might be at risk for a downgrade over the next two years, S&P
said, unless the government takes “more aggressive actions” to tackle the country's indebtedness. The agency projects Spain
to have a debt burden at approximately 67% of its GDP in 2010. 

“Spain's sizable fiscal
and economic imbalances requires strong policy actions, which have not yet materialized,” said S&P analyst Trevor Cullinan
in a statement.

The news about Spain, which is a member of the Eurozone, had an immediate impact on the markets. The euro lost its earlier
gains against the dollar and commodity markets sold off. The iShares MSCI Spain Index (EWP), which tracks 85% of Spanish-traded stocks, was down 1.2% in Tuesday trading. Banco Santander
(STD), the country's largest bank, was
down 3.5%.

Spain is the latest country to face market concerns that the multiyear recession and trillions of dollars in stimulus might
impair government balance sheets over the long term. Fitch cut its credit rating on Greece one step on Tuesday while Moody's
issued a report saying that the U.S. and U.K's “Aaa” ratings might be at risk over the long term.

“In general the Brits do overdo it,” said Al Griffiths, an English doctor who has been based in Val d'Isère for 12 years. “It's in the culture of the place: you go skiing, you have a vin chaud, you have an après- ski beer, you have wine with dinner in the hotel and before you know it you've gone over your weekly limit.”

The bawdy reputation of “les Anglais” is well-established. Taxi drivers despair of British students trying to walk home on their own; barmen chuckle at miniskirts worn at -15C. Even the tourists themselves recount vomiting in the snow and falling over. One former doorman said: “Stand outside Dicks [Tea Bar, a popular venue] when the season has taken off and you'll see a dozen or so guys dressed as Tarzan in leather pants.”

It is this culture of drinking with little regard for the Alpine conditions which the Foreign Office warns can lead tourists into risky territory, from minor mishaps such as lost passports to more serious, potentially fatal accidents.

Consuming alcohol when 1,850m above sea-level can make people feel drunk more quickly and when inebriated they are much less equipped to deal with the slippery ground and sub-zero temperatures, it points out.

While Griffiths says it is hard to tell which of the many ski-slope accidents during the season are directly caused by alcohol, he believes there is at least one alcohol-related death – and many more near misses – in Val d'Isère alone each year. Already this month, he said, a British girl working in a local chalet had been found walking home on her own in the early hours, with no coat on and no idea where she was going.

As ski resorts come under greater scrutiny, an atmosphere of blame and suspicion has set in. Bar owners are defensive and keen to stress they refuse to serve anyone who is obviously drunk.

Tour operators such as Wasteland and Off the Piste – the company formerly known as On the Piste with which Ward was travelling – insist they do all they can to ensure their on-site representatives are educated in the risks. Bryn Robinson, Off the Piste's managing director, said his company was “doing as much proactive work as possible'' to educate its reps.

But many locals feel personal responsibility must be the baseline for any tourist. “The information is all out there,” said one Englishman who has lived in Val d'Isère for years.

Dos and don'ts

• Do make sure you have adequate travel insurance. The EHIC card is not sufficient for skiing holidays as it does not cover rescue or repatriation missions.

• Don't assume your limits will be the same as they are at home. Altitude can alter how your body reacts to alcohol.

• Do keep drinking water. The more dehydrated you are, the quicker alcohol will go to your head.

• Do find out the phone number of the local medical services upon arrival.

• Don't let drunk friends go home alone. Always make sure they are accompanied in a taxi or shuttle bus.

• Don't go out without clothing that will protect you against the cold, and definitely don't try to wear anything on your feet other than sensible winter footwear when walking on icy roads.

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Every year, it just seems to creep up on you. Just like that. Valentine's Day. Most guys probably dread it. But you have to remember that your girlfriends and wives really hope that you'll take the time out and do something special for them. Don't disappoint her this year. The following is a list of romantic Valentine's Day ideas that will surely sweep her off her feet.

Chick Flick Marathon

I hate that phrase “chick flick.” But, there are those movies out there that lean towards the more feminine variety. Make a list of all the chick flicks that she loves and have them ready to watch. A movie night with all her favorite tear-jerkers, sob stories, and cheesy movies will surely tickle her heart. Cuddle up with her and a big bowl of popcorn and enjoy a beautiful night. Don't forget the box of tissues for all those chick flick moments in the movie.

Be the Chef Tonight

Cook for her-she'll appreciate the effort even if all you can cook is toast and scrambled eggs. If your woman is typically the cook in the house, let her relax on Valentine's Day. A romantic nice thought that will melt her heart is seeing you in a stained apron, sleeves rolled up, and sweat beading on your forehead. Remember, it's her night, so if you can muster it, try to make her favorite dish. Throw in some appetizers, dessert, and a bouquet of roses and she'll have a memorable Valentine's Day.

Have a Spa Day

It may take you out of your comfort zone, but you can spend a relaxing day at the spa together. What's a more romantic Valentine's Day gift then spoiling your girl with massages, aroma-therapy, and a facial wit her man right by her side enjoying it with her. Even if you're not comfortable, try to enjoy the day, because remember its about making her happy and you might be surprised at how much you'll enjoy the experience, too.

Roomful of Balloons

This romantic Valentine's Day idea might take a little time and thought, but you can survive one day of effort. Surprise your girl with a roomful of pink, red, and white balloons. Hide a secret gift in one of them and let her pop the balloons until she finds the “secret” balloon. You can hide a stuffed animal, concert tickets, or (dare I say!) a piece of jewelry like a ring inside the special balloon. She'll love the creativity and thought you put into the special event.

Rose Petals and Candlelight

It's a classic Valentine's Day idea that will always be one of the most popular romantic gestures. Lead a trail of fresh red rose petals to the bedroom. Greet her with a roomful of rose petals sprinkled everywhere accented by candlelight. It will set her heart on fire. As cheesy and overdone this whole concept is, if you haven't done it already, your woman deserves to have that classic moment she thinks only happens in the movies happen to her.

12 Days of Valentine's Day Gifts

If you really want to do something special for your lady on Valentine's Day, what's more romantic than giving her a gift everyday for the 12 Days Before Valentine's Day? Send her a singing telegram. Send her a cookie bouquet. Leave a long-stemmed rose and a box of chocolates in her car one day. Tie a bunch of red, white, and pink balloons on her doorknob. Buy her a giant teddy bear and leave it on her doorstep. And every girl loves a bouquet of beautiful roses to be delivered to her office. The possibilities are endless.

Remember that Valentine's Day is a time for both of you to express your love for eachother. With a little time, effort, and care, you can make this Valentine's Day one of the most romantic you two will ever share together.

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[Via http://happywomenjerseys121.wordpress.com]

Clemson Head Coach among those at golf tourney for SC charities

Dabo Swinney, the head football coach for Clemson University, are among the high-profile commitments of the 10th annual BMW golf pro-am for South Carolina Charities. Also involved are Kurt Russell, Oliver Hudson, Patrick Warburton among others:  http://news.sc/2009/12/09/bmw-announces-celebrities-for-pro-am-tournament-benefiting-sc-charities/

[Via http://legacydirect.wordpress.com]

N-am bemveu, n-am femeie

Discutam zilele trecute cu un prieten de-al meu. El sustinea, asa cum sustin mai toti baietii cu un portofel care incape in buzunar,  ca fetele sunt materialiste, ca daca n-ai un bemveu misto si niste haine de fitze atunci trebuie sa te multumesti cu fetele alea mai de mana a doua.

Partial l-am contrazis. Intr-adevar, pentru multe fete conteaza poate prea mult o masina misto sau un penthouse, insa, ideea e putin alta.   Eu sunt constient, asa cum orice baiat normal e constient, ca un ban in plus in portofel inseamna o sansa in plus, insa, cu toate astea nu sunt chiar convins de materialismul general al fetelor. Ideea mea e simpla. Esti un papa-lapte. Un om nesigur pe tine, te imbraci prost, esti tot timpul deprimat ca n-ai bani.  Toate fetele se indragostesc de atitudinea asta a ta. Sau nu.   La un moment dat castigi la loto. N-ai jucat ca n-ai avut bani de bilet. Dar ai gasit pe jos un bilet care era castigator. Te duci si iti ridici banii. Culmea coincidentei:  deodata atitudinea ta se schimba. Nu mai esti plangaciosul de saptamana trecuta, nu mai esti asa nesigur pe tine, ai bani sa investesti intr-un look ceva mai de fitze. Esti alt om.  Parerea mea e ca diferenta in fata unei fete n-o fac banii cat o fac schimbarea de atitudine pe care o aduce banul. 

Asa ca, mesaj pentru plangaciosii care n-au masina si se imbraca de la Dragonul Rosu: sunteti neinteresanti si nimeni, nici o fata n-are chef sa va asculte lista cu datorii.  Ai o atitudine de 2 lei, in mod clar vei putea visa la o fata de 2 lei. Ai o atitudine buna, atunci mai poti ridica putin standardele.. Daca te chinui putin poti sa-ti schimbi atitudinea si fara sa castigi la loto.

N-ai bani?  Ai un avantaj atunci. Ai ocazia sa fii mai original, sa impresionezi fata fara cadouri scumpe si fara iesiri in cele mai scumpe restaurante. Si daca asta e o provocare prea mare pentru tine, atunci e clar:  nu esti barbat adevarat si nu meriti o femeie adevarata.

[Via http://artistu05.wordpress.com]

Two things I hate about my car

I have a 2000 BMW 528i that I have had since 2001. I bought it used one year after being new. I love the car, it drives well and it has a lot of power for a 2.8 Liter engine. However, despite their attention to detail, there are two things I hate about my car. They are small things.

First is the cupholder. Why in the world did BMW decided that cupholder was an after thought and designed it so poorly? I had to have both front cupholder three times each because they break off easily. It would have been easy to just put a indentation molded plastic and functionally more acceptable.

The other thing is the windshield wiper. No matter what brand of windshield wiper I buy, it leaves streaks on the windshield. It gets annoying during the rainy season.

I don’t see how a great car experience can be ruined by two minor things but I hope the newer models are better. I need an upgrade in next year or so.

[Via http://straight2myworld.wordpress.com]

Audi Reveals Details on Upcoming A1

Audi has revealed some details on their upcoming A1, pictured in the spy shot above.

It will cost about 22,000 USD. There won’t be any downmarket models, such as the Mini First model, a budget version of the normal Cooper. It will be a premium car.

A fully equipped A1 could end up costing well over 33,000 USD.

A lot of the underpinnings will be taken from the Volkswagen Polo, which can be considered a good thing, as it was voted European Car of the Year recently. There won’t be a badge designating the engine, as Audi says that engine sizes will be getting smaller in the future, and that the buyers won’t want to show the world that they are downsizing.

The car will go on sale near the end of 2010.

Source: Evo Magazine

[Via http://theblogofcars.wordpress.com]

[SOCS] Google bans BMW Germany for black hat SEO marketing techniques

“Google’s strategy from the start has been to assume that what individuals are interested in is a reflection of what other individuals – who are interested in roughly the same area, but spend more time on it, that is, web page authors – think is worthwhile. The company built its business model around rendering transparent what people and organizations that make their information available freely consider relevant.” (279)

In early February of 2007, Google blacklisted BMW.de (German site) because they violated what Google calls “Webmaster quality guidelines” by means of black hat SEO/SEM (search engine optimization/search engine marketing). What does this mean? The site included “doorway pages” that would automatically redirect its visitors to a different URL. When viewers clicked a BMW.de page, blocks of text with repeated key search words such as “neuwagen” (new car in German). When the visitor clicked on the listed page, they would be automatically redirected to another page with almost no text and mostly pictures. These pages would be scored much lower in Google’s PageRank system. In short, BMW tried to artificially boost its search engine rating through non-approved marketing strategies.

In response, Google removed BMW.de from its Web index. The violation? “Don’t deceive your users or present different content to search engines than you display to users.” BMW Germany quickly removed their redirect pages and wrote a formal letter of apology to Google. They regained Google listing status shortly after.

Sources: Yochai Benkler, “The Wealth of Networks”. Chapter 8: 273-300

[Via http://chennyxia.wordpress.com]

Prestige Automotive - Websites

BMW http://www.bmw.com.au/ Audi http://www.audi.com.au/ Mercedes Benz http://www2.mercedes-benz.com.au/ Alfa Romeo http://www.alfaromeo.com.au/ Aston Martin http://www.astonmartin.com/ Ferrari http://www.ferrari.com.au/ Lamborghini http://www.lamborghini.com.au/ Porsche http://www.porsche.com/australia/ Jaguar http://www.jaguar.com.au/ Saab http://www.saab.com.au/ Peugeot http://www.peugeot.com.au/ Maserati http://www.maserati.com.au/ Rolls Royce http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars-dealer.com/ Bentley http://www.bentleymotors.com/ Chrysler http://www.chrysler.com.au/ Renault http://www.renault.com.au/

[Via http://onwhitespace.wordpress.com]

BMW Z4 UK 2010

[Via http://persiatazmin.wordpress.com]