A Pacific-Side Retreat Built For Deals, Not Crowds

The Villa returns as the center of Rolls-Royce’s Monterey program, described by the company as a home rather than a hospitality tent. Clients get direct access to designers, Bespoke specialists and Rolls-Royce North America leadership throughout the week, alongside private events and design consultations. It’s also where the two commissions below actually change hands, following what Rolls-Royce says were months to years of back-and-forth between each client and the artisans at Goodwood.

Nick Keen, President and CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars North America, framed the week as a showcase for what Bespoke can actually produce when a client has the budget and the patience for it.

Cullinan Series II Gets The Graffiti-Art Treatment

The first car is a Black Badge Cullinan Series II built with Cyril Kongo, a French artist known for moving graffiti into fine-art galleries. Rolls-Royce describes the exterior as hand-painted with dynamic colors and bespoke detailing, effectively treating the Cullinan’s bodywork as a canvas rather than a paint job. The interior continues the theme with custom color treatments and finishes pulled together by what the company calls its Bespoke Collective.

Rolls-Royce is positioning this one squarely at collectors who want a car that functions as an art object first, transportation second — a shift the brand says it’s seeing more of among newer clients.

Ghost “Golden Era” Is A Love Letter To The V12

The second commission, a Black Badge Ghost dubbed “Golden Era,” is a more literal tribute. It’s finished in Gold Crystal over black with gold-infused paint, a hand-painted “V12” coachline running the length of the car, gold bonnet wakelines and gold-painted bumper inserts. Inside, the V12 theme shows up as embroidered artwork on the seats, door pockets and rear center armrest — and, for the first time on a Rolls-Royce, an embroidered technical illustration of the V12’s internal architecture built into the rear interior panel.

The rest of the spec sheet reads like a checklist of everything Bespoke can throw at a single car: Technical Fiber veneer infused with microscopic gold flakes, engraved eyeball vents, a gold-inlaid ashtray, a Starlight Headliner with gold shooting stars, and a gold engine plaque honoring the current V12. Rolls-Royce says it’s a tribute to more than a century of V12 use at the brand, though the current Ghost’s twin-turbo 6.75-liter unit is a long way removed from the engines that started that streak.

Both cars are one-offs, so neither will show up on a dealer lot or carry a public price. What they do signal is where Rolls-Royce wants the Bespoke conversation to go: not options-list customization, but full-on commissioned art, delivered somewhere its regular customers will never see it — a private villa on a bluff, not a convention center floor.

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The E46 M3 CSL BMW Never Made

The 86,000-mile M3 started life in Silver Gray Metallic before being disassembled and refinished in BMW British Racing Green. The exterior received a CSL-style front bumper, a carbon-fiber roof panel with CSL roof rails, and a CSL-style trunk lid. It also rides on 19-inch BMW Style 163 wheels, the design closely associated with the CSL and later offered with the E46 M3 Competition Package/CS. The CSL influence continues under the hood. The S54 3.2-liter inline-six uses an Evolve carbon-fiber airbox, echoing one of the defining features of the real CSL, along with new camshafts and an Evolve Alpha-N tune. Supersprint headers and mid-sections feed an aftermarket muffler with titanium tips.

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This M3 also received the sort of maintenance E46 owners love to see. The VANOS and throttle bodies were rebuilt, the connecting-rod bearings were replaced, and a Turner Motorsport rear-subframe reinforcement kit was installed in 2024. Bilstein B16 PSS10 coilovers, Dinan fixed camber plates, Rogue Engineering rear suspension components, and brakes sourced from an F87 M2 round out the chassis upgrades. Most importantly, the original SMG setup was converted to conventional six-speed manual operation. A Rogue Engineering shifter and weighted illuminated ZHP knob finish the job.

Inside, it is much less austere than a real CSL. Power Recaro Sportster CS seats wear tan leather and black Alcantara, with matching upholstery in the rear. There is also an Android Auto head unit with Apple CarPlay, Bavsound speakers, automatic climate control, and cruise control.

$100k — Real CSL Money?

The car sold on Bring a Trailer for $96,000 after 53 bids. BaT charges buyers 5 percent at this price, adding another $4,800 and bringing the effective purchase price to $100,800. That is serious money for a modified, 86,000-mile E46 M3. And the timing is interesting.  Genuine M3 CSLs are getting close to becoming straightforward U.S. imports under the federal 25-year rule. NHTSA says the exemption is calculated from the individual vehicle’s date of manufacture. Production M3 CSLs were built during 2003, meaning they should begin aging into unrestricted federal import eligibility during 2028.

The biggest question mark when it comes to value surrounds the transmission. The factory M3 CSL came with BMW’s six-speed SMG II automated manual transmission. Manual-converted CSLs exist, but they are, like the car we’re writing about today, conversions. Will the car’s factory transmission hold the CSL back from becoming a truly hot commodity in the United States?

Either way, this British Racing Green car is an intriguing alternative. It’s not a real CSL, but it channels much of the original car’s philosophy. And with several upgrades to the chassis, braking, and suspension, and a proper manual gearbox to boot, it arguably delivers the version of the E46 M3 CSL some enthusiasts would prefer always wanted. Are factory CSLs special enough to demand nearly $100,000 after import? It remains to be seen. But for the new owner of this CSL clone, let’s hope so.

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Kith for BMW 2026: Coming Soon

That headline is exactly what captions the Instagram post. And, despite the clip lasting somewhere around 10 seconds, there’s more than meets the eye. We see a G65 X5, wearing special “X5 KITH” badging, speeding along a wooded two-lane road. The matte silver paint is clearly Frozen Titanium Silver, a matte interpretation of the shade Fieg’s own E53 X5 wears. In case you forgot, the Kith BMW X5 collaboration is a little bit more involved on the old car side of things. The E53 receives a V10 engine lifted from the E60 M5 and E63 M6 and a six-speed manual, all while retaining the factory all-wheel drive system. It’s a clever engineering feat that clearly recalls the X5 Le Mans.

While a teaser trailer is nice, it’s not like it was impossible to imagine a G65 X5 donning matte silver paint. More interesting, then, is the rest of the Instagram caption. “The 2027 BMW X5 by Kith is a one-of-one show car and is not available for purchase.” Unlike all Kith collaborations before it, it seems BMW has no plans to sell a customer version of this collaboration. Even though the BMW XM by Kith originally debuted as a “Concept” and “one-of-one design study,” BMW was never shy about stating it was previewing a 47-unit run for customers. So, it seems this X5 collaboration might be sheerly for publicity and Kith’s consumption, rather than a vehicle destined to reach customer hands. You can watch the teaser reel here on Instagram.

The Fifth Chapter of Kith Collaborations

In case you somehow missed the last four (public) Kith/BMW collabs, here’s a quick recap. First came the Cinnabar Red M4 Competition x Kith in 2020, which was also dubbed “Chapter I.” The 150-unit model run showcased the amount of customization possible for collaborations like these, which included extensive Kith branding inside and out. The third chapter was the aforementioned BMW XM, but before it came the BMW i4 M50 x Kith. It demonstrated that even EVs were not off-limits for either brand. Just yesterday we saw an Inka Orange duo debut. An extensively customized 3.0 CSi and M6, both sporting caramel interiors, premiered together this week in an additional effort to promote the Kith for BMW 2026 collection.

While this little teaser gives us frankly little real insight into what’s going on with the Kith X5 — especially inside the car, where many of the most extensive customizations usually take place on these kinds of things — we won’t have to wait long to learn more. A full reveal is confirmed for Monterey Car Week, so we only have a few days at most to sit tight.

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Both cars were first presented earlier this year at Auto China in Beijing. But Chengdu represents another important step toward actually getting the China-specific Neue Klasse models into customers’ hands. BMW will also use the show to detail its newest driver-assistance and infotainment technology developed specifically for the Chinese market. Importantly, BMW also revealed plans for MINI and other models in the portfolio, demonstrating that Neue Klasse is definitely the brand’s focus, but far from the only thing on BMW’s mind.

BMW i3 and iX3 Showcase For China

The new BMW iX3 will arguably be BMW’s biggest attraction in Chengdu. BMW is set to reveal full specifications, configurations, purchasing information, and tech specs at the show. Not coincidentally, pre-orders for the SUV will begin the same day — August 21.

Unlike the European and North American iX3, the Chinese model gets a longer wheelbase and was developed specifically with local customers in mind. BMW says its Gen6 electric drivetrain gives the Chinese iX3 more than 900 kilometers (559 miles) of range under the CLTC testing cycle. An 800-volt electrical architecture allows charging at up to 400 kW. The new BMW i3 will also get a more extensive showing in Chengdu. Like the iX3, China’s i3 was designed specifically for the market. BMW has previously said its maximum CLTC range exceeds 1,000 kilometers, or 621 miles. Differences with the rest-of-world version include door handles and a longer wheelbase in “L” specification cars.

A bit surprisingly, China’s next auto show will play home to more than just Neue Klasse models. Beyond the Neue Klasse cars, BMW officially launches the China-only BMW M3 Edition 40 Jahre at the show. The 2027 BMW X3 will also be on display.

Big Plans for MINI

MINI is taking a less conventional approach to Chengdu. Instead of limiting its presence to the confines of an exhibition hall, BMW says several customized MINI models will appear around popular shopping districts and city landmarks beginning August 21. The idea seems to be to turn parts of Chengdu into an extension of the MINI stand. It fits particularly well with the brand’s emphasis on personalization and lifestyle. It’s also a good bit of guerilla marketing that exposes MINI to people who may never actually set foot inside the motor show.

The Chengdu Motor Show Starts August 21

The 29th Chengdu International Motor Show runs from August 21 through August 30, 2026, at the Western China International Expo City. BMW’s primary display will be located in Hall 14. For BMW, the significance goes beyond another auto-show appearance. Despite cresting 2 million BMW 3 Series sales and over 7 million across all models, BMW’s downward sales trend in China is clearly something worth paying attention to. BMW and MINI sales were down by 30.2% in the first half of 2026.

With iX3 pre-orders beginning and the i3 moving closer to market, Chengdu represents one of the first opportunities to see BMW turn its heavily promoted Neue Klasse strategy into cars Chinese customers can actually buy.

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BMW produces the new X1 LWB locally at BMW Group Plant Chennai. Customers can place an order through BMW India’s authorized dealer network or register their interest online. Pricing, powertrain specifications, and a complete equipment list haven’t been released yet, with BMW apparently saving most of the details for the official launch later this month. Importantly, this isn’t BMW’s first stretched X1 in India. That distinction belongs to the all-electric iX1 Long Wheelbase, which debuted at Auto Expo 2025 as the “BMW X1 Long Wheelbase All Electric.” The electric version became BMW’s first EV manufactured in India and arrived exclusively in eDrive20L guise. This upcoming X1 LWB effectively expands the idea to a combustion-powered model.

A Bigger BMW X1

The appeal is straightforward: more space. The existing iX1 LWB stretches 4,616 mm (181.7 inches) from bumper to bumper and rides on a 2,800-mm (110.2-inch) wheelbase. BMW claimed at launch that those dimensions made it one of the largest vehicle in its segment. The India market has reacted strongly to LWB offerings. In H1 2026, long wheelbase models saw a 24% increase in sales and accounted for over half of BMW’s total sales in the country. The iX1, specifically, became the brand’s highest-selling EV and premium EV segment leader, according to a BMW India press release.

Not Everyone Gets the Longer X1

Don’t expect this stretched X1 to suddenly appear at U.S. dealerships. BMW has long offered market-specific long-wheelbase versions of its vehicles. One other market sees the X1 LWB: China. China already sells a gas-powered X1 LWB, and specifications are likely to remain similar, but not identical, across borders. China’s X1 LWB stretches 116 mm (4.5 inches) longer than the traditional X1. It also stands 11 mm (.43 inches) taller. A larger cargo area fits 540 liters (19 cubic feet) of stuff, compared to 476 liters (16.8 cubic feet) in the standard X1.

Elsewhere, most markets must make do with the standard-wheelbase X1, which includes the more powerful X1 M35i. That means customers looking for more BMW SUV space still have to move up to the considerably larger X3. For India, though, the X1 LWB fills a useful niche. Buyers get the more approachable dimensions and positioning of BMW’s smallest SUV while gaining much of the rear-seat space normally associated with a larger vehicle.

And unlike when the electric X1 LWB debuted in 2025, buyers interested in BMW’s stretched compact SUV will no longer necessarily have to go electric. BMW will reveal exactly what sits under the hood — along with pricing and the rest of the specifications — on August 21.

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Another Interpretation of the McLaren F1?

Until Gordon Murray pulls the cover off, anything more is speculation. But it seems reasonable to expect many of the same ingredients: low weight, a naturally aspirated engine, minimal intervention between driver and machine, and a design dictated at least partly by aerodynamic necessity. That inference fits both what little we can see in the teaser and GMA’s stated approach to every car it builds. Whether this new machine ends up as another direct F1 tribute like the S1 LM or something more distinct remains to be seen. Either way, Murray has made it increasingly clear that he isn’t finished exploring the formula he established with the McLaren F1. The full reveal comes at the height of Monterey Car Week in California later this week.

Gordon Murray and the McLaren F1 Story

Murray, of course, was a driving force behind the original McLaren F1. When he needed an engine capable of doing justice to the car, he turned to BMW Motorsport. The result was the naturally aspirated S70/2 V12, developed under legendary BMW engineer Paul Rosche. BMW itself has described the engine as a roughly 6.0-liter V12 producing more than 630 horsepower, while the production-car figure is generally quoted at 618 hp. The partnership went beyond building a fast road car, too. A BMW V12-powered McLaren F1 GTR famously won the 24 Hours of Le Mans outright in 1995, with other F1 GTRs finishing third, fourth, and fifth.

Murray revisited what made the McLaren F1 great — lightweight construction, a driver-oriented cockpit, and divine V12 engine — with the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 in 2019. It isn’t a McLaren F1 remake, but the family resemblance is impossible to miss. The T.50 again puts the driver in the center with two passenger seats slightly behind, uses a six-speed manual gearbox, and pairs an extremely lightweight chassis with a naturally aspirated V12.

Then came the S1 LM. Built by Gordon Murray Special Vehicles using the T.50 as its starting point, the extremely limited-production car is far more overt about its ancestry. Its lowered profile, central seating position, roof scoop, aggressive aero, and 4.3-liter high-revving V12 deliberately evoke the McLaren F1 GTR and, in particular, the F1’s famous 1995 Le Mans story. Stylistically, it’s as close as one can imagine to a modernized F1. Only five S1 LMs were produced; one sold at auction for $20.63 million last year.

We’ll Learn More On August 14 at The Quail

Even without specifications, there’s a familiar theme here. Gordon Murray has spent the last several years revisiting — and refining — many of the ideas that made the original McLaren F1 so remarkable. There’s every reason to believe this new car will continue down the same path. For BMW fans, the F1 lineage will always be worth following. The latest Gordon Murray supercars may wear Cosworth badges on their V12s. But the car that established the template did so with BMW M Power written across its engine. How close the next GMSV project stick to the original? We’ll find out this week — in four days, to be exact.

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That electric lineup launched earlier this year with the AMG GT 55 and GT 63, producing 816 horsepower and as much as 1,169 hp, respectively. Now, AMG is filling out the bottom of the range with the new GT 53 4-Door Coupe. It’s considerably less extreme than its siblings, but “entry-level” still means 536 horsepower in this neighborhood. The first generation was practically a one-to-one rivalry with the 8 Series and M8 Gran Coupe. Today, it’s a different landscape.

The AMG GT 53 Trades Power for Range

Unlike the GT 55 and GT 63, which use three axial-flux electric motors, the GT 53 relies on two permanently excited synchronous motors. Together, they produce 536 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque and deliver AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel drive. Mercedes quotes a 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds using a one-foot rollout, while top speed is electronically limited to 143 mph. It’s all electric, but if you’re feeling nostalgic, the GT 53 can even replicate engine sounds from the old car’s inline-six. Pop it into Sport+ mode and you’ll “hear” the “roar” of an inline six — inside the cabin only, of course.

Where the GT 53 really separates itself is range. Its 106-kWh battery delivers an estimated maximum of 809 kilometers — 503 miles — on the WLTP cycle, substantially more than either of the more powerful versions. EPA figures haven’t been announced, so don’t expect that 500-mile figure to translate directly to U.S. testing. The 800-volt architecture also supports up to 600-kW DC fast charging. Mercedes says the GT 53 can add as much as 534 kilometers, or roughly 332 miles, of WLTP range in ten minutes under ideal conditions. A 10-to-80-percent charge can take as little as 11 minutes.

BMW Doesn’t Really Have an Answer Anymore

A few years ago, BMW’s answer would have been obvious: the 8 Series Gran Coupe. The M850i xDrive in particular combined four doors, grand-touring proportions, all-wheel drive, and a 523-hp twin-turbo V8. Its 3.9-second sprint to 60 mph even put it surprisingly close to the new electric AMG GT 53. Sure, the 8 Series never went electric. But the performance specs and segment positioning are an obvious match.

Or, they would be, but the 8 Series is gone. BMW ended M8 production in October 2025, while the remaining 8 Series models stayed in production for the U.S. through April 2026. There is currently no direct successor. The i5 M60 is electric and quick, but it’s fundamentally a 5 Series sedan rather than a low-slung luxury grand tourer. The M4 and i4 are considerably smaller — one only has two doors. Moving upward gets you into the 7 Series, which plays an entirely different role.

That leaves Mercedes-AMG occupying an interesting piece of territory essentially uncontested by BMW. Audi sort of has an answer in the RS e-tron GT. Porsche’s Taycan, similarly, makes for an interesting cross-shop. It seems BMW just isn’t all that interested in the electric Grand Tourer segment right now. The GT 53 is expected to reach the U.S. in early 2027, following the GT 55’s arrival later this year. U.S. pricing hasn’t been announced, but in Germany the GT 53 starts at €115,430.

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This is the definitive guide to the BMW M30: where it came from, the variants BMW built over 27 years, what actually goes wrong on a high-mileage example, and what the block can do with some encouragement.

Origins: Six cylinders For The New Class Era

BMW put the M30 into production in 1968 for the E3 2500 and 2800 sedans and the E9 2800 CS coupe, developing it from the M10 four-cylinder that powered the New Class sedans earlier in the decade. Like the M10, it carries a 30-degree slant to the right, a crossflow cylinder head, and a chain-driven single overhead camshaft actuating the valves through rocker arms. The block is cast iron, the head is aluminum, and the crankshaft is forged, a combination that would define BMW straight-sixes for the next two decades.

The engine went by “M06” and “M68” internally before BMW standardized the “M30” prefix across all variants in 1981. Once the smaller M20 six arrived in the late 1970s, enthusiasts and BMW itself started calling the M30 the “Big Six” or “Senior Six.” It held the title of BMW’s largest and most powerful regular-production engine until the M70 V12 arrived in 1987, and Ward’s later named it one of the top engines of the 20th century.

The M30 also has a direct line to BMW Motorsport’s greatest hits. In the late 1970s, engineers took the M30 block and developed a four-valve DOHC head for it, creating the M88 that powered the BMW M1. This lineage runs straight through to the M88/3 that powered the Euro-spec E28 M5 and M635CSi, and the catalyst-equipped S38B35 that replaced it in export markets — as well as the naturally aspirated M88 fitted to the right-hand-drive-only 745iSA, since the turbocharged M102/M106 couldn’t be packaged for RHD There’s also a stranger sibling: the M30B35LE, also called the M90, which combined the M88’s block with the M30’s own SOHC head and was used in a handful of applications between 1979 and 1982.

Technical Specifications

The M30 grew from 2.5 liters to 3.4 liters over its life, moving from carburetors to Bosch L-Jetronic to Motronic digital fuel injection along the way. Here are the core production variants.

M30B25

• Displacement: 2,494 cc
• Configuration: Inline-6, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder
• Bore x stroke: 86.0 mm x 71.6 mm
• Compression ratio: 9.0:1
• Power output: 148 hp (110 kW) at 6,000 rpm (carbureted, 1968); unchanged once L-Jetronic injection was added in 1981
• Torque: 156 lb-ft (211 Nm) at 3,700 rpm, rising to 159 lb-ft (215 Nm) with injection
• Fuel system: Dual Solex Zenith 35/40 carburetors, later Bosch L-Jetronic
• Applications: E3 2500, later E12 and E28 5 Series applications

M30B28

• Displacement: 2,788 cc
• Configuration: Inline-6, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder
• Bore x stroke: 86.0 mm x 80.0 mm
• Compression ratio: 9.0:1
• Power output: 168 hp (125 kW) carbureted; 181 hp (135 kW) once L-Jetronic injection arrived in 1977
• Torque: 173 lb-ft (235 Nm), rising to 177 lb-ft (240 Nm) injected
• Fuel system: Dual Solex Zenith 35/40 carburetors, later Bosch L-Jetronic
• Applications: E3 2800, E9 2800 CS, E12 528, E23 728

M30B30

• Displacement: 2,986 cc
• Configuration: Inline-6, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder
• Bore x stroke: 89.0 mm x 80.0 mm
• Compression ratio: 9.0:1 carbureted, 9.2:1 injected (9.0:1 with catalytic converter)
• Power output: up to 197 hp (147 kW) injected; 178 hp (132 kW) in carbureted form
• Torque: up to 200 lb-ft (272 Nm)
• Fuel system: Carbureted version used dual Zenith 35/40s; injected version debuted with Bosch D-Jetronic mechanical injection in 1971, upgraded to L-Jetronic in 1976
• Applications: E9 3.0 CSi, E9 3.0 CSL, E3 3.0 Si, E12 530i, E24 630CSi, E32 730i, E34 530i

M30B32

• Displacement: 3,210 cc
• Configuration: Inline-6, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder
• Bore x stroke: 89.0 mm x 86.0 mm
• Compression ratio: 8.8:1
• Power output: up to 200 hp (147 kW) at 5,500 rpm in European trim, 172-194 hp in US spec depending on model and year
• Torque: up to 210 lb-ft (285 Nm) at 4,300 rpm
• Fuel system: Bosch L-Jetronic through mid-1981, then Bosch Motronic
• Applications: E24 633CSi, E23 733i and 732i, E12 533i, E28 533i, E3 3.3 Li; badged as “3.3” in several markets despite the 3.2-liter displacement

M30B34

• Displacement: 3,430 cc
• Configuration: Inline-6, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder
• Bore x stroke: 92.0 mm x 86.0 mm
• Compression ratio: 10.0:1 in European spec, 8.0:1 in North American and Japanese emissions trim
• Power output: 215 hp (160 kW) at 5,800 rpm in Europe; 182 hp (136 kW) in North America and Japan
• Torque: 229 lb-ft (310 Nm) at 4,200 rpm
• Fuel system: Bosch Motronic digital fuel injection in all markets

M30B35

• Displacement: 3,430 cc
• Configuration: Inline-6, SOHC, 2 valves per cylinder
• Compression ratio: 9.0:1
• Power output: 208 hp (155 kW) at 5,700 rpm; a version without a catalytic converter produced 217 hp (162 kW)
• Torque: 225 lb-ft (305 Nm) at 4,000 rpm
• Fuel system: Bosch Motronic 1.3

Engine variants

M30B25 — The entry-level six from day one. Carbureted through the 1970s and into the early 1980s, it picked up Bosch L-Jetronic injection in 1981 with torque gaining slightly while peak power held steady. It spent most of its life in mid-range 5 Series applications rather than the flagship coupes and sedans.

M30B28 — The original 2.8-liter, launched alongside the B25 in 1968 for the E3 sedan and E9 coupe. Injection arrived in 1977 and bumped output from 168 hp to 181 hp without any displacement change.

M30B30 — The engine that put the M30 on the map, debuting in 1971 in the E9 3.0 CSi with Bosch’s early D-Jetronic mechanical injection system. It carried the 3.0 CSL through European Touring Car Championship competition and stuck around in production long enough to end up in the E34 530i almost two decades later.

M30B32 — Despite a real displacement of 3,210 cc, BMW badged cars fitted with this engine as “3.3,” a naming quirk that shows up on the 633CSi, 733i, and 3.3 Li. It switched from L-Jetronic to Motronic digital injection partway through its run, starting with the 1979 732i, which was BMW’s first production application of Motronic.

M30B34 — Introduced in 1982 with a genuine bump to 3,430 cc, the B34 is the version most associated with the later, more powerful M30-equipped cars, though North American emissions requirements cut its compression ratio nearly in half compared with the European spec and cost it over 30 horsepower in the process.

M30B35 — A further refinement of the 3,430 cc architecture running Bosch Motronic 1.3, generally regarded by specialists as the most reliable and easiest to maintain of the later variants, and the version most likely to turn up under the hood of a late E32 7 Series.

M30B35LE / M90 — The oddball. Built between 1979 and 1982 by combining the motorsport M88’s block with the M30’s own SOHC head, it’s a parts-bin engine that exists because BMW Motorsport had M88 production capacity and the standard M30 head was a known quantity. It’s rare enough that most M30 owners will never encounter one.

The Cars It Powered

• E3 (1968-1977) — The M30’s first home, in 2500, 2800, 3.0S, 3.0Si, and 3.3Li form. The E3 sedan is where BMW’s “big six” identity started.
• E9 (1968-1975) — The 2800 CS, 3.0 CSi, and the legendary 3.0 CSL. This is the coupe body that carried the M30 into European Touring Car Championship racing and gave the engine its motorsport credibility.
• E12 (1974-1981) — 528, 530i, and 533i variants brought the M30 into BMW’s first-generation 5 Series, including the rare 530 MLE built for South African racing homologation.
• E24 (1976-1989) — 630CS through 635CSi, plus the turbocharged 745i built on the E24-derived body. The 633CSi and 635CSi are widely considered the best-looking home the M30 ever had.
• E23 (1977-1986) — 728 through 735i, plus the factory-turbocharged 745i, BMW’s first production turbo six.
• E28 (1981-1988) — 533i, 535i, and M535i carried the M30 into BMW’s second-generation 5 Series, running alongside the smaller M20 in the lineup.
• E32 (1986-1994) — The 730i kept the M30 in production well into the era of the E34 M5’s S38.
• E34 (1988-1991) — The 530i was the M30’s last regular assignment before the M50 took over.
• E30 (1984-1986) — A footnote worth knowing: 210 examples of the 333i were built for South Africa’s Group 1 homologation, using an ALPINA-tuned intake and exhaust on the M30B32.

Reliability and Common Issues

The M30’s reputation for durability is earned. The iron block and forged crank tolerate high mileage well, and 250,000 to 300,000 miles on original internals is not unusual for a well-maintained example. That said, it isn’t maintenance-free, and a handful of items separate a good M30 from a problem one.

Timing chain: The M30 uses a single-row timing chain, and it can stretch over time, along with wear in the guide rails. A rattle at cold start is the early warning sign. Left unaddressed, chain wear turns into a much bigger repair.

Cooling system and head integrity: The aluminum head is the M30’s most vulnerable component, and overheating is what actually damages it. Neglected cooling systems, aging thermostat housings, and brittle plastic components on 30-to-50-year-old cars are the real risk, not the engine’s basic design.

Valve stem seals: These harden and leak with age, showing up as blue smoke on startup that clears after a few seconds. It’s a common and relatively affordable fix, not a sign of a bad engine.

Vacuum lines: Original rubber vacuum hoses have had decades to degrade. Perished lines cause rough idle and inconsistent throttle response, and a full refresh is inexpensive insurance on any car this age.

None of this makes the M30 fragile. It makes it an engine where deferred maintenance compounds rather than forgives, which describes almost every classic BMW straight-six.

Maintenance tips

• Cooling system service is the single most important thing an M30 owner can stay ahead of. Replace the thermostat, hoses, and radiator preventively on any car with unknown history, since overheating is what actually damages the head.
• Listen for timing chain rattle at cold start on any car you’re evaluating, and budget for chain and guide rail replacement if the history is undocumented.
• A pre-purchase inspection should include a compression test and a close look at the valve cover, oil pan, and front and rear main seals, since oil leaks are close to universal on high-mileage examples.
• Find a specialist familiar with carbureted or early L-Jetronic M30s if you’re buying a pre-1981 car — tuning and diagnosing these systems is a different skill set from working on the later Motronic cars.
• Keep documentation. A car with a paper trail on cooling system work and timing chain service is worth more than an undocumented one, even at similar mileage.

Tuning Potential

BMW itself proved the block could take boost. The E23 745i ran a turbocharged M30, first as the M102 from 1980 to 1982, producing 252 hp on 9 psi through a KKK K27 turbo and intercooler with the compression ratio dropped to 7.0:1, then as the M106 from 1982 to 1986, which added Motronic management and a larger 3,430 cc displacement while making similar power on reduced boost. ALPINA went further still, building a twin-turbo M30 with forged pistons for the B10 Biturbo that made 355 hp and 384 lb-ft, briefly making it the fastest production sedan in the world. When ALPINA wound the project down, BMW shipped the final 50 M30 blocks straight to them.

That factory and ALPINA precedent is part of why the M30 still has a following among engine builders and vintage racers today. Naturally aspirated builds respond well to ported heads, performance camshafts, and free-flowing exhaust work, and specialist shops that focus on these engines, Metric Mechanic being the best known in the vintage racing world, build stroked, high-compression race motors for CSL and Bavaria applications. Aftermarket forced-induction conversions exist too, built by specialist shops rather than off a shelf, and they can exceed what the factory turbo cars made.

None of it is bolt-on. Every serious M30 build, naturally aspirated or turbocharged, is a machine-shop project rather than a parts-counter purchase, and that’s true whether you’re chasing a mild 10 to 15 percent gain or building something closer to what Alpina put in the B10.

Legacy

The M30 doesn’t get discussed with the same reverence as the M88 or S38, but both of those engines exist because BMW Motorsport had an M30 block to build a four-valve head for in the first place. It ran in a Bavaria sedan and, in derivative form, a Formula 1-adjacent supercar’s road-going successor, survived three separate emissions eras without losing its basic character, and stayed in production long enough to outlive the E12, E23, and E24 chassis it originally powered.

As the cars it came in climb in collector value, particularly the E9 CSL and CSi, the engine itself has picked up more appreciation along with them. It isn’t efficient, and by the time you’re chasing real power out of one, you’re paying a machine shop rather than a catalog. But for something that started as a bored-out four-cylinder in 1968, 27 years in production is a hard number to argue with.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Via the Car2Car research project, the BMW Group and its partners examine how steel, aluminum, copper, plastics, and glass from scrapped vehicles could be returned to automotive production. Under advanced processing and sorting conditions, researchers managed to increase what BMW calls the “Car2Car rate” from just 6% to 51%. However, that doesn’t mean only 51% of a car can technically be recycled. BMW defines its Car2Car rate more narrowly: it represents materials recovered from an end-of-life vehicle at a high enough quality that they could be reused in new automotive applications.

Steel Shows the Biggest Potential

The gains varied dramatically depending on the material. Using more advanced recycling processes, BMW says the Car2Car rate for steel jumped from just 1% to 81%. Aluminum improved from 23% to 52%, while copper rose from 48% to 68%. Plastics and glass remain much harder to return to the automotive supply chain at the quality levels required for new vehicles. Getting those numbers required more than simply feeding old cars into a conventional shredder. The project investigated improved pre-sorting, modified shredding processes, sensor-based material sorting, classification, and more precise separation of different aluminum alloys. With processes closer to what is commonly used today, the overall Car2Car rate was only 6%.

Steel provides perhaps the clearest example of why the extra work matters. Scrap steel from old cars can contain copper from wiring, connectors, and other components. That contamination can prevent the resulting material from meeting the standards required for high-quality automotive sheet steel. The Car2Car project added another sorting step that reduced those copper impurities. BMW says the resulting scrap could then be used to produce flat steel suitable for modern automotive applications. BMW went a step further, filing a patent and integrating the findings into its production processes.

BMW Already Built More Than 100,000 Parts From Recovered Steel

After testing the recycled steel, BMW integrated material produced through the project into a manufacturing trial at Plant Leipzig. More than 100,000 series-production components were manufactured and installed in vehicles using the process. Some might have gone into the new i3 sedan, which touts composition of 30% recycled materials. Materials came from 433 vehicles representing 60 different BMW Group models deemed “end of life.” Importantly, BMW says the project achieved its results without requiring significantly more vehicle dismantling than the compulsory disassembly already carried out before recycling.

There are still some big caveats. The 51% figure was achieved under optimized research and demonstration conditions, not through processes that are universally available at recycling facilities today. Scaling them would require additional investment in dismantling, sorting, processing equipment, and infrastructure. Plastics and glass still prove especially troublesome. Modern vehicles use numerous plastic formulations and composite structures, making separation and reuse much more complicated than recycling metals. BMW says additional sorting and processing technologies will be required before those materials can consistently meet automotive quality standards. Of course, BMW has also made headway in other challenging areas, like EV batteries. But that responsibility falls more squarely to the Recycling and Dismantling Center.

Still, the project gives BMW useful data for designing future cars with recycling in mind. The findings will feed into the company’s existing “Design for Circularity” work, which aims to consider how vehicle materials can ultimately be recovered and reused before the car even enters production.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

A Kidney With  Top Half We Are Confident About

Start with the grille, because that is the detail everyone is going to argue about. The upper section in our renderings is a good guess based on recent spy photos. The camouflaged prototype shows a raised, three-dimensional surround that stands taller and reads more upright than anything on the iX3 or iX5, and we rendered it accordingly. That part BMW has already shown us, whether it meant to or not.

The lower section is where we stopped having spy photos to work from and started making a call. We went with a closed, more traditional kidney shape rather than the vertical treatment BMW used on the regular X5, since the disguise on the prototype’s lower bumper suggested a more conventional outline than the production X5 ended up with.

But we will say plainly that this is our best guess, not a lock. BMW could just as easily send the M version toward a wide, low kidney paired with a separate horizontal air intake below it. Either direction would fit the design language BMW is currently working through.

What we did keep from the spy shots directly is the yellow, X-shaped daytime running light signature. BMW has already confirmed the M Yellow Lights treatment on the X5 M60e, and there is no reason to think the range-topping electric M SUV skips it. If anything, it is the one visual cue BMW seems most committed to carrying across every high-performance variants in the future.

Bumper Details Borrowed From The M Concept Neue Klasse

For the front apron, we leaned on the M Concept Neue Klasse rather than the iX5’s production M Sport Pro package. The concept car’s three-dimensional track lights, mounted in the outer sections of the bumper, are exactly the kind of styling flourish BMW likes to add to their full-on M cars. So we built them into the outer corners of our rendering. The bumper geometry around them is more aggressive than anything currently offered on the X5 or iX5, with sharper cutlines and more pronounced venting, which lines up with what the spy shots showed: noticeably more intakes low on the bumper than the regular iX5 gets, doing cooling duty for batteries, motors, and brakes rather than an engine.

Down the side, we kept the winglet door handles BMW has standardized across the Neue Klasse cars. They are a small detail, but the flush, monolithic surfacing is one of the more consistent threads running through every new BMW EV so far, and there is no indication the X5 M electric breaks from that.

A Rear End That Has to Look Different, Not Just Be Different

Around back, we largely followed the X5’s taillight graphic, since the spy photos do not show enough of the rear lighting to justify inventing a new signature from scratch. What we did change is the graphic slightly, on the assumption that BMW will want the X5 M electric to read as distinct from a regular X5 at a glance. The rear bumper is pipeless, which is the one detail that needs no interpretation at all. There is no engine here to route exhaust through, and the diffuser-style element below the bumper is doing aerodynamic work instead.

How Much Power Is The Question

We left the mechanical story alone, because that part is already reasonably well sourced. Four motors, one per corner, running BMW’s M eDrive control software instead of a mechanical differential. What we don’t know yet is the exact power output but we’re hearing it could be somewhere between 800 and 900 hp. Honestly, we won’t be surprised if BMW pushes that figure into the 900 hp range as well.

For reference, the outgoing XM Label Red makes 748 hp from its V8, so even the low end of that range would make the G95 the most powerful X5 M BMW has built. BMW is not badging it as an iX5 M either. M boss Frank van Meel has already said Garching is keeping the X5 M name on the electric flagship rather than splitting it off with an i prefix, the same approach confirmed for the electric M3.

Production is expected to start in April 2028 at Spartanburg, with the X5 M arriving last in a genuinely crowded rollout that starts with the base iX5, then the M60e, the S68-powered X5 M60, and the iX5 M70, before this one shows up. We will keep updating these renderings as more of the car gets caught testing without camouflage.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Two Restorations, One Bloodline

The 3.0 CSi started as a donor car that went through a complete frame-off restoration, stripped to bare metal, KTL-treated, and repainted before reassembly. Fieg and BMW rebuilt it with original parts pulled from BMW’s archives, including the M30 straight-six, its transmission, rear axle, suspension, and brakes.

Inside, the car gets caramel leather with an embossed Kith monogram, along with restored gauges and wood trim, the kind of interior work that either respects a car’s age or fights it, and this one respects it.

The M6 E24 is the second half of the story, and BMW’s own product history makes the pairing make sense. The E24 6 Series replaced the E9-generation coupe when the 3.0 CSi’s run ended in 1975, so building an Inka Orange M6 alongside the CSi is less a stretch than a continuation.

Fieg’s 1987 M6 went through a rotisserie restoration, body stripped to bare metal and rebuilt around its S38 inline-six, a Getrag five-speed manual, the original differential, suspension, and brakes, and OEM BBS Style 5 wheels. The interior mirrors the CSi’s treatment, caramel leather and the same embossed monogram.

Neither car is for sale. Both exist as the design language behind the wider apparel and accessories collection, which is standard practice for Kith’s BMW chapters.

Why Inka Orange

BMW introduced Inka Orange in 1971 on the 02 Series, originally as a high-visibility paint meant to stand out in poor weather. It ended up doing double duty as the color that framed BMW’s dramatic shift into a performance-focused brand in the early 1970s, worn by cars like the 2002 tii and the 3.0 CSi during the era that produced the CSL and the marque’s early motorsport identity. The color mostly disappeared from BMW’s palette over the following decades, which is exactly why it carries weight with collectors now. An orange 3.0 CSi reads differently than a black or white one; it puts the car in a specific decade rather than treating it as a generic classic.

The Fourth Chapter of a Running Color Story

Kith and BMW have used color as the throughline across all four chapters of this partnership. The E30 M3’s Cinnabar Red anchored one chapter, a Kith-developed Vitality Green another, and Techno Violet followed after that. Inka Orange continues the same idea: pick a color tied to a specific point in BMW’s history and build the collection’s identity around it rather than around a single model or generation.

The Kith for BMW 2026 collection launches globally on Monday, August 17 at 11 AM in New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo, available in store, online, and through the Kith App.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

BMW has more or less said the quiet part out loud: there’s no longer room in the lineup for the X4 as a gasoline product, and the growing, more grown-up X2 can absorb whatever demand is left. I think that reasoning has a hole in it big enough to drive an M40i through, and the sales numbers back that up more than BMW would like to admit.

What The X4 Actually Sold

The X4 was never going to outsell the X3. Nobody expected it to. But “coupe SUV nobody wants” isn’t the story the sales charts tell, either. Here’s the U.S. annual total since the G02 generation launched in mid-2018:

• 2018 (partial year): 4,323
• 2019: 8,758
• 2020: 7,677
• 2021: 10,620
• 2022: 9,969
• 2023: 7,559
• 2024: 5,295
• 2025: roughly 4,900 to 5,900, depending on which tracker you trust

That 2021 number is worth paying attention to. In the middle of a chip shortage, with dealer lots half-empty and BMW rationing allocation across its whole lineup, the X4 still moved over 10,000 units in the U.S. alone. This was never a car BMW had to discount its way into volume because it found buyers on its own terms, in a segment BMW itself invented back in 2014. The decline after that is real, but it’s also exactly what you’d expect from a car that hadn’t been meaningfully updated since 2021 and was visibly running out the clock.

The X2 Argument Doesn’t Hold Up On The Road

Here’s where I have a real problem with BMW’s stated logic. The reporting around the X4’s death has repeatedly floated the idea that shoppers in this niche won’t notice or care about the switch from the X4 to the X2, because both wear a coupe roofline and both say BMW on the hood.

That’s true if you only look at the silhouette. It falls apart the moment you look at what’s underneath.

The X4 was always rear-wheel-drive-based, running on the same CLAR architecture as the X3, with xDrive as the all-wheel-drive layer on top of a car engineered around sending power to the back axle first. The new U10 X2 is nothing like that. It rides on the UKL2 platform, the same front-wheel-drive-based architecture underneath the X1, the 2 Series Active Tourer, and the MINI Countryman. Even the all-wheel-drive X2 xDrive models are transverse-engine, FWD-based cars with power sent rearward only when needed, not RWD-based cars with power sent forward only when needed. So there is a big difference between a car that rotates into a corner and one that pushes.

Anyone who’s actually driven an X4 M40i back to back with an X2 M35i will feel it in the first roundabout. The X4 turns in with its weight loading the outside rear tire the way a 3 Series does. The X2, for all the work BMW’s chassis engineers put into disguising it, still has the fundamental character of a front-driven hot hatch wearing a taller body. It’s a genuinely good car. It is not the same car to drive, and treating the two as interchangeable insults the exact customer BMW is trying not to lose.

If BMW’s own reasoning is that shoppers can’t tell the difference, I’d argue BMW is underestimating the audience that made the X4 M40i and X4 M genuinely worth keeping around. That audience is precisely the group that notices.

The M40i And The X4 M Were The Point

Strip away the practicality arguments and the X4 was, at its best, one of the more entertaining SUVs BMW has built. The X4 M40i paired the B58 straight-six with a chassis tuned more aggressively than the X3’s, and reviewers consistently singled out the X4 M and X4 M Competition for delivering genuine driver engagement in a segment that’s mostly about cupholders and cargo volume. Road testers who drove the X4 M Competition came away calling it tremendously fast and grippy through corners, with a limited-slip differential borrowed from the M5 doing real work rather than sitting on a spec sheet for marketing purposes. U.S. reviewers described the X4 M as a hoot to drive, entertaining the driver consistently rather than just on paper.

That’s the version of the X4 story BMW’s own messaging leaves out. The X4 wasn’t just an X3 with a worse trunk. In its M-division forms, it was one of the more legitimately fun things BMW sold with four doors and a hatch, and there’s no direct successor to that specific formula anywhere in the current lineup. The X3 M doesn’t currently exist. The X2 M35i is quick, but it’s a four-cylinder front-driven car pretending to be something else, not an inline-six RWD-based performance SUV.

A Crowded Segment That Hasn’t Given Up On The Format

BMW’s exit is also happening while the rest of the segment is still investing in the coupe SUV format, not abandoning it. Audi kept the Q5 Sportback alongside the standard Q5 through its latest redesign. Mercedes redesigned the GLC Coupe for the current generation rather than killing it. Porsche’s Macan, while now electric-only, remains the enthusiast benchmark in this exact price bracket and body style, and nobody’s accusing Porsche of misreading its buyers. If the format were genuinely played out, you’d expect BMW’s rivals to be quietly retreating from it too. Instead, BMW is the one stepping back first, and doing it nearly two years before it has anything electric to replace the car with.

Who Actually Bought This Car

The X4 skewed toward buyers who wanted the practicality of the X3’s SUV shape but were willing to trade rear headroom and cargo space for styling and a sportier driving position, and who were disproportionately likely to spend up into M40i or M territory to get it. That’s a smaller, more self-selecting audience than the X3’s, and it’s exactly the kind of buyer who cross-shops the Macan and the GLC Coupe rather than a Highlander. It’s also exactly the kind of buyer least likely to be satisfied by a front-wheel-drive-based crossover marketed as the spiritual successor, regardless of how the roofline looks in a dealership brochure.

So Does BMW Need A New X4?

So does BMW need a new X4? Yes — and not as some far-off electric-only bet, but as a real, gasoline-available model people can buy in the next couple of years. The idea that the X2 quietly covers this customer, or that the segment stopped caring, doesn’t survive contact with the sales chart or an actual test drive. The X4 was selling in five figures as recently as 2022, in a market BMW itself created and where Audi, Mercedes, and Porsche are all still competing for the same buyer. The M40i and M variants were some of the more genuinely entertaining SUVs BMW has ever put a badge on, and that character came directly from a rear-wheel-drive-based chassis the X2 doesn’t have and structurally can’t replicate.

BMW is also betting the X4’s future entirely on the iX4, at the exact moment American buyers are cooling on that bet. EV demand has softened through 2025 and 2026, plug-in and hybrid stopgaps are picking up the slack, and a growing share of shoppers who considered an EV two years ago are back to cross-shopping gasoline. Betting the only coupe SUV in the lineup on a fully electric relaunch, two years out, is a strange hedge to make right as the market it’s aimed at is hedging the other way.

The format still works, too. A coupe-roofed SUV is an easy shape to make look genuinely good, and the X4 always wore it better than the reviews of its practicality gave it credit for. That’s not a niche taste in the U.S. specifically — it’s one of the more reliable ways to sell an SUV to someone who’d otherwise be cross-shopping a sedan.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

The Original BMW X5 Gets an S85 V10

The centerpiece of the project may ultimately be Fieg’s first-generation X5. According to the Kith founder, the 2000 E53 received a complete rotisserie restoration before being fitted with a 5.0-liter S85 V10 and a six-speed manual transmission. That is, of course, the naturally aspirated engine most closely associated with the E60 M5 and E63 M6. BMW never built a V10-powered E53 X5 — although the radical V12-powered X5 Le Mans was clearly an influence. Incredibly, the original all-wheel drive system remains intact. That inches Fieg’s creation decidedly closer to an unofficial interpretation of what an early X5 M might have looked like.

The decision to work on an X5 fits the established Kith x BMW formula. Each chapter has paired a historically significant BMW with a contemporary model, using the older car to explain the design and color choices applied to the newer one. Fieg has described that connection between BMW’s archive and its latest products as a central responsibility whenever he works with the automaker. Fieg’s E53 is finished in Titanium Silver Metallic, which is our first link to the second half of the collaboration.

The 2027 BMW X5 by Kith Debuts a New Frozen Color

On the modern side of Chapter IV is the 2027 BMW X5 by Kith. The bespoke SUV will be presented in Frozen Titanium Silver, creating a matte interpretation of the color used on Fieg’s restored E53. According to the announcement, the paint will not be publicly available on the new X5. Kith has not disclosed the new X5’s mechanical specification or shown all of its unique interior and exterior details. It also remains unclear whether BMW intends to produce a limited run for customers or whether the vehicle will remain a one-off design study.

However, previous collaborations suggest, although fall short of guarantee, a small production run. Chapter I introduced the Cinnabar Red BMW M4 Competition x Kith in 2020, which had a 150-unit production run. The next chapter shifted to the electric i4 M50 in Vitality Green, which had a much smaller run of just seven examples. Chapter III paired Fieg’s Techno Violet BMW M1 with the XM Kith Concept, which eventually inspired 47 production examples of the BMW XM by Kith priced at $199,000 each.

Full Reveal Coming During Monterey Car Week

Both X5s are scheduled to appear at the BMW Villa at Pebble Beach during Monterey Car Week. Fieg also plans to display his BMW 3.0 CSi and E24 M6 alongside the SUVs. Like with previous Kith collabs, there’s something for everyone to love here. We’ll have all the details later in the week! In the meantime, you can check out Fieg’s Instagram post for pics and more information.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

You’re looking at pictures of the MINI Convertible Stardust Edition. It employs a woefully underused color from the BMW spectrum called Sparkling Copper Grey metallic. The color has otherwise appeared only when ordered from the company’s Individual Paint pallet, with one exception: the BMW X7. The MINI Convertible Stardust Edition launched in India earlier this week, but it’s only coming to the India market.

MINI Convertible Stardust Edition Explained

This great looking MINI’s Sparkling Copper Grey paint is just the start. There are a selection of other stylistic changes that make this a truly standout specimen. It’s impossible to ignore the 18-inch JCW Rallye Spoke wheels finished in Vibrant Silver. While you can order 18s in the U.S. and elsewhere, the Stardust Edition marks one of few occasions (if any) we’ve seen these wheels on a non-JCW production MINI. The chunky faces and red accents give a real rally vibe. The mirror caps share the Vibrant Silver hue, which is a nice touch that kind of recalls BMW’s old fascination with Cerium Grey. For those that don’t recall, most M Performance models (M340i, X3 M40i, etc) sported Cerium Grey mirrors and grilles upon their debut.

Speaking of performance: there’s nothing this MINI does that the normal MINI Convertible doesn’t also do. Despite the JCW-sourced wheels and fresh paint, not a whole lot else changes. A black interior complements the Sparkling Copper Grey paint. How much will this cost Indian motorists? Not a whole lot more than the standard MINI, really. The standard MINI Convertible launched at  INR 58,50,000 in December of last year. Today, you can pick up the MINI Convertible Stardust Edition for INR 62,90,000.

While the newest MINI Convertible — chassis code F67 — launched in late 2024 for most of the world, the Indian market officially launched the newest model in December 2025. As with all BMW and MINI offerings in the country, the MINI Convertible is available in the country as a completely built-up unit (CBU), meaning assembly takes place wholly in India. The F67 only comes with BMW’s vaunted B48 four-cylinder engine under the hood in India. There, it makes 204 horsepower, which is a step up from the 161-hp car that comes standard in the United States.

It’s worth mentioning that you can normally order Sparkling Copper Grey in the U.S. — and if you’ve been considering it, maybe now’s the time. The new photos give a look at how this underutilized paint plays out in the real world. Honestly, we’re mostly here for the wheels: those 18-inch rally wheels give the car a totally unique aesthetic. It’s a bit more subdued than the AC Schnitzer convertible we looked at a couple days ago. But let’s be honest — it isn’t exactly subtle. Which is just fine: that was never really a MINI thing.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

SUVs are expected to get the new V8 first, with cars following after. The C-Class isn’t on the list — that model switches to a six-cylinder AMG variant instead, which means the era of an eight-cylinder compact Mercedes is over for good.

The engine is expected to be a higher-output version of the flat-plane-crank 4.0-liter turbo V8 already doing duty in the S-Class and GLS, where it currently makes 530 hp. Reports say the CLE 63 Coupe gets it first, with a hardcore Mythos edition close behind. The GLE 63 S and GLS 63 already produce up to 603 hp on the same engine family, and that’s the number the rest of the lineup gets measured against.

Some of you might recall that the AMG high-performance cars division staked its identity on downsizing, the four-cylinder hybrid C63 got savaged by the people who actually buy AMGs, and the company is now quietly walking that bet back.

BMW Never Had This Problem

While Mercedes was experimenting, BMW kept its V8 and just bolted electrification onto it instead of ripping it out. It even replaced the somewhat more problematic N63 unit with one developed by the M division: the S68. In the new G90 M5, engineers paired the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with an electric motor for 717 hp combined. In fact, the eight cylinders are still standard in the X5 M, X6 M, and X7 M60i. Different approach, hybrid-assisted muscle instead of replaced muscle, but the effect on the outside was the same. For the last few years, BMW got to be the brand that kept the V8 while Mercedes looked like it was leaving the category behind.

Of course, this was important for buyers in this segment as someone cross-shopping a G90 M5 against an E63, or an X5 M against a GLE 63, isn’t deciding based on infotainment menus. The engine is basically the majority of the sales pitch.

So it’s not much of a stretch to think some AMG loyalists, annoyed by the C63 going four-cylinder hybrid, might have bought the BMW instead. We can’t back that with sales figures, since neither company publishes “customers we lost over cylinder count,” and plenty else factors into a decision like this: styling, lease terms, dealer relationships, years of brand loyalty. Reducing it to engine configuration alone would be lazy. But it’s exactly the story that’s been playing out in comment sections and enthusiast forums for two years now, and it’s not hard to see why.

Round Two Starts Now

With AMG’s V8 confirmed, the question changes from who gave up on combustion to whose V8 wins. Mercedes and BMW have had this argument before, back when the E63 and M5 traded blows through most of the 2010s, and it’s about to start up again, except each brand is coming at it from a different angle this time. BMW’s V8 never left, and it’s hybrid-assisted at a genuinely absurd 717 hp. AMG is returning from a detour with something closer to a pure combustion setup in at least some models, which might actually appeal to buyers who found the M5’s added hybrid weight and complexity to be its own kind of trade-off.

It isn’t just a Mercedes-BMW story either. Stellantis brought the Hemi back after killing it. Lamborghini keeps publicly recommitting to its naturally aspirated V12 no matter what regulators say. A handful of performance brands pushed downsizing too hard, watched their most vocal customers get angry about it, and are now backing off.

For Mercedes and BMW specifically, expect the next couple of years to get loud again. CLE 63 against the M4. A possible E63 revival aimed squarely at the G90 M5. Eventually, GLE 63 S against X5 M, with both brands finally speaking V8 to each other again. AMG blinked first when it downsized the C63. Now it’s trying to un-blink, and whether that wins back the buyers who left for BMW in the meantime is the part worth watching once these engines actually reach showrooms.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com