Quattro FAIL: BMW’s xDrive System Humiliates Audi’s System

The two German heavyweights are duking it out again and this time BMW is claiming victory.

It’s unclear where this event is or who is holding it, but judging buy the outcome, it’s safe to say this is BMW’s doing. They pitted Audi’s Q5 with Quattro AWD against their new BMW X3 with xDrive AWD. The results are actually quite surprising.

If you don’t know, Audi’s quattro system is world renowened, in fact Audi has been perfecting its system for over 25 years. As a result, quattro has helped Audi win many rally races over the years. Today, buying an Audi without quattro AWD is like cheating on Beyonce with Tara Reid. It just doesn’t make any sense.

BMW, on the other hand, has been using xDrive AWD for 25 years as well, but have had little to show for it – until now that is. It’s not that it was a bad AWD system, it’s just that Audi’s system clearly garnered the most attention.

Well BMW is hoping to shift that attention towards itself as the video above has the Q5 and X3 take on a metal ramp with some ‘slippery spots’ to test each AWD system.

The Q5 embarrassingly couldn’t even make it up the ramp! The X3 on the other hand had no problem at all, not even any wheel slippage and finished the small course without a hitch. Ouch.

As mentioned, since this is likely a BMW event, take the results as you will, but there is really no denying what you see with your own eyes. Check it outin the video above.

In any event, Audi will likely have to do a bit of damage control, but you can bet that they won’t take this sitting down.

The BMW vs. Audi rivalry continues.

[Youtube]

Oh Hi: 2011 BMW X3

Behold, the 2011 BMW X3!

We’ve seen spy shots for a while now and after a test mule created a bomb scare in New York, BMW has finally released official images of the second generation  X3.

The new X3 is now wider, taller and longer – something not entirely unexpected thanks to the introduction of the X1 due out next year. The new X3 also gets a bigger signature kidney grille, a more square looking headlight cluster with halo lights standard and signature LED tail lights that are now more in line with the rest of the BMW family.

The X3 Xdrive28i (yes, BMW is still all over that new foolish name scheme) will feature a naturally aspirated 3.0 litre inline six making 240 horsepower and 230 pound feet of torque. This engine is likely going to be the one used in the next generation 128i and 328i as well. 0-100 will take 6.7 seconds, a half a second quicker than the old X3. The X3 Xdrive35i will make 300 horsepower and 300 pound feet of torque from BMW’s new N55 single turbo inline six. 0-100 will take 5.5 seconds.

The new X3 will feature an eight-speed automatic as well as updated everything from the struts, to the suspension.

Production is expected to start at the end of this year. No word yet on Canadian pricing.

For more pics, click here.

[Autoblog]

BMW X3 Prototype Causes Bomb Scare in New York!

BMW was out testing its prototype for the new 2011 X3 in New York with Head of Production Planning Martin Birkmann being the fellow doing the testing (which would be an awesome job by the way).  Birkmann made a pretty big error in judgment by deciding to leave the X3 prototype by Central Park with the engine running.

In case you haven’t heard (and if you haven’t you really need to read or watch the news more often) New York is very much on high alert after a bombing attempt last week in Times Square where a bomb was left in an SUV with the engine running. So naturally, the people of New York are a bit jittery and will definitely take notice of suspicious vehicles.

Since the X3 is still in prototype phase and since BMW annoyingly loves to put camouflage over all its new upcoming products so bloggers like myself don’t out the product before an official reveal, the X3 had said camouflage and naturally stood out like a Hummer at a climate change convention. New Yorkers aren’t generally used to test mules around their parts as well, so it may not have been immediately apparent that this situation was just BMW innocently testing its new product. A woman walking her dog did indeed pick up on the peculiar looking SUV and so she called the cops who promptly arrived, cleared the area and cautiously investigated the X3.

Obviously they did not find anything but the X3 had its rear window smashed in the bomb finding process.

Lesson learned for Birkmann!

[Photo Credit: New York Daily News]

Oh Hi: 2011 BMW X3

Even though the overall lines of the new X3 are apparent, that irritating swirly comouflage is still doing its job.

Regardless, we can see that the X3 is likely going to go conservative in terms of styling like the newly introduced 5-series. Expect a familiar looking tail lights similar to those of the X1, as well as a higher belt line than the outgoing model.

Under the hood is an expected 4 cylinder turbo to keep the fuel chugging to a minimum, as well as a top of the line inline six, which BMW does particularly well.

Expect the new X3 to go on sale in the summer of 2011.