Tag Archives: BMW

News

BMW Puts Hockey on Ice—Literally—With Slovan Bratislava Partnership

As far as car displays go, parking 15 BMWs on an ice hockey rink is about as subtle as a Z4’s exhaust note at full tilt. But there’s a method to the madness. This winter, the Bavarian brand inked a 2025–2027 sponsorship deal with HC Slovan Bratislava, one of Europe’s oldest and most storied hockey clubs, and decided to kick things off with an unmistakable visual statement—right at center ice in the Ondrej Nepela Arena.

The fleet, supplied by local dealer Bavaria Bratislava, reads like a greatest hits playlist from Munich: the compact 1 Series hatch, family-friendly 3 Series Touring, executive-level 5 Series sedan, and a trio of SUVs—the X1, X2, and X5. The lone extrovert of the bunch? A bright-eyed M135 hot hatch, sitting ready to trade slapshots for apexes.

While BMW’s current lineup offers a healthy mix of combustion and electrified drivetrains, the ice-bound display was all about internal combustion. Expect that to change soon—once these cars shed their showroom sheen for HC Slovan’s livery. The fleet will serve both as transport for players during the season and as four-wheeled companions for summer downtime.

The partnership puts HC Slovan Bratislava in elite company. BMW already counts AC Milan and Real Madrid among its roster of sports club allies. For the hockey team—founded in 1921, just a year before BMW became BMW—it’s another milestone in a century-long journey.

Home games take place in the Ondrej Nepela Arena, a venue with roots dating back to 1940 and seating for over 10,000 fans. Slovan has nine championships under its belt, most recently in 2022, and counts multiple Hall of Famers—both NHL and IIHF—among its alumni.

A shared heritage of precision, performance, and passion makes this pairing more than a marketing play. For BMW, it’s about reinforcing its image on a stage as slick as the ice beneath those 15 cars. For HC Slovan, it’s another way to remind the world that hockey here is more than a sport—it’s a legacy.

Source: BMW Slovakia

News

How BMW’s Rarest M3 Became Immortal

Some cars are rare. Some are special. And then there’s the BMW M3 GTR—so scarce it makes a McLaren F1 look like a fleet car. This thing is basically motorsport’s unicorn… if the unicorn also happened to be a steroid-pumped Bavarian that screams to 10,000 rpm.

In 2025, according to Thomas Plucinsky of BMW Group Classic USA, there are just three track-only GTRs left on Earth. The road-legal Strassenversion? Same story—only a handful exist, each costing €250,000 when new. At the time, that made it the most expensive BMW you could buy. That’s right: a quarter of a million euros, for what was essentially an M3 with a very bad temper and a wardrobe made entirely of carbon fiber.

Fast forward to the Petersen Automotive Museum’s 3 Series 50th anniversary bash. Seven generations of BMW’s bread-and-butter icon were lined up, from crisp classics to turbocharged tech-fests. But there, glowering in the corner, was the GTR—the only E46 to swap its silky straight-six for a 4.0-liter IndyCar-derived V8, known to fanatics as the P60B40. In 2001, this thing bulldozed the ALMS GT series, taking first and third in seven out of ten races. BMW basically turned up, shouted “Your rules are stupid,” and then won everything in sight.

Naturally, the rule-makers didn’t take kindly to being pantsed so thoroughly, and by 2002 the GTR was politely banned. BMW returned in 2003 with a smaller straight-six for the Grand-Am series, won the 2004 championship anyway, and then retired in 2006—presumably out of boredom.

But legends don’t like staying dead. In 2015, BMW resurrected the GTR in full 2001 battle dress: carbon panels, NACA duct to feed the driver something vaguely resembling fresh air, bespoke BBS wheels, and even the last hex nut ever installed on a BMW Motorsport car. The result? The ultimate “get stuffed” to Father Time.

And it almost didn’t happen. After its racing days, the GTR was stripped and scattered across storage bins like someone had accidentally hit “delete” on the car. It took BMW Group Classic USA and the original 2001 race crew a year and a half of hunting, bolting, and swearing to bring it back to life. Today, it’s the last operational M3 GTR in existence—a roaring, snarling, V8 reminder that sometimes, the good guys really do get the last laugh.

Source: BMW

NEW CARS

BMW iX3 Launches in September as First Neue Klasse EV

BMW is preparing to usher in a transformative chapter in its history this September with the unveiling of the all-new BMW iX3, the first model built on its cutting-edge Neue Klasse platform. Debuting at the Munich Motor Show, the next-generation electric SUV signals a radical evolution in technology, design, and performance for the German automaker.

Set to enter production early next year, the new iX3 will square off against the upcoming electric Mercedes-Benz GLC, in what promises to be a fierce battle for dominance in Europe’s most competitive premium SUV segment. The iX3 is just the beginning of BMW’s Neue Klasse rollout, with an electric 3 Series saloon also on the horizon.

A Platform for the Future

Based on the revolutionary Neue Klasse architecture, the second-generation iX3 is more than just a replacement for its predecessor – it’s a complete reinvention. It introduces slimmer, more efficient batteries, enhanced electric motors, and a sophisticated new electrical architecture, all designed to deliver what BMW describes as a “quantum leap forward” in electric vehicle capability.

BMW claims the new iX3 will offer an impressive 497 miles of range on a single charge, thanks in part to its advanced nickel-manganese-cobalt cylindrical battery cells. That figure would surpass the current longest-range EV in Britain, the Mercedes-Benz CLA EQ, which offers 484 miles.

Charging performance is equally forward-thinking: the iX3’s 800V system allows ultra-fast charging up to 400kW, enabling a 218-mile range boost in just 10 minutes.

Dual Powertrain Options, Sharpened Dynamics

Buyers will be able to choose between a single-motor rear-wheel-drive version or a dual-motor all-wheel-drive model, the latter offering up to 402bhp. BMW has emphasized not only performance but also driving refinement, ensuring the new iX3 remains true to the brand’s dynamic roots.

To help lower the center of gravity and improve handling, BMW is implementing an industry-first by bolting the front seats directly to the battery pack, maximizing space and aerodynamics without compromising comfort.

Design: Neue Klasse, Retro Soul

Visually, the iX3 represents a bold departure from BMW’s current EVs. Drawing inspiration from the iconic Neue Klasse models of the 1960s, it sports a return to smaller kidney grilles, integrated into a single gloss-black front panel reminiscent of Vauxhall’s Vizor styling. Behind this panel lie the latest driver-assistance sensors and cameras.

The rest of the body adopts a more angular and chiseled look, with sharp lighting elements, a distinctive rear light bar, and a commanding SUV presence. This is BMW returning to clean, purposeful design with a nod to its heritage.

Revolution Inside: The Debut of iDrive X

Inside, the iX3 leads a digital revolution with the launch of BMW iDrive X, a reimagined user interface that replaces traditional buttons with customisable toolbars, voice commands, and a wide-format head-up display that spans the entire dashboard.

A sloped central touchscreen dominates the cabin, while the redesigned four-spoke steering wheel retains tactile buttons for crucial functions like cruise control. The system is built around the idea of minimal distraction, aligning with BMW’s “eyes on the road, hands on the wheel” philosophy.

The infotainment platform is also future-proof, allowing over-the-air updates throughout the car’s lifespan, ensuring functionality remains state-of-the-art well into the next decade.

With the new iX3, BMW isn’t just launching a car – it’s setting the course for the next generation of mobility. The Neue Klasse marks a seismic shift for the Munich brand, blending performance, efficiency, and innovation into a package that could redefine expectations for premium EVs.

As emissions regulations tighten and EV demand accelerates, the iX3 could well become the blueprint for the modern electric SUV – and the benchmark by which its rivals are judged.

Source: BMW