Patrick BMW Blog

The Chicago 5 Series is going to get very exciting when the 2011 models appear on showroom floors!  Racing Dynamics (RDSport) , based in Italy, is planning to make the new 5 series more supercharged, powerful, and fun to drive!

The 2 model options that may be available at your BMW Chicago dealer are: 410HP 535i R35 and a 620HP 550i R50S.  Certainly long names that you hope will provide a powerful punch at the wheel!  RDSport is working to make the engine in the 535i R35 capable of going from 0-60 in a little over 5 seconds!  The R35 model will also have a V6 engine with a “twin-scroll turbocharger”.   Definitely a big step up in power compared to other Chicago used BMW 5 Series models!

The 550i R50S model will most likely have a v8 engine with a 4.4 liter engine, and the R35 will have  a 3.0 liter engine.  These new BMW Chicago cars will also be stocked with quality amenities one expects with a BMW product.

For example, the Chicago 5 Series coming out soon will feature the four-wheel steering found in the 7 series.  Another feature is the lane- departure warning system.  This is activated just before you start to veer out of your lane…The system will make the steering wheel gently vibrate.  It is then deactivated when the indicator is used, so the driver isn’t thrown off course by multiple signals.  I know this is a feature that my friend’s Chicago used BMW 5 Series does not have and she wishes it did!

Some other features the new 5 Series will have are the radar-based adaptive cruise control, head-up display, and night-vision system with pedestrian detection.  The night vision system will give the driver a heads up of any people or animals within 300 meters of the car.  The head-up display gives the driver any important information right in it’s path of vision, such as alerts of possible traffic patterns coming up.   The Chicago 5 Series is a car with quite a bit of great features to help keep the driver and passengers safe.

After getting all of this information, I cannot wait to cruise around in one of these new 2011 5 series when they are on lots….Even if I don’t own one, a test drive will be very exciting!

BMW is working on a revamped 1 -Series that will be more “revolutionary” compared to other Chicago used BMW 1 Series.  The exciting new model will be on display in 2011 at a major auto show.  Let’s take a look at some of the feature information that has been released.

BMW is looking to give the 1-Series several body options:  five and three door hatch, 2 door coupe (sedan-like), 2 door convertible, and a possible crossover that would be a 5 door mix of the hatch, wagon, and sedan. A possible Supersports model may make it into the inventory as well. If all these make it into the lineup, BMW Chicago fans will have a lot to cheer about!

BMW is also in the process of engineering a range of four-cylinder engines that would most likely be sold in the U.S.  A 3 cylinder engine may be an option in BMW’s sold in Europe.  The company is planning to have Chicago 1 Series engines turbocharged and direct-injection types.  They’ll also be making the 1-Series with a range of horsepower allowing for maximum driving enjoyment!

On the outside, there are some notable changes in the new BMW Chicago car.  There will be new headlights and tailights that are LED, giving off that bluish hue that will help the 1-Series get many second looks!  The upright grille and fascia that first appeared on 2009 7-Series may also be on the Chicago 1 Series.

The VisionEfficient Dynamics Concept will also be incorporated into the new 1-Series, as BMW is working make their autos a little more “green”.  This is a change from the type of fuel comsumption found on other Chicago used BMW 1 Series autos. The VisionEfficient Dynamic concept’s main function is to maximize fuel consumption and lessen CO2 emissions, while still providing powerful cars. 

This BMW Chicago is in the process of being test driven and fully developed overseas at BMW’s plants in Germany.  I believe this 1-series will be a great car worth taking a test drive when it hits the lots in the next year to a year and a half.

An already fantastic Chicago BMW Z4 is about to come with the new M package.  The  M package is designed to make the car’s sporty features really stand out.  This new BMW Chicago model will be sold as a 2011 model.

One Z4 model that is a buyer’s option is the sDrive35is.  Right now, this vehicle has the M sport package, and soon all the Z4 models will have it.  The M package includes great features that made this specific model stand out from other Z4’s in the lineup.

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The Chicago 3 Series has done it again!  Car and Driver announced that the BMW 3 Series has topped the 10 Best Cars list once again, for the 19th straight time to be exact…..What a perfect time to find out what makes these Bimmers so fantastic.

The 3 Series comes in a variety of styles:  a sedan, coupe, wagon, or a hardtop convertible- great options for everyone from the typical suburban family (maybe a wagon?)  to the bachelor looking to cruise around with the top down (convertible?).

One feature that makes this line great are the powerful engines.  The  Chicago 3 Series entry-level model is the 328i, that comes with a 230-hp, 3.0 L, 6 cylinder engine.  The next step up is the 335i, which provides 300-hp!  The most powerful engine can be found on the M3, which has a 414 horsepower, 4.0 L, v8 engine.   Definitely a lot of choices available to the right driver!

The 2010 3 Series has features that can also be found in your Chicago used BMW 3 Series, such as 8-way adjustable seats and 2-way adjustable head rests to keep the driver comfy at all times.  You’ll also find remote keyless entry, dynamic cruise control, and BMW’s Advanced Safety System, to name a few.

While we cannot list every single reason why the 3 series continues to top Car and Driver’s 10 best list, the results speak for themselves.  The new and Chicago used car BMW models in this lineup are reliable, drive and handle well, and have modern features that make this luxury car a must have!

Your Chicago BMW is about to come in a diesel option.  The company is launching four-cylinder diesel models in the United States to help improve fuel efficiency.   The models one is likely to see it in are the 1, 3, and 5 Series and maybe the X3 crossover and Z4 roadster.

Currently, 70 percent of BMW’s sold in Europe are diesel powered, but very few are sold in the United States due mostly to emission regulations.  What the company will have to do is comply with federal regulations regarding emissions.  Federal standards rule that 250 grams of C02 per mile by 2016 is the amount that can come from a car.

What will BMW have to do to make sure it’s diesel-powered Chicago X5 passes an emissions test?  Currently, many of their best selling models are powered by six-cylinder engines.  To make them highly performable using diesel, BMW is looking to use a turbocharged 2.0-liter model tuned for performance.  The company is hoping that this will increase diesel vehicle sales in North America.  A rep from BMW said that they will be happy with 10-20 percent. This is a good statement illustrating how few diesel powered B-mers are sold in our continent!

Currently, the X5 xDrive35d and 335d are diesel models on the US market and only about 3,700 have been sold as compared to the robust sales of the Chicago BMW Z4.   Let’s hope BMW’s move to improve the diesel cars pays off in the end!