2011 BMW M3 "Frozen Gray" Special Edition

As the 25th anniversary of the M3 approaches—the car was introduced in Europe in 1986 but didn’t make its way to the U.S. until the following year—BMW is launching a limited-run version of the current coupe. Teased earlier this week, the Frozen Gray special edition, so named for its signature paint, is loaded with special appearance and equipment upgrades. There will be 30 copies, all bound for America.

The namesake matte paint and the red-and-black leather interior come from the BMW Individual catalog. For now, this is the only M3 in the U.S. to offer the combo, although we suspect the paint will become more widely available in the future. All Frozen Grays come with BMW’s seven-speed, dual-clutch M DCT transmission and are equipped with the new Competition package. The package provides lightweight 19-inch wheels that widen the track with a more dramatic offset, a 0.4-inch suspension drop, reprogrammed electronic damping, and a higher threshold for the stability control.

The special edition bundles the Premium package (power-folding mirrors, BMW Assist, a garage-door opener, carbon-fiber-look leather trim) and the Technology package (M Drive, the comfort access keyless ignition system, the iDrive navigation system with traffic information, and voice recognition). Heated front seats, parking sensors, and an upgraded sound system with satellite radio and iPod connectivity are standard.

Although steep, the $78,900 price—including a $1300 gas-guzzler tax—is only about four grand more than that of a similarly loaded M3 coupe and includes one day’s admission to the BMW Performance Driving School in South Carolina. Orders can be placed by calling 800-245-4269 on June 21 beginning at 11:30 a.m. EDT.

BMW reveals M3 Competition Edition in Frozen Silver for U.S.

BMW is celebrating 40 years of M with a special edition M3 Competition Edition that is about as rare as they come. BMW is only shipping 40 of the coupes to the U.S., and each will be identical save for a few options.


The M3 Competition Edition will feature Frozen Silver exterior paint, black M3 GTS 19-inch wheels, dark chrome exterior trim and dark exhaust tips. The interior will be complemented with Black Novillo leather upholstery with Palladium Silver accents, an Alcantara M steering wheel and M logos throughout.


This limited edition car will feature the same 414-horsepower V8 engine as other M3s, but the 0-60 time drops from 4.7 seconds to 4.5 seconds. The Competition Edition M3 is 10 mm lower than the standard M3, has wider-offset wheels, and higher-threshold programming for the M mode.

It's also more expensive than the standard M3. The Competition Edition M3 cost $81,060 with destination and handling, or a hefty $20,000 more than the base car.

A. Khan Design Range Rover RS300 Cosworth Edition

Project Khan have announced a name change. From now on, the company will be named A.Khan Design. The name more closely identifies the company with its designer Afzal Kahn. At the same time, they also released the RS300 Cosworth Edition, based on a Fugi White Range Rover Sport.

The 2012 RS300 Cosworth Edition features a Cosworth aerodynamic styling package. It includes a vented front and rear wheel arch with integrated air ducts, led daytime running lights and a Cosworth front grille with 3D mesh.

2012 Startech Range Rover Evoque

Startech, the Brabus affiliate that usually sticks to modifying Chrysler vehicles, has unveiled its tuning package for the 2012 Range Rover Evoque.

To upgrade performance, Startech added a set of sport springs that lower the SUV by 1.4 inches and a full exhaust system with diamond-shaped tips. The tuner says that its performance kit for the 2.0-liter inline-4 is currently in the final stages of development and will be released soon.

The modified exterior is the main event for this tuning package. Startech installs a full body kit that includes a new front bumper with spoiler, rear bumper, diffuser and rear spoiler. It says that the kit has been fine-tuned in a wind tunnel to help reduce lift on the front axle. Wheels are available in 20, 21 or 22 inches, including a set of three-piece, five-spoke 21-inch alloys wrapped in 265/40 high-performance street tires.




2012 Startech Range Rover Evoque

2013 Audi S7

The Audi A7 is probably the only member of the so-called "five-door GT" segment to pass through the Car Tech garage and be universally liked by the editors. So we were interested to see what the automaker would do with the sport-tuned 2013 S7, which was revealed at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show. Predictably, the automaker didn't stray too far from the A7's formula. You know what they say, "If it ain't broke..."

Externally, the S7 differentiates itself from the A7 with aluminum covers for the side mirrors, 19- or optional 20-inch wheels unique to the S, subtly more aggressive bodywork, a dual exhaust system with quad tips, and, of course, the S7 badges. Sharp-eyed enthusiasts may notice that the S7 sits 10mm lower than the model upon which it's based thanks to a sport air suspension system. In the cabin, there are new sport seats wrapped in Valcona leather with diamond stitching and the same Audi MMI system with Internet connectivity and Google Maps integration that helped the A7 earn our coveted Editors' Choice award.

Audi A7 feel the luxury

The Audi A7 made an excellent first impression when it was unveiled at the 2011 Montreal International Auto Show.

But it being an auto show, you only got to appreciate the visual aspect of the A7 - which is very appealing. To get a true sense of any car, of course, you need some time behind the wheel and I got just that recently with a 2012 Audi A7 3.0L TFSI Premium Plus model.

Having tested some of the A7's direct competition - Mercedes CLS-Class, BMW 5 Series GT and the Porsche Panamera - the newest Audi model stacks up pretty well.

For openers, it has all the other cars beat when it comes to starting price.

In base form, the Audi A7 comes pretty well equipped with just about everything you need for its $68,600 price tag.

2012 Audi A7

The Subaru BRZ STI debuts at the 2011 LA Auto Show

The 2011 LA Auto Show brought the world the first good look of the high performance BRZ STI, Subaru’s offering from the vehicle family developed jointly with Toyota which will yield both Toyota and Subaru models, as well as a Scion model with the production debut slated for all of them planned for the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.




Subaru BRZ STI

2012 Buick Regal GS Review

2012 Buick Regal GS Review

The Buick returns in midsize luxury sedan class, by producing the Buick Regal for the 2012 market. The Regal comes in three different types; Base, Turbo and GS, but now we’ll review the GS trim. The last time Buick released the Regal GS was back in 2004, which was powered by 240 hp V6. But the time has changed. To get along with G0-Green theme, the GS is now integrated with Ecotec engine.

2012 Buick Regal GS

2013 Ford Escape SUV at LA auto show

It’s already America’s best-selling compact sport-utility vehicle, but Ford has a lot riding on its newly redesigned and more fuel-efficient Escape that will be unveiled today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

At stake is a potential third shift at the newly renovated Louisville Assembly Plant and as many as 1,800 new jobs — if the new Escape can eclipse the 200,000 annual sales of the current model.

Ford hopes consumers will embrace the new 2013 Escape and its more rounded, sleeker style, which will sell for about the same price as the current model when it appears in showrooms in the early spring.

Baby Toyota Prius c toddles production

The Prius family is about to get bigger and smaller at the same time.


Toyota continues its diversification of the Prius line of hybrid vehicles (which currently comprises the Prius v, the Prius Plug-in, and, of course, the standard Prius) with a new downsized model that the automaker thinks will be great for the tight-quarters driving of major metropolitan areas and as an entry point for young drivers interested in hybridization. We've known that this was coming--we've already seen the concept. Now, however, we finally know what the production model of the Prius c will look like when it hits showroom floors.

Baby Toyota Prius c

The Prius c will be about 20 inches shorter than the standard-sized third-generation Prius liftback model. For a better sense of scale, parking the baby Prius next to a Toyota Yaris five-door reveals that the two hatchbacks are about the same size. The hybrid is about 3 inches longer from nose to tail with a similar increase in wheelbase, but features a roofline that sits about 3 inches lower.

Nissan 370Z and Infiniti G37 recalled over pinching windows

Nissan is recalling certain 370Z and Infiniti G37 Coupe models due to an improperly calibrated auto-reverse feature on the vehicle's windows. Around 1,788 2011 and 2012 models may have been built with a window switch controller that won't actuate the auto-reverse quickly enough. Should someone accidentally get a body part trapped in the window, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that a "pinch injury" may result. It's unclear whether anyone has been injured as a result of the calibration error at this juncture, but Nissan says that the automaker will fix the power window switches free of charge.