Less than a week ago BMW revealed the 5 Series M550d. Same 3-litre engine capacity. Three turbos rather than two. 376 bhp and a truly class leading 740 Nm (546 lb-ft) or torque.

A quick check of their respective economy and emission figures; Audi – 44.1 mpg, 169g/km CO2 and BMW – 44.8 mpg, 165 g/km CO2 rubs further salt into the Ingolstadt car maker’s wounds.

If there’s a ‘rosy tint’ to this scenario then it might just be pricing of Audi’s new models. BMW have yet to publish those for the M550d Saloon and Estate, whereas Audi have confirmed the starting price of £43,810 for the A6 Saloon 3.0 BiTDI quattro climbing up to £53,435 for the A7 3.0 BiTDI quattro.

If you’ve watched the intro videos for BMW’s new M Performance diesels then you’ll remember they mention how good these new Tri-turbo diesels sound. Well, so do Audi. In fact Audi are so confident this is their sweetest-sounding V6 diesel, they’ve recorded a sound clip and posted it on Sound Cloud. Using an exhaust-mounted sound actuator, Audi’s engineers have been able to ‘tune’ the new engine to deliver a distinctly sporting soundtrack.

It all sounds mighty impressive, if not for BMW’s much more powerful, faster and more economical M550d.

Slotting in above the single-turbo 201 bhp and 242 bhp versions of the 3.0 TDI that already feature in the A6 and A7 Sportback ranges, the latest V6 engine has a two-stage turbocharger that delivers maximum boost of up to 3.2 bar, helping the A6 3.0 BiTDI quattro Saloon reach 62mph in 5.1 seconds, and the A6 Avant and A7 Sportback to do the same in just 5.3 seconds. Top speed for all versions is the standard 155mph (limited).

I hate to rain on Audi’s parade, but heck, we’ve already referenced BMW’s M550d by comparison – whilst 5.1 and 5.3 seconds is Audi’s quickest diesel performance, BMW raises that bar to 4.7 seconds for the M550d Saloon and 4.9 seconds for the M550d Touring.

Audi’s new BiTDI models come fitted with an eight-speed tiptronic transmission and the latest generation quattro all-wheel-drive system, which features a self-locking centre differential and torque vectoring for optimum traction and stability. But then BMW offers essentially the same configuration in its M550d.

Audi offers an optional sport differential, which distributes power in continuously variable proportions between the rear wheels to sharpen and quicken responses even further.

It all sounds mighty impressive, if not for BMW’s much more powerful, faster and more economical M550d.

As I said, sometimes timing can be a bitch.

Gallery

BMW describe the new cars as representing “..a new category of vehicle from BMW M GmbH. Based on current BMW models, they have been selectively refined in terms of technology and design using the expertise focused at BMW M. They therefore offer greater agility, precision and emotion in the BMW M style.”

This new category of M car starts with 4 new models – X6 M50d, X5 M50d, M550d xDrive Saloon and M550d xDrive Touring, which will be joined by further models during the course of 2012.

Philosophy

These are the first BMW M Performance cars fitted with a high-performance diesel engine combined with the all-wheel drive xDrive system and despite the bullish claims of their sporting prowess fans of the blue-propeller-badge will be aghast that the once-purist sub-brand could move so far away from its high-revving, normally aspirated, rear-wheel drive roots.

BMW say these new models are clearly not as focused in terms of driving feel as the core BMW M cars- the ‘M Automobiles’, which themselves demonstrate the highest form of performance sports car within their own segments, but that the everyday usability which is typical of all BMW M products is especially tangible in the new BMW M Performance Automobiles.

If that sounds like a cop-out, BMW then go on to explain that what characterises an M car is the coherence between drivetrain, suspension technology and design (no mention of the engines…) and this has been achieved by means of an optimised set-up of the all-wheel drive system and 8-speed automatic transmission, as well as suspension components which have been modified in detail – together with light alloy wheels developed exclusively for these models.

Suspension

All modifications to the suspension and damping, steering, brake system, suspension control systems and all-wheel drive are geared towards the specific performance characteristics of each car. The result: even in dynamic driving situations, the transmission, steering and brakes provide clear-cut, predictable responses to the commands conveyed by the driver via the accelerator, steering and brake pedal.

Self-levelling air suspension is fitted to the rear of both X6/X5 models and the X6 M50d has electronically controlled dampers with BMW Adaptive Drive active anti-roll function as standard too. It is optional on the X5 M50d.

With their bespoke chassis configuration, the X5 M50d and X6 M50d drive through all four wheels via BMW’s intelligent electronic xDrive system. By integrating with the DSC stability control, xDrive allows a typically BMW rear-drive bias, but can intervene in milliseconds to enhance stability through the Performance Control system on the X5 M50d or the Dynamic Performance Control system on the X6 M50d. Both systems achieve this by braking the appropriate rear wheel while simultaneously increasing engine power and redistributing torque to other wheels with more traction.

Engine

The 2,993cc six-cylinder in-line engine is the most powerful diesel ever to come from BMW, and the first to feature three turbochargers as an extension of the company’s TwinPower Turbo technology.

The integration of two small variable-geometry high-pressure turbos and one larger lower-pressure turbo ensures instantaneous response throughout the rev range by ensuring the charge pressure is maintained at exactly the right level for the load being put upon the engine at any moment.

One of the two small turbochargers is activated at engine speeds just above idle, allowing its low moment of inertia to instantly respond to any movement of the accelerator. As the revs increase to 1,500rpm the flow of exhaust gas reaches the large turbocharger, ensuring that peak torque of 740Nm is attained and maintained from 2,000rpm until 3,000rpm.

At 2,700rpm a vacuum-modulated exhaust flap opens allowing exhaust gas to flow past the second small, low moment of inertia turbocharger creating additional charge pressure, allowing maximum power of 381hp to be available from 4,000-4,400rpm. If the large turbocharger is spinning at particularly high speeds a vacuum regulator opens a wastegate valve to relieve pressure and so avoid unwanted exhaust backpressure.

The new engine delivers a peak output of 381 bhp, which translates to just over 127 bhp per litre (well above an M3 for instance). No less impressive is the maximum torque of 740 Nm (546 lb-ft), available from an engine speed of just 2,000 rpm.

Spontaneous response combined with a high output and high revving characteristics (for a diesel engine) make for a driving experience which BMW claim surpasses virtually anything previously possible with a diesel engine.

Another important facet bears out regarding the quality of the engine performance: in the context of its maximum available output and fuel consumption, the new diesel engine is said to offer the best efficiency figures ever seen in a serial production engine of this type. Never has such a low level of fuel consumption been available with such high performance.

Their performance – 0-62mph in 5.4 and 5.3 seconds respectively – is matched by supreme efficiency as a result of the EfficientDynamics measures fitted as standard. Fuel economy and CO2 emissions for the X5 M50d are 37.7mpg and 199g/km, while for the X6 M50d they are 36.7mpg and 204g/km.

Styling

As you can see from the pictures, the new M Performance Models differ only subtly from the standard models on which they’re based and likewise avoid looking too similar to the pure M Cars that the brand is known for.

Each new model uses distinctive design components for the exterior and interior, including those lightweight smoked-finish alloy wheels, BMW M badges on the door sills, steering, boot lid, engine cover, gearshift lever and instrument cluster whilst a range of unique sporting alcantara/nappa leather trim options are provided with Brushed Aluminium Shadow interior trim.

Pricing has yet to be confirmed for the M550d models, but BMW has confirmed that the BMW X5 M50d goes on sale 16 June 2012 with an on-the-road price of £60,325, while the BMW X6 M50d will be available from £62,260 OTR.

Gallery

Rather than base our Top-10 listing purely on video views and social shares, I thought it would be interesting to look a little closer at how well each campaign contributed to the ‘equity’ of each brand – the assets a brand is then able to use across its entire marketing mix.

In today’s highly networked business environment, the old adage “what get’s measured, gets done” is becoming something of a liability as marketing teams seek to justify their actions through quantitative analysis and attribution modelling, whilst often ignoring the factors which drive those results.

When something can’t be measured, does that make it not worth doing? Of course not. But in the rapidly evolving digital environment, that’s precisely what happens. We struggle to keep up with all the tools, platforms and new methods far less accurately measure them, so just like performance, lightweight construction or efficiency, automotive marketers sometimes need the intelligence to realise where taking the right action is equally as important as being able to justify it thereafter.

Ultimately, intelligence boils down to using the assets at your disposal in the most effective ways to achieve your objectives. Let’s see how well they did:

Top 10 Most Shared Automotive Ads of 2011 (not all released in 2011)

1. Volkswagen: The Force: Volkswagen Commercial  – 47.5 million views, 4,813,984 shares (32,618 comments)
2. DC Shoes: Ken Block’s Gymkhana Four; The Hollywood Megamercial – 13.1 million views, 2,111,150 shares (19,115 comments)
3. Kia: Party Rock Anthem-Kia Soul Hamster Commercial – 10.7 million views, 1,556,221 shares (12,748 comments)
4. Nissan: Pôneis Malditos – 13.9 million views, 968,124 shares (25,827 comments)
5. DC Shoes: Ken Block’s Gymkhana Three; The Ultimate Playground – 733,112 shares
6. Chrysler Eminem Super Bowl Commercial – Imported From Detroit – 15.4 million views, 436,016 shares (28,241 comments)
7. BMW 1M – Walls – MPowered Performance Part 1 – 3.0 million views, 407,505 shares (1,922 comments)
8. DC Shoes: Ken Block’s Gymkhana Two; The Infomercial – 341,980 shares
9. Team Hot Wheels – The Yellow Driver’s World Record Jump – 8.1 million views, 294,046 shares (4,177 comments)
10. Volkswagen: Black Beetle – 6.3 million views, 212,290 shares (2,371 comments)

Source: The data was compiled from Unruly Media’s Viral Video Chart at 15:00 (GMT) on 15 December 2011. The Viral Video Chart is the world’s largest, most comprehensive database of online social videos, and measures views and social shares based on a count of the embedded videos and links on approximately 2 million blogs, as well as Facebook and Twitter.

I could wax lyrically about the high-quality production values in our Top 10, their clever use of aspirational memes and how effective they are in conveying the personality of the brands they represent, but there’s an elephant in the room.

Nissan Brazil’s ad for the Frontier pickup, Pôneis Malditos, is not like other video ads. According to the Portuguese Blog the ad uses a play on words ‘do you have horse-power or ponies?’ A song then taunts the presumably-macho target customer with a chorus line that I’ll leave you to translate for yourself, ‘pônei maldito, pônei maldito’, since it’s definitely NSFW.

There’s a twist at the end where the cute little pony tells you not to close the video, followed by its evil twin who tells you that if you don’t share the video with 10 people, you’ll get the pony’s song stuck in your head forever. So it is basically the advertising equivalent of chain-mail spam. Such questionable tactics are unlikely to succeed more than once, so we’ll treat it as an anomaly in our 2011 list.

The remaining ads in our Top 10 illustrate the trend towards creating re-usable memes, enabling their brands to reuse the characters and storylines in other media campaigns and thereby reinforce the identity to which customers establish a relationship with. In last week’s interview with Ken Block of DC Shoes, he spoke about the value of building ‘personality’ into a viral video and we can see this type of character-based ad dominating the charts.

Top 5 Automotive Brands in 2011

If you’re anything like me, then you’ll not be satisfied with a Top 10 list of the most shared social media ads, you’ll want to know which car maker has really grasped the nettle and made social video a mainstay in their marketing plans.

Last year we singled out MINI, Ford and Kia for consistently performing above the pack, producing videos that were funny, entertaining and highly shareable.

But while humour is useful in generating strong viewing figures, like the sugary high of a Pina Colada the positive sentiment can quickly decline. Brands are now moving towards more epic ads, as spoken about recently by Unruly COO Sarah Wood, “More brands are realizing the potential of social video to build a high-impact, long-term emotional connection with their audience.”

This move towards a more sustainable level of engagement has raised the bar for what it takes to capture the audience’s interest, but in turn, people are sharing more videos with others in their social groups. In 2011, the top 20 ads across all sectors generated 25 million shares, a near five-fold increase from 2010 levels. However, the ratio of views to shares from 2011 to 2010 is even more interesting: In 2010, one in 39 people who viewed video content went on to share it online. In 2011, the ratio rose to 10 to one.

In comparing the Top 5 Automotive Brands we’ve yet again used data provided by Unruly Media’s Viral Video Chart, and we’ve then selected from campaigns within the Top 200 that ran during 2011.

There are several conclusions that spring to mind when looking through the above list. Firstly we know that the position of the first 3 brands is heavily influenced by big-impact campaigns which already feature strongly in our overall Top 10. However that should in no way detract from their significance, even if it does raise questions about their repeatability.

The one exception is Kia, which truly owns the Hamster meme, in much the same way as comparethemarket.com built a successful connection with its audience using a bunch of Meerkats. Kia’s ‘Black Sheep’ ad was the most successful automotive ad of 2010 and they’ve shown the ability to sustain the character’s impact.

Nielsen Automotive Advertising Awards voted the campaign the “Automotive Ad of the Year” in 2010, attributing a sales increase of 10% purely due to the halo effect it brought the brand.

Audi and BMW delivered the highest number of campaigns within our overall Top 200, although none reached the giddy heights of those from Kia and Nissan.

Audi’s top campaign was for the A8 (Big Game Commercial: Release the Hounds), which as with Volkswagen, benefitted from the Super Bowl TV viewing figures during February.

BMW’s strongest performance came from an unlikely source; a pair of ads produced by BMW Canada to promote the 1 Series M Coupe – both generated millions of views (3.0 million for Part 1 and 1.7 million for Part 2) and together generated more than half a million social shares.

They were certainly epic and ticked all the boxes for what makes a successful automotive ad. As an added bonus, not a single child or small cuddly animal was exploited to achieve their success, so perhaps there we should recognise them as a moral victor in the category of ‘Purist Car Ads’.

We would also like to acknowledge BMW’s success in maintaining a consistently high level of performance throughout the year, they were the only brand to reach 1 million views in 7 separate videos, with Volkswagen and Kia being next most consistent with 4 videos each.

Volkswagen were in a different league to the others during 2011. Principally because of their record breaking Mini Darth Vader ad (The Force), but they also achieved the highest overall shares per view of 8.63%, narrowly beating Kia with 8.43%. To add some context, before all this success goes to Volkswagen’s head, Gymkhana 4 achieved a shares per view performing of 16.7% making it by far the most effective automotive ad in terms of engagement.

We were in two minds whether to attribute any credit to Ford for Ken Block’s Gymkhana 4 video. Whilst Gymkhana 4′s primary goal is to promote DC Shoes’ clothing and apparel, Ford are a key partner in the campaign and have cleverly used Ken and his Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle (H.F.H.V) to increase adoption of the Ford Fiesta through the parallel campaign, 43 Fiestas Challenge.

But if we stand back and take stock of the most effective Automotive social video campaigns of 2011, we see top-quality production values, the use of engaging characters and increasingly dramatic storylines.

One consequence of these attributes is that successful video ads are no longer cut down versions of their TV counterparts, but instead bespoke short films lasting anywhere between 2 and 9 minutes – the feature ad. The sales message, if there is one, is firmly hidden away and replaced by entertaining content and a viewing experience that encourages sharing and social conversation.

For 2012, this trend is set to continue, with the most successful brands being those who best understand their audience and embrace their role as entertainers and content providers. Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments below, or on Twitter.

It’s the first four-door Coupe in the BMW’s history and the third model in the BMW 6 Series line-up. BMW describe it as a 4+1-seater, with the middle rear seat being ideally suited to families with a toddler.

At 5.0 metres in length with a 2.97 metre wheelbase, the Gran Coupe is 6 cm shorter than a 7 Series and 10.8 cm longer than a 5 Series. It shares its wheelbase with the 5 Series, so should be similarly spacious inside. Boot capacity can be increased from 460 litres to 1,265 litres with the rear seats folded down.

On a like-for-like basis, the 6 Series Gran Coupe weighs in just 35 kg heavier than the equivalent 5 Series (1865 kg vs 1830 kg for the 650i GC when compared with the 550i Saloon).

From the front and rear view, you’d be hard pressed to distinguish the Gran Coupe from the 6 Series Coupe, but from the side it presents its own distinctive character, with a strikingly low-slung appearance that immediately makes Audi’s A7 and Merc’s CLS look suddenly ‘awkward’ by comparison.

Inside, the Gran Coupe has its own unique ambience, in the same way Merc’s CLS differs from the E-Class, the driver-focused cockpit cocoons its occupants with door panels flowing seamlessly into one another. The seating position is slightly higher than in the 6 Series Coupe and Convertible and the angle of the rear seats can be adjusted for maximum comfort.

There will be three engines available from launch; the 315bhp six-cylinder 640i with twin-scroll turbocharger, 309bhp 640d Gran Coupe with variable sequential turbocharging and common-rail direct injection, and the flagship 444bhp 650i Gran Coupe with its twin-turbocharged eight-cylinder engine. Both petrol engines comes with direct injection and VALVETRONIC , whilst all models are fitted as standard with BMW’s latest eight-speed sports automatic transmission.

The full gamut of EfficientDynamics technologies are in use, including BMW’s new ECO PRO mode which is activated using the Driving Experience Control switch. ECO PRO modifies the engine management characteristics, the accelerator mapping and the shift characteristics of the automatic transmission, and supports a low-rpm driving style for optimised fuel consumption.

The chassis is as you would expect, with Electric Power Steering and Dynamic Damper Control as standard. Active Steering and Adaptive Drive is available as an option whilst xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive will be available from launch on the BMW 650i Gran Coupe.

Also available from launch is the specially designed M Sport version, which includes an M aerodynamics package with bespoke body components for the front end, side skirts and rear apron, exhaust tailpipe embellishers in dark chrome, black-painted brake callipers, LED foglamps, a sports exhaust system for the BMW 650i Gran Coupe and 19-inch light-alloy wheels in M double-spoke design.

20-inch light-alloy wheels in M double-spoke design are also available, whilst customers ordering the M Sport package can also opt for two special M paint finishes, Carbon Black metallic and Imola Red non-metallic.

The new 6 Series Gran Coupe will be available with the optional M Sport package from launch.

The sporting theme continues inside the car in the form of special M Alcantara/leather sports seats with blue contrast stitching, an M leather steering wheel with multifunction buttons and gearshift paddles, and aluminium hexagon interior trim strips. Plus, the M Sport package adds door sill finishers sporting the M logo and an M driver’s footrest to the mix.

Prices are yet to be announced, but the 6 Series Gran Coupe should make its public appearance at next year’s Geneva Motor Show, before going on sale from the summer.

Gallery

Exclusive footage includes Rebecca driving her new BMW 6 Series Convertible on track, Tim training hard on the River Thames and David pushing himself through a tough session in one of London’s Royal Parks.

James Cracknell introduces the iMagazine sections.

There’s also an entertaining conversation over lunch between two more seasoned competitors; javelin thrower Steve Backley and rower James Cracknell, who is also the guest editor of this special edition. Other features include profiles of selected BMW London 2012 Performance Team members and the cars they drive, and an overview of how BMW is going to keep London 2012 on the go with a 4000-strong fleet of cars, motorcycles and bicycles for athletes and officials.

I particularly like the way the editorial team managed to fit in the word “Efficient Dynamics” when describing K1 canoe champion, Tim Brabants.

But even if you’re not a big athletics fan, there are lots of reasons to download your copy of iMagazine, no more so than the stunning piece of time-lapse photography of the Olympic Stadium, that plays when the magazine first opens.

The App was designed and created by Engine Partners Andrews Aldridge and Brainstorm films on behalf of BMW UK.

Download yourself a copy by visiting the iTunes Store.

It’s a major coup for BMW, not only because Tomczyk was one of Audi’s quickest drivers, but he brings with him the coveted No. 1.

“Our squad of drivers is gradually firming up,” said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. “With Martin Tomczyk we are proud to have gained an absolute top-notch driver for our DTM involvement. Despite being fairly young in the touring car context, he is one of the most experienced DTM drivers around: he’s consistently fast, of impeccable character and an out-and-out winner.

In 2011 he was the first driver ever to win the DTM championship in an older spec car. We will do everything we can to consolidate this success with him in the future. Our target is to become competitive as quickly as possible, and from that point of view we see Martin as an extremely important asset.”

After several years in karting, 1998 and 1999 saw Tomczyk compete in the BMW Formula ADAC junior racing series initiated by the ADAC and BMW. Following a year in Formula 3, he took the step up into the DTM, where he has been driving for Audi since the 2001 season. In 2007 and 2011 Tomczyk was voted ADAC Motor Sportsman of the Year.

The highlight of his career so far came this season, in which he celebrated three out of his total of seven DTM wins, made it onto the podium eight times, and became the first driver in DTM history to take the title in an older spec car.

From 6th to 8th December, Tomczyk will get behind the wheel of the BMW M3 DTM for the first time in Monteblanco, southern Spain.

With three BMW factory teams gearing up for the 2012 season, there are now just 2 seats available.

There is no word (as yet) where Tomczyk will next appear, BMW are evaluating drivers for its 3-car entry in the 2012 DTM season and have so far confirmed just 3 of their 6 drivers (Augusto Farfus, Andy Priaulx and Bruno Spengler).

Tomczyk describes his decision as a difficult one that he made only after careful consideration. “I won the Championship for Audi after eleven years together. The entire Audi Sport team and in particular Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich have always been behind me throughout the many years we spent together,” explains Tomczyk.

“I’m delighted that I could repay the trust by winning the 2011 championship title together with team Phoenix. Despite this joint success, and after careful consideration, I have now decided to accept a new challenge. To conclude, I would once again like to thank everybody with whom I have worked together during my eleven years at Audi Sport and assure every single individual that these years were, in hindsight, something very special.”

Tomczyk started his DTM career in the 2001 season as 19-year-old in Team ABT Sportsline with the Abt-Audi TT-R and was, at that time, the youngest DTM driver in history. In 2003 he became Audi factory driver in the ‘S line Audi Junior Team.’ Since 2004 he has competed with the Audi A4 in the DTM, initially for Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline and for the first time in 2011 for Audi Sport Team Phoenix.

In his sixth DTM season in 2006 he finally recorded the first of his seven DTM race wins to date. By winning the championship title in 2011 at the wheel of a year-old car he achieved the greatest victory of his career up to now.

His country’s motor sport federation Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC) awarded the DTM champion the title of ‘Motor Sportsman of the Year’ ahead of his compatriot and F1 champion Sebastian Vettel. Tomczyk’s father, Hermann, is Sporting President of the ADAC.

“It goes without saying that we deeply regret that he decided, at this moment in time, to seek a new challenge after his most successful DTM season with Audi,” says Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich. “I can, however, completely understand that after eleven special years of highs and lows with Audi he would like to try something new – after all by winning the DTM title at the wheel of an Audi A4 DTM he has achieved exactly the goal for which he was worked so hard for many years.

I’m personally delighted that Martin showed his many critics this year because I always believed in him. I can understand that to start he viewed the transfer to team Phoenix and a year-old car as demotion. But it gave, as I hoped, his career new impulses. I always enjoyed working together with Martin. He is a complete professional who I personally hold in high regard. I wish him all the best for the future.”

How Audi will line up in the DTM next year will be decided over the forthcoming weeks. In Mattias Ekström (Sweden) and Timo Scheider (Germany) the Ingolstadt brand has two DTM Champions under contract who have both won the championship twice for Audi. No less than eight of the nine Audi drivers mounted the DTM podium at least once in 2011. Audi currently plans to contest the DTM 2012 with a maximum of seven cars.

Needless to say, although I’ll do so anyway, please don’t try this at home, or if you do, don’t coming crying to us afterwards. Right, sensible statement out of the way, let’s take a look at the stunts.

Our first ad was created to promote Honda’s “In and Out” plan, which lets swap your old car for a new one. The agency, villarrosas of Barcelona uses the Parkour choreography to symbolise how ‘easy’ the changeover can be. Surprisingly the scene was filmed without any CGI or editing tricks – they really did jump into the Honda CR-V that quickly.

If you’re impressed with Honda’s new ad, then wait until you see some of the ads which provided the inspiration. They’re pretty clever, although I can’t imagine any of the brands sold more products as a result. But hey, this is advertising and advertising is the new entertainment.

Honda CR-V. Plan In & Out commercial

Honda Spain’s new TV spot called “Plan In & Out”, promotes a new scheme to help customers swap their old car for a new one.

Honda CR-V. Making Of Anuncio Plan In & Out

Watch and learn, then maybe you could try it out. Maybe not.

The inspiration

BMW. Jump for Joy. Part 2

Looking at a BMW, your heart starts jumping for Joy. But sometimes it’s not just the heart. Watch some amazing ways to take a seat in a BMW, but don’t try this at home.

NFL Fantasy Files: Laurence Maroney

Patriots RB Laurence Maroney can fit through any tight spot. You need him on your fantasy team.

Nike MVPuppets “Car Jump”

Nike presents the MVPs (Most Valuable Puppets). The roommate puppet versions of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant get competitive in this campaign for the NBA Playoffs.

Kobe Bryant jumps a speeding Aston Martin

The original viral ad for Nike, featuring Kobe Bryant leaping over an accelerating Aston Martin Vantage Roadster.

You would do exactly what I did a few months ago – get your skinny behind into the nearest bucket seat and start evaluating as many car/tyre combos as you could fit into the day.

We were spoilt for choice. Literally.

The track; Circuit Estoril in Portugal. Our hosts; Michelin. The tyres; Michelin’s Pilot Sport Cup, Pilot Super Sports, PS2 and Pilot racing slicks.

And the cars? How about, every major Porsche 997 variant, Audi’s V8 and V10 R8, Audi TTRS, BMW M3, Ferrari’s 458 Italia, KTM X-Bow, Nissan GT-R, Gumpert Apollo.. You get the picture.

From track to street

Back-to-back testing provided the opportunity to evaluate the different characteristics of the tyres and how the technologies developed for the track have been passed on to the road.

Our main focus of the day was to learn about the relationship between Michelin’s race tyres and those which you or I can buy for our road cars.

I’ve been a customer for many years and yet I hadn’t realised just how seriously Michelin takes its racing. Rather than being a platform to show off their brand, racing is at the core of the company’s research and development programme, working closely with partners such as Porsche, Audi, Citroen and BMW.

Michelin treat all racing teams in a fair and equal way, collecting data, mixing it together and then advising teams on the most appropriate tyre choice, without actually sharing any identifiable data from a specific team.

But it’s not just global car manufacturers that Michelin works closely with, the tuning industry provides an important source of insight, blurring the boundary between road tyres and those best suited for the latest Nurburgring lap record.

We’re told that Michelin are the biggest spender within their industry on R&D, committing over 500 million Euros to the task of keeping their tyres at the very top.

So committed to the purpose of racing as their primary means of R&D, that the company says it has no plans to compete against Pirelli to supply tyres to Formula 1. Competing against other tyre makers is at the core of Michelin’s philosophy, and it believes that achieving high-performance over distance with consistent performance is better earned through competition.

Michelin’s Pilot Super Sport

Before travelling down to Estoril, we asked what you’d like to know more about and in fact during the day I was in constant contact with you via Twitter.

The most common question concerned Michelin’s latest high-performance tyre, the Pilot Super Sport, which will eventually supersede the well-respected PS2, which we got to compare it against out on track.

If you’re familiar with Michelin’s established track-day tyre, the Pilot Sport Cup+, then you’ll be aware of its benefits but also some of its disadvantages.

Cup tyres behave in a pseudo-slick-tyre way, benefiting from some heat-cycling before hard use and providing chewing-gum levels of grip and consistency at the limit.

Inside the 458 Italia during a fast lap of Estoril circuit. You can see how well suited the Pilot Super Sport is to such treatment.

The downside is, they don’t last very long – not if you’re used to the lifespan of a typical high-performance road tyre – and they’re ultra-tricky to drive on in the wet or when temperatures drop below 7 degrees C.

I’ve worn through a set of new £1,000+ Pilot Sport Cups in just a single weekend, which can bring a tear to the eye of even the most hardened track-day junkie.

Swap a set of Cup tyres for the more conventional PS2s and on track you’ll wonder where all the fun has gone. At the limit, the PS2s squeal like pig, give up their grip more abruptly and are more likely to lock-up under braking for slower corners.

As road tyres go, they’re one of the best, but out on track it was quickly evident how ill-suited they are to the task of consistent high-speed lapping.

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup on a similarly fast lap of Estoril circuit. This time the GT3 Cup is wearing a set of Pilot Slicks.

The new Pilot Super Sports represent a ‘step change’ in the capabilities of road-based performance tyres – equivalent to the alchemist’s trick of turning lead into gold. They’re a road tyre, but not as we have previously defined the breed.

On track they behave similarly to the Cup tyres, plenty of grip and consistency and none of the squealing so evident in the PS2s, whilst on the road they feel docile, reassuring and a fitting replacement for the PS2.

Whilst they’re not quite as quick on track as the Cups, they offer the same consistency which enables you to concentrate on trimming your lines and carrying more speed, without concerning yourself with the performance drop-off of an overheating road tyre.

The Super Sports are more stable under heavy braking, with less understeer a more positive steering response and a wonderfully wide slip-angle to play within on the limit.

Ferrari 458 Italia on Michelin Pilot Super Sports. These tyres were tortured for ‘research purposes’ shortly after this photograph..

If it’s credentials weren’t already solid enough, Pilot Super Sports last ‘twice’ as long as PS2s out on track, with around the same lifespan on the road.

When fitted to our Porsche 911 and Audi R8 test mules, the differences out on track were immediately apparent. Whilst nothing can match the purity, grip and response of Michelin’s racing slicks, we all agreed that the tyre we would choose to smuggle into our hand luggage for the return flight home, would be the Super Sport.

The two-wheel drive MTM Audi R8, awaiting a fresh set of rubber.

If there’s a downside of such a tyre innovation, it’s the question of whether owners are able to fit them to their latest purchase. Although Michelin has worked with manufacturers such as Porsche, BMW M and Ferrari in developing the Pilot Super Sport, Porsche in particular must put the tyre through their own homologation processes before approving the tyre for fitment to their range of cars.

This N-rated classification, which you will find on the sidewalls of all Porsche approved tyres, is the result of their independent testing for dry handling and braking, wet handling, hydroplaning, rolling circumference, high-speed running, wear, rolling resistance, noise and comfort – all of which is then optimised to deliver the desired levels of Porsche-ness.

Whilst the Pilot Super Sports felt ideally suited to the 997′s we drove around the dry Estoril track, they must also suit other road conditions and the abilities of a wide range of drivers, so frustrating as it might seem, the Pilot Super Sports are unlikely to be homologated for Porsche cars until late Summer 2012 at the earliest.

Porsche’s 911 and Michelin’s Pilot Super Sport – a marriage made in heaven. But unfortunately you can’t chose them on your Porsche yet, until they are officially homologated. Big shame.

The consequence of fitting a non N-rated tyre to your Porsche is purely one of insurance, both when claiming on Porsche’s warranty and if the worst happens and you’re involved in a road accident. It’s a grey-ish area and one which I have frequently crossed with the Porsche’s I’ve owned myself, but it’s a risk you should be aware of should you decide to take the plunge early.

Fear not though, if you really must wear the latest and greatest footwear on your Porsche, then we’re reliably informed Porsche’s new 991 model will be available with them as an OEM fitment when shipments begin.

Interestingly, we learned from our time with Michelin that even though the Pilot Super Sport is normally quicker than PS2 and Cup+ is generally quicker than both on track, this is not always the situation for every car.

For instance, the Michelin PS3 is a better tyre on the KTM X-Bow than the Super Sport, and Michelin often advise a less sporty tyre for its tuner customers, depending on the unique dynamics and balance of their cars.

So, bear that in mind the next time you go tyre shopping – the widest and stickiest aren’t necessarily the fastest – and with very few exceptions, you can’t go far wrong with Michelin’s latest Pilot Super Sport.

BMW will be represented in the DTM by three factory teams, BMW Team Schnitzer, BMW Team RBM and BMW Team RMG. Each team will enter two of BMW’s M3 DTM cars, shown for the first time in its BMW M Performance livery at last weekend’s season finale in Hockenheim.

Spengler made his debut in the DTM in 2005, and has made a solid impression on the series. The 28-year-old has been on the top step of the podium nine times in 74 starts. In addition, the French-Canadian has claimed 11 pole positions and set 12 fastest laps to date. Twice – in 2006 and 2007 – Spengler narrowly missed out on the DTM title, ending up second in the drivers’ classification on each occasion. In 2011 he finished third overall for Mercedes-Benz.

“In recent weeks we have not only been developing the BMW M3 DTM, but have also been working on the driver line-up for our return to the DTM,” says BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt.

“Outside our current line-up, Bruno Spengler was one of our top choices. Despite his youth he has a lot of DTM experience, which will greatly assist us during our development phase and on race weekends. For this reason, we did not hesitate when the opportunity to sign Bruno up arose. We have yet to decide which of our three teams he will drive for. That will be announced at a later stage.”

Spengler initially made his name in Formula Renault and Formula 3 before making his debut in the DTM in 2005. He scored his first points with a sixth place at the Lausitzring (DE) and went on to claim his first win at the Norisring (DE) a year later. He followed up that victory with his first pole position at the Nürburgring (DE). He has since developed into one of the top drivers in this series.