Using the uprated 4.8-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine from the S/4S, the GTS gains 30 bhp and 20 Nm of torque resulting in 424 bhp at 6,700 rpm and 520 Nm at 3,500 rpm.

The GTS’ naturally-aspirated V8 drives all four wheels via a seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) transmission and can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.5 secs, reaching a top speed of 179mph. Combined fuel consumption is 25.9mpg with CO2 emissions of 256g/km.

Porsche have developed a Sound Symposer which directs intake noise from the engine into the interior at the touch of a button. By activating the Sport button, intake vibrations between the throttle valve and air filter are channelled via the A-pillar to enhance the driving experience.

The GTS also comes with an adjustable sport exhaust, controlled by a switch in the centre console, which features a “last mode” function that remembers the last setting and restores it when the engine is started.

More sporting chassis

As you would expect of a GTS model, adaptive air suspension has been fitted as standard combined with Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM). The result is an increase in both comfort and driving dynamics achieved by adjusting the spring rate and electrically adjusting the damping system, combined with a self-levelling height adjustment function.

With the air suspension at its normal level the Panamera GTS sits 10 mm lower than the other models in the Panamera range and its damping is designed to be tauter, reinforcing the sporting personality. Dynamic performance is further enhanced by the combination of 19-inch diameter Panamera Turbo wheels, 5 mm rear wheel spacers and larger brake discs from the Turbo – recognisable by their red brake callipers.

The Panamera GTS is also equipped with the Sport Chrono package as standard, which tailors the responsiveness of the engine, transmission and chassis according to the driver’s preference. In the ultimate Sport Plus mode, the adaptive air suspension lowers the vehicle to its low setting and switches to a harder spring rate. The rear spoiler angle of attack also changes to a pre-set performance-oriented position.

How about a few more acronyms?

PDCC with PTV Plus represent Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC), which limits body roll during cornering by using active front and rear anti-roll bars and Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus (PTV Plus), which varies torque distribution to the rear wheels by an electronically-regulated rear limited slip differential.

Design and equipment

For GTS read Turbo-lite – you’ll see the Turbo’s Sport-Design front-section together with its adaptive four-way rear spoiler.

The appearance of the Panamera GTS is further characterised by numerous black exterior styling details, including high-gloss black for the side window trim, decorative trim on the rear lid, the headlight washer unit cover, the rear diffuser and the side air outlet panels.

A further tell-tale sign are the GTS’ Bi-Xenon headlights with black inner bezels. These feature four LED daytime running lights, as per the Panamera Turbo, which are located in the main headlight cluster. The Panamera GTS is available with the option of Carmine Red paint, first introduced on the Cayenne GTS and with a choice of leather and Alcantara covering the adaptive 18-way adjustable sports seats.

The SportDesign steering wheel with PDK shift paddles and twelve o’clock marking on the steering wheel rim enhance the GTS’ dynamic looks and sporting functionality, whilst ‘GTS’ lettering is liberally applied on the front door entry guards, instrument cluster and the embroidered headrests.

Porsche has put together special optional equipment packages married with a black interior, exclusively for the Panamera GTS. The decorative stitching on the foot mats, top of the dashboard, upper edge of the door, armrest, door trim and centre console, the door closing handle along with the seat stitching are executed in Carmine Red or GT Silver.

The Porsche Panamera GTS will be on sale in the UK from February 2012, priced from £90,409.

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Across all channels throughout the campaign, BMW will aim to show athleticism and passion as the core quality of its highest selling model.

Online assets are already in use over on www.bmw.com and www.facebook.com/bmw, together with 360 degree viewer and a configurator, which enables site visitors to share their configured vehicle with friends on other social channels.

Print and TV will join the campaign next February, to be joined by a special integrated launch of the full hybrid BMW ActiveHybrid 3, which is due at the end of 2012.

The TV commercials will play on the emotional scenes from different sports disciplines, including the new London Olympic Stadium and BMW’s involvement in the 2012 DTM series. Music will be provided by Billy Idol’s 1981 song, “Dancing With Myself”.

Whilst the theme is ‘sporting’ the tone of the campaign is intended to be light and humorous, using the term ‘Versus’ to describe the unique character of the new BMW 3 Series – where passion always wins.

Will it work?

As with many multi-channel campaigns, the central idea seems to have become lost in translation – both literally and figuratively. “Style vs. Stylish. Passion Wins.” and “Head-Up Display vs. Speeding Ticket. Passion Wins.” – If you can understand more than 1 of these posters I’ll be surprised and the whole delivery smacks of something designed by committee and completely over-engineered (or over thought).

No doubt with a considerable comms and promotion budget pushing them into our consciousness, people’s curiosity will be ignited and BMW showrooms will be awash with potential buyers, but this seems a pretty poor start for a model that BMW depend on for their continued survival.

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Available on the world market from 11 February 2012, the new F30 3 Series will be available from launch with two petrol engines – 328i and 335i and two diesel variants including the 320d and the 320d EfficientDynamics. The pricing in Germany for these models is between € 35,350 (£30,876) for the 320d and € 43,600 (£38,082) for the six-cylinder petrol 335i. This compares with € 34,300 for the outgoing E90 320d and € 43,150 for the E90 335i saloon.

In spring 2012 the model range will be complemented by other variants, including the more powerful 330d and 335d/340d diesel models and a twin-turbo 2-litre which replaces the old 330i, whilst In autumn 2012 a full hybrid model will join the 3 Series range with a 335 bhp powerplant.

Take a closer look at the new BMW 3 Series with Andreas-Christoph Hofmann (VP Brand Communication), Christopher Weil (Exterior designer) and Christian Bauer (Interior designer).

More space, more performance and less weight

BMW are claiming a victory in the battle for the most efficient premium model range with the new 3 Series. The F30 3 Series is larger (+93 mm) and noticeably more spacious than its E90 predecessor – knee room behind the front seats has grown by 15 mm and headroom by 8 millimetres. However despite this increase in size, the new F30 3 Series is up to 45 kg lighter.

This is best illustrated by the gains in efficiency – the 320d EfficientDynamics Edition with power of 161 bhp, consumes just 69 mpg (4.1 litres per 100 km) and with a corresponding CO2 rating of 109 g/km. The BMW 335i with its twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine and 302 bhp, will consume between 36.0 and 39mpg (7.2 to 7.9 litres per 100 kilometres) depending on the equipment fitted. Auto Start Stop function is standard for all engine-gearbox versions.

The new BMW 3 Series also offers a ‘switchable’ driving experience. In addition to the settings COMFORT, SPORT and SPORT + there is also an Eco Pro mode, and therefore depending on an individual’s driving behaviour, a further fuel saving of up to 20% is possible.

Several new innovations for the class

The new BMW 3 Series saloon introduces a number of innovations unique to its class. BMW is the first manufacturer in premium mid-size class to offer a head up display – projecting important information onto the windscreen in direct view of the driver, optionally, an eight-speed automatic transmission for all engines will be available with an automatic start stop system as standard.

BMW’s latest ConnectedDrive infotainment system will also be available on the new 3 Series, improving safety and making it more comfortable to drive in traffic. Features include Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function, and Lane Change and Lane Departure Warning with collision warning or Surround View. It also acts as a parking assistant to manoeuvre the car into a parking space. In addition, real-time traffic information (RTTI traffic information system) and specific apps for the use with social networks are also available.

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, BMW will be using a similar naming system to that introduced on the new 1 Series last month – “Sport Line”, “Modern Line” and “Luxury Line” will be offered, providing customers with many more options for shaping the vehicle to their own requirements.

Last year BMW Group sold a total of about 399,000 3 Series models around the world and will be seeking to exceed that figure with the new F30 3 Series.

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The live broadcast kicks off at 3PM (BST) from the BMW plant in Munich, which you can join here.

From the spy shots we brought you back in August, the F30 3 Series looks to be a conservative design, loosely based on the current 5 Series.

We’re expecting the usual range of four-cylinder and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, with an emphasis on smaller-capacity turbocharged powerplants boosted by the usual EfficientDynamics technologies including the new ECO PRO fuel saving mode, Auto Start-Stop function and a full gamut of BMW’s latest intelligent energy management systems.

We understand BMW will adopt a similar distinction between specifications including Urban, Sport and SE.

To mark the occasion, BMW have produced a series of short videos for each generation which you can see below.

BMW 3 Series 1975

BMW 3 Series 1982

BMW 3 Series 1990

BMW 3 Series 1998

BMW 3 Series 2005

Made out of steel tubes, the distinctive shape of the world’s most-loved sports car is captured in a truly jaw-dropping manner – the result soars 28 metres into the air in front of the beautiful backdrop of Goodwood House. At 150 tonnes, the installation weighs the same as 122 Series 1 E-types and took 10 days to install by a firm specialising in bridge building.

Echoing the curved fuselage of the car itself, the sculpture has been created using half a kilometer of painted steel tubes 1,200mm in diameter. Originally intended for use in gas pipelines, these are constructed from 12mm thick steel and machined to very high tolerances. Much of the metal was donated by Tata Steel, a subsidiary of Jaguar’s parent company.

Appropriately for the car that earned itself a permanent place in New York’s Museum of Modern Art, the E-type’s sensual shape has been recreated and transformed into a work of art itself by world-renowned sculptor Gerry Judah. The design process began in January and was followed by detailed engineering calculations and planning stages that lasted four months.

Previous Goodwood installations have incorporated actual cars into the design but Judah explains why this year was different: “The E-type is famous for its shape but too small and delicate to hoist into the air. I thought I would like to express the form of the car itself without any embellishments. Everyone recognises the E-type, the shape speaks for itself. You can’t compete with it, you can’t digress from it.”

As well as the soaring sculpture, visitors to the event will be able to see an array of Jaguars past and present. Naturally the E-type will be taking centre-stage but also taking to the Goodwood Hillclimb course will be its famous C and D-Type racing forebears and the XK120 that founded the Jaguar sports car lineage.

The current award-winning XF, XK and XJ will also be present and the stunning C-X75 concept car, that has already wowed crowds worldwide, will provide a glimpse into Jaguar’s future.

Geoff Cousins, Managing Director, Jaguar UK said: “Jaguar has always been proud of its heritage and we feel particularly honoured to have been asked to provide the Goodwood sculpture for a second time. The E-type captures the essential beauty, drama and passion of every Jaguar – engineering and design DNA that is equally apparent in the current range.”

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It’s no M3 CSL, but it shares the same spirit. Back in 2003 when BMW launched the CSL it represented a test bed for new intelligent lightweight technologies, most notable of which was its carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof.

The new M3 CRT is likewise the first model to use a material that originated in an innovative BMW production process for lightweight components. The cuttings left behind from the body construction of the new BMW i models BMW i3 and BMW i8 are woven into CFRP mats of various sizes, impregnated with synthetic resin and hardened.

The results are evident in a bonnet which weighs only a quarter as much as a steel equivalent, but has the same strength and rigidity. The material produced through this innovative manufacturing technology is also used for the car’s bucket seats. Here, the CFRP layers are wrapped around a recycled-paper honeycomb, with a carbon layer made using conventional production technology added to visible areas. CFRP is also used to make both the rear spoiler of the BMW M3 CRT and an air-channelling element integrated into its front apron.

Engine

Whilst the high-performance BMW M3 CRT is based on the BMW M3 sedan, its engine, gearbox and chassis comes from the M3 GTS coupe. With its 444 bhp high-performance M engine, the BMW M3 CRT achieves a power-to-weight ratio of 3.5kg/HP and weighs 70 kg less than a BMW M3 sedan.

The weight advantage is the result of the CFRP components already mentioned plus an extremely lightweight titanium sports muffler and sound-proofing configured especially for the BMW M3 CRT.

Power is transferred to the tarmac by mixed tyres in dimensions of 245/35 R 19 at the front and 265/35 R 19 at the rear, on 19-inch CSL-style alloy wheel rims. BMW claim a top speed of 181 mph for the M3 CRT, which can accelerate from 0 to 62mph in just 4.4 seconds.

Design

Unlike the standard M3 Saloon, the M3 CRT makes do with just four seats – which is still two more than the M3 GTS offered. Complementing the matt-effect Frozen Polar Silver metallic paint finish are applications of Melbourne red metallic in areas such as the front spoiler and bonnet air intakes.

Inside, the M3 GTS features a unique combination of black/red leather and decorative strips in a new kind of aluminium fibre structure. The CFRP seat pans in front are reinterpreted for rear seat passengers with single seats, optimised for side support.

Buying one..

And now for the bad news. Firstly if you live in the UK, you can’t buy an M3 GTS, unless of course you manage to import one from Germany. So if that hurdle doesn’t stop you, then the next probably will. At EUR 130,000 incl. VAT in Germany, the 444 bhp M3 CRT costs a whopping EUR 30,000 more than the newly unveiled 552 bhp M5.

The BMW M3 CRT is to be produced in a limited edition run of 67 cars, so perhaps its best to look upon the CRT as a test-bed and wait until some of its intelligent technology appears on a future M car.

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He smashed the late Tony Pond’s 21 year record at his first attempt, setting a lap time of 19 minutes and 56.7 seconds and averaging 113mph around the course.

That was his first lap, his practice lap if you like. On his second lap, he was joined by Road & Track photographer Chris Cantle and in less than 2-minutes from the off, Higgins had what he describes as “..the biggest moment of my life..”.

Watch and admire Higgins’ skill and sheer calmness behind the wheel as he experiences a moment that for most mortals would have been their final moment.

And here’s the on-board view where you can see just how awful a crash would have been at these speeds..

Hats off to Mark Higgins for such an incredible piece of driving and for remaining such a sportsman when everything (nearly) went horribly wrong.

The previous record was set by the late Tony Pond, who was the first driver to average more than 100 mph around the 37.8-mile course in a road car at the wheel of a Rover 827 Vitesse. 21 years later to the day Higgins smashed the record, posting a blistering lap time of 19 minutes and 56.7 seconds, which translates to an average speed of 113mph and a peak speed during the lap of 162 mph.

Mark says on his blog that it’s been a long time ambition to emulate Tony Pond’s famous lap of the TT from 1990 and he was delighted to smash the record on his first attempt last Monday.

You can listen to an interview with Mark, before and after his record-breaking run by visiting this link.

Before the lap, Mark told Chris Boyde of local radio station EnergyFM that he was uncertain about achieving the ‘ton’. After a flying start from Governor’s Bridge he was therefore expected to reach Glen Helen in 6 minutes to be on the schedule to match Pond’s long-standing record, however he blitzed that and passed the famous checkpoint in 4min 59.75sec at an average speed of 116.3mph.

By the time he’d reached the Bungalow in 16 minutes 10 seconds his average was up to 120.87 mph, however for the rapid descent down the Mountain, Mark admitted he was struggling with brake fade.

The TT event organisers gave Higgins just one lap to conduct his record attempt in the car, and there was no opportunity to carry out high-speed practice runs, so Mark struggled on with the brakes until he crossed the finish line just 19 minutes 56.67seconds after starting.

“In the end the lap was simply fantastic, and the WRX STI behaved impeccably,” explains Higgins. “That we managed to set such an impressive time at our first attempt is a great tribute to the Subaru, especially given that so few modifications have been made. The engine pulled incredibly strongly throughout and the cornering capability proved crucial on such a twisty, unforgiving course.”

“Setting the record was both the most exhilarating and the most frightening thing I have ever done,” explains Higgins, whose career as a driver in the British and World Rally Championships hasn’t exactly been short of excitement. “The rules allow for a flying start, so I crossed the line at 125mph. I then went down through the Bray Hill junction – normally taken at around 20mph – at over 150mph. Once that tricky section was out of the way I settled into the lap and quickly got used to the balance and sheer pace of the car.”

The outright lap record on the TT course was set in 2009 by John McGuinness on a Honda CBR1000RR ‘Fireblade’ motorcycle. McGuinness posted a time of 17 minutes and 12.3 seconds, equivalent to an average speed of 131mph, so less than 3 minutes faster than Higgins in his Subaru.

Back in 1990 a certain Carl Fogarty won the opening race of the Isle of Man TT Series riding a Honda Britain RC30. Fogarty averaged 118.35mph for the six-lap race, whilst later in the event the late Steve Hislop broke his own lap record with an incredible 122.63mph.

The Car..

The WRX STI used for the record-breaking run was a standard Subaru production car, equipped with a 296 bhp Horizontally-Opposed Boxer engine, unmodified brake callipers and with road-legal Pirelli P Zero Trofeo tyres. Springs and dampers were adjusted to minimise any potential damage when the car encountering the various bumps and jumps at high-speed along the course.

In recognition of the speeds involved, and the fact that there are little or no crash barriers around most of the TT road circuit, the WRX STI was fitted with some essential safety enhancements. These included an MSA-specification T45 integrated roll cage, TRS race harnesses and a Lifeline extinguisher system. To help forewarn spectators of the presence of the oncoming car (as well as entertain them, no doubt!), the Subaru team also fitted the WRX STI with a high-decibel exhaust.

The WRX STI is currently available from Subaru dealers with free satellite navigation and a free power upgrade, taking the output to 315 bhp – which I’m sure Higgins would have welcomed, although not before upgrading those brakes…

You are probably aware that Jaguar are celebrating the E-Type’s 50th Anniversary this year, and given how the E-Type took the motoring world by a storm in 1961, the celebratory road show has been travelling to each major automotive show around the world.

Fifty years ago, the New York Auto Show played host to the launch of the Jaguar E-Type in North America – or XKE as it was known over the pond.

If any country took the E-Type to its heart, it was the United States. More than two-thirds of all models built were sent across the Atlantic, establishing a special relationship that persists to this day.

On first sight of the E-Type at its launch, Frank Sinatra is reputed to have said: “I want that car and I want it now”, and old Blue Eyes was just one in a long list of Hollywood greats to covet the two-seater sports car. Steve McQueen, Tony Curtis, Britt Ekland and Brigitte Bardot were all celebrity owners.

The beauty, performance and passion that all Jaguars embody still resonates strongly in America to this day. The 21st century XJ limousine turns as many heads in New York with its captivating presence as the E-Type did when Sinatra first saw it 50 years ago.

Jaguar’s Design Director Ian Callum explains why..

“The E-Type was ahead of its time, just as the XJ is now. Williams Lyons’ philosophy was all about taking that next step. He was very adventurous and knew that it is Jaguar’s job to break the rules. He never looked back, always forward.”

The legendary E-Type sports car is a machine so beautiful that an opalescent dark blue 1963 Open Two-Seater holds a permanent place in New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Ian Callum explains, “Part of the purpose of a Jaguar is to look beautiful. We always tryto make our cars visually that little bit wider, lower and longer. That’s what our proportions are about. When you see them together, the XJ and E-Type speak the same language.”

According to Callum, the E-Type demonstrates the overriding principle of sports car design: minimum bodywork encapsulating maximum performance. He explains: “The excitement and beauty of the car were almost created as a by-product. You’ve got beauty derived from its scientific purity of surface and excitement from its proportions.”

“We still work very hard to get the proportions of our cars as tight to the mechanicals as possible. Unlike the E-Type, of course, the XJ has to carry five people in total comfort but the principles of wrapping the body around the package to create exciting proportions are exactly the same now as they were 50 years ago.”

A question Callum is often asked is whether he would design another E-Type. His answer is always the same: “I would refuse, it had its time and place. What I will do is create something as dramatic now as that car was then and I think the XJ achieves that.

“Jaguars should be bought for reasons other than simply pure pragmatism, they should be bought for their style, excitement and beauty. The XJ is the most dramatic, captivating car in its class. Job done.”

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More details will be available later on today, including whether it will be fitted with the standard M3′s 4.0-litre V8 or a detuned version of the 4.4-litre V8 as fitted in the GTS. Power is rumoured to be mid-way between the M3′s 414bhp and the GTS’ 444bhp and the production model is expected to be launched at the forthcoming M Festival 2011 on 23rd – 26th June at the Nürburgring – the same weekend as the actual 24h Nürburgring race.

The M Festival is being used to celebrate BMW’s outstanding performance at the Nürburgring 24 hours last year, where the BMW team secured overall victory, 10 class wins and represented 63 out of the 198 cars entered.

Admission to the M Festival event will set you back € 269 and you can find out more details at BMW’s m-power website.

As the images show, the car will be fitted with CSL/GTS alloys, black kidney grilles and a boot spoiler. Outgoing M division boss Dr Kay Segler has hinted that it features a special lightweight construction and several other surprises. We’ll share more details once we hear them.

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