The X3 sports only a single engine, the gasoline powered 3.0 liter, 260 horsepower I6, which is a bit uncommon as most companies today go with the V6. You have a choice of a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic transmission, either with overdrive. Manual is standard.

The X3 gets 17 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway with the automatic transmission. Subtract a mile per gallon from each for the manual transmission. That’s a little behind the class average for small SUVs, but decidedly better than most luxury SUVs.

Not a real work truck, the X3 still manages a respectable maximum towing weight of 3500 pounds and a maximum payload of over 1000. It has 30 cubic feet of storage space, which is slightly larger than class average for small SUVs.

The X3 has only one trim, called the xDrive30i, but you can rest assured it has all the “trimmings” you want either standard or available as options. It also has an excellent power to weight ratio, about three pounds per horsepower lighter than class average. However, front headroom and front legroom are both a little crowded even for a small SUV.

There are no NHTSA crash test ratings on the X3 for either of the past two years. The X3 does have a number of the best safety features, including child safety locks, anti-theft system, antilock brakes with electronic braking assist, traction control and vehicle stability control, limited slip differential, electronic parking aid and airbags everywhere.

Whether the X3 is a good buy or not depends to some degree on how you look at it. If you consider it a small SUV then the $39,700 base price is about $15,000 above class average. If you consider it a luxury SUV, it’s about $15,000 below class average.

B6, a BMW 3 Series whose standard 4-cylinder was swapped out for a 6-cylinder engine. First to employ computer-managed systems in the automobile, the B6′s stable mate, the B7, employed a BMW 5 Series as its performance canvas. The BMW Alpina was soon to emerge to capture the imagination, many trophies, and a devoted following.

The demands of automobile manufacturing forced Alpina to withdraw from its racing pursuits and focus on new BMW Alpina cars by 1988. Building upon the existing BMW foundation of quality, Alpina introduced the B10 in 1989 and the D10 diesel in 1999. By this time, Alpina was involved in many performance aspects in its new cars, including innovative catalytic converters, drive systems, and transmissions.

Existing exclusively in the German market up till now, the US was about to be introduced to Alpina in 2003. Eyeing the BMW Z8, engineers went to work metamorphosizing it into an exclusive breed of luxury road car that could only be described as phenomenal. With 20-inch wheels, a special BMW automatic transmission, and a big BMW V8 engine, the Alpina Roadster V8 was the must have limited edition road car in 2003.

“Smart” dual-stage and dual-threshold deployment. Impact sensors isolate hazardous ignition and fuel components from the battery in the event of an accident and turn on the lights while unlocking the doors.

The 18-way power sport seats are upholstered in Merino leather. The standard audio system is a thirteen-speaker, AM/FM/CD Logic7 Surround Sound unit with MP3 capability. BMW Assist provides you with a 24-hour direct connection to the BMW Assist Response Center while Bluetooth Hands Free Calling allows the user to make and receive calls as well as acquire numbers using controls on the tiller, radio buttons, or voice commands.

. Powered by a five-liter, 10-cylinder, 40-valve, V10 with 500 hp, the M5 has an optimal power-to-weight ratio for a full-size sedan. It makes zero to 60 in 4.5 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph. Estimated fuel efficiency with both the seven-speed SMG and the six-speed manual transmission is 12 city, 18 highway.

Handling and braking features include dynamic stability control; all season traction control; vehicle-speed-sensitive variable-assist power steering; and four-wheel, vacuum-assisted, ventilated, cross-drilled anti-lock disc brakes. The driver and passenger side front airbags have “smart” dual-stage and dual-threshold deployment. Impact sensors isolate hazardous ignition and fuel components from the battery in the event of an accident and turn on the lights while unlocking the doors.

Optional on the new M5 is the fully manual transmission, a heads up driver information display, and a fold-down rear seat with trunk pass-through. Only you can say which accessories best fill your individual needs in your M5. BMW has taken your requests and made some of the more popular accessories available like a sun visor CD holder, manual or digital tire pressure gauge, or a security alarm system.

Just as important as the performance features in the new 2008 BMW M5 are its safety features, which are as innovative as they are effective. BMW offers a system designed to maintain the stability of the vehicle regardless of the road or driver dynamics. With sensors and controllers to prevent skidding, wheel locking during braking, and loss of traction when accelerating, BMW has effectively enhanced your control of the M5 when negotiating many different hazardous situations. The shock absorbers on the BMW M5 are enabled to adjust to different driving conditions and speeds, giving the M5 the stability of firm suspension in high speed situations and a softer setting for casual driving conditions. Airbags have saved thousands of lives on the highway, and BMW employs some of the most effective airbag configurations available, netting the M5 a high rating in frontal crash testing.

The M5 deserves such superlatives due to what is under its sculpted hood: a totally new 5-liter 10-cylinder engine that lives up to its displacement specs by pumping out 500 horsepower and accelerating from zero to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. To feel the full extent of the V10′s wrath, the optional fully manual transmission can put the M5′s 383 ft-lb of torque at your beck and call. The single trim level has enough standard equipment and options to satisfy the ardent road raptor as well as the incurable technophile.

The majority of the 2008 changes go to the interior of the M5 with the driver-centered cockpit more stylish and ergonomic than ever. Cowhide wraps the tiller and covers the super comfortable seats while wood accents the dash and doors to impart an aura of understated elegance. To amplify the excitement of driving the BMW M5, slip in your favorite CD and marvel at the 360 degree rotunda of sound that envelopes you, created by the Logic7 acoustics platform. Testament to BMW’s penchant for technology, the 2008 M5 boasts an intrinsic wireless system which has GPS, emergency assistance, and theft protection.

Though the crash ratings leave something to be desired, the M5 does have the LATCH system, automatic locking retractor, brake drying, impact sensor, antilock brakes and pretty much all the other top safety features, including two-stage smart airbags for the front seat.

The M5 is rear-wheel drive and comes in sedan only. There are no trims lines, as such. Although, as you would expect, the single trim available covers just about everything you could want on a car, right down to the illuminated shift lever.

All this fanciness is not cheap, and you wouldn’t expect it to be. In truth, to get this car on the cheap would take some of the fun out of owning it. But don’t worry about that, the base sticker price for the 2009 BMW M5 is $85,100. That’s more than many pay for a starter home. Still, you do get what you pay for.

The M5 is propelled by a 5.0 liter, 500 horsepower gasoline powered V10 engine based on the BMW Formula 1 racing engine. There are two transmissions available. First is the seven-speed sequential manual transmission designed to shift far faster than most manual transmissions and, again, based on Formula 1 technology. Most drivers seem to think it’s not quite adequate for highway driving, though. The second choice is a conventional six-speed manual with overdrive, which seems to be more popular.

Just as you expect looks and power on a luxury sports car, you shouldn’t expect much in the way of fuel efficiency. And not much is just what the M5 delivers, at 17 miles per gallon on the highway and only 11 miles per gallon in the city. Power just isn’t yet compatible with economy.

The M5 comes with lots of neat features, but none neater than the ability to choose from three levels of damping. With the flip of a switch, you go from comfort to normal to sport. Electronic steering assistance is based on your damper choice. Along with the damping, there are also three levels of engine/throttle response, several programmable settings for the sequential transmission and the ability to adjust the stability control settings.

The most recent generation also brought about the addition of a massive 5.0L V10 engine that produces 507 horsepower. Overall, the latest M5 has been well-received while some criticize the poor fuel economy.

The BMW M5 has had the honor of being featured in many movies and music videos. Recently, Madonna drove the M5 in her “Star” video. This music video ended up being one of the top downloads for the month, giving the M5 more press than BMW ever imagined. BMW has had big-name celebrities for their commercials both online and on television like Madonna, Guy Ritchie and Clive Owen. Also, the M5 has been used in several of the latest James Bond films, and the vehicle was featured on the popular television show “Lost” in a flashback scene. Several foreign films have highlighted the BMW M5 as well, like Regarde Les Hommes Tomber and Mischief Destroy. A recent commercial featuring the BMW M5 was filmed with a jet-powered car as the costar. The M5 appears to match the jet-powered car’s power and performance in the visually-impressive commercial spot.

5-speed manual transmission gave drivers complete control. The first generation of the M5 featured the classic BMW boxy style and quad circular headlamps. It wasn’t until the second generation in 1989 that the M5 got a facelift. This edition lost the sharp lines and opted instead for a curvier design. A station wagon version of the M5 was added. Also, a 6-speed manual transmission was introduced as well as 3.8L I6 engine that produced 340 horsepower.

The third version of the M5 was revealed in 1999 and was called the BMW E39 M5. The exterior of this edition was more streamlined; while a more powerful 395 horsepower 4.94L V8 engine was introduced. The headlights where changed to what BMW refers to as “angel eyes,” lights that slightly wrap around the front of the vehicle. Rear head protection airbags were included, as well as an extended leather interior.

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