2012 BMW M3 Competition Edition Frozen Silver Announced, Just 40 to be Built

The all-new, F30-generation BMW 3-series sedan debuted this past month, but the current coupe and cabriolet will continue for a little while longer—which means that the two-door and folding-roof M3s based on them will, too. (The M3 sedan was discontinued along with the previous E90 four-door.) But the M3 coupe and cabrio will soon give way to replacements, too, and the last year has seen BMW unveil a number of special-edition models, melding performance-enhancing components with cosmetic modifications that are easy to love. Or at least lust.

This 2012 M3 Competition Edition Frozen Silver follows the formula to a T. Before you complain about BMW cranking out yet another M3 variant, you might want to first submit your gearhead membership card to the home office for destruction. Chevy has already milked the Camaro for nearly a dozen special editions; we’ve got no complaints when an actual kick-ass car spawns a few spin-offs.

You may notice that this car’s name varies only slightly from those of recent special-edition M3s—including the Frozen Gray special edition—and BMW’s work here is largely the same as before. In this case, the paint is matte-finish Frozen Silver, while the exterior gets a few yards of black chrome and special black M3 GTS 19-inch wheels. The interior also is sent through BMW’s ringer, and emerges slathered in Alcantara-brand faux suede and carbon fiber, and with nearly every surface festooned with M3 and checkered-flag ornamentation.

To account for the competitive claim in the car’s name, the Competition Edition Frozen Silver sports the otherwise-optional Competition package: It lowers the suspension by 0.4 inch, adds standard Electronic Damping Control, and promises even looser stability control when the system is in Dynamic mode. This package also was standard on last year’s Frozen Gray edition car, as well as the Frozen Black M3 announced a few months ago. Like on those cars, the only transmission available is a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Boo.

The “too long, didn’t read” version of the above: This M3 Competition Edition Frozen Silver really only adds a new color to the palette of special-edition M3s. It’s otherwise the same. Well, there is one more difference: More examples will be sold, and all 40 of them will retail for $81,060.

Tags: BMW, BMW M, BMW M3, BMW M3 Competition Edition Frozen Silver, coupe, German |

Read more »

Chevrolet News for ’99: Trucks. Corvette. Bi-Fuel Cavalier! [Chevrolet Centennial, 1990s Edition]

Chevrolet is marking its 100th anniversary this week. To celebrate, we’re republishing two posts per day from our blog archives, each one plucked from a different decade of the marque’s long existence.

Well! It’s been an interesting century, hasn’t it? In a few months, the calendar will tick over to 1999. Everyone and their mother is playing that stupid Prince song, O.J. is still on the search for Nicole’s real killer—that will work out, we have faith—and you might have found our Internet Web Site by searching on something called Goggle Google. And people are saying Apple Computer is going to be relevant again. Riiiight.

So the century ends. Whither the bow tie? Back in the day, Chevrolet tweaked its entire lineup every year. Here, we get half effort. The Corvette line gains a new, lighter and cheaper hardtop coupe; Camaro Z28s and SSs now have a standard Torsen limited-slip. The big focus is on Chevy trucks and SUVs, which are selling so well, you’d think fuel is close to a buck a gallon. (Oh, wait. It is.) An all-new Silverado arrives this fall, along with a new Tracker and TrailBlazer model. The only major change to Chevy’s car lineup is the arrival of the bi-fuel Cavalier sedan, a version of the four-door Cav that can run on either gasoline or compressed natural gas. Thankfully, you can still buy the (aging) F-body Camaro. It’s a good, or at least entertaining, car that makes up for . . . well, that makes up for the Cavalier.

All things considered, the company’s position is interesting. In just over a decade, Chevrolet will be 100 years old. There’s momentum here, but not a lot of interesting product. Word out of Milford is that the next Corvette will be—my kids taught me this—the bomb. Time will tell.

–Samuel Smith, ss7482774901j@hotmail.aol.prodigy.compuserve.net.

Motorola StarTAC Direct-Line: 734-555-3600

Read more »

Eurosport is Newspeak for a Rad Chevy Celebrity [Chevrolet Centennial, 1980s Edition]

Chevrolet is marking its 100th anniversary this week. To celebrate, we’re republishing two posts per day from our blog archives, each one plucked from a different decade of the marque’s long existence.

Tell the kids to switch off the Music Television for a minute, because we’ve got news from Chevrolet that they’re gonna want to hear. It’s called Eurosport, a righteous little package for the Celebrity lineup. Once you get a load of the Eurosport, the regular Celebrity will seem like Kiss without the makeup.

These cars don’t just look European, though; those half-Continental badges mean there’s a real-worldly suspension underneath, one that’ll encourage you to take the long way to the video arcade. Pick the big engine, the two-barrel, 2.8-liter V-6—and you will if you’re doing your part to cut this oil glut—and the front wheels will have a stout 130 hp to fight over. Allow us to recommend the Eurosport wagon, with its available third row—the kids will thank you. No dorky minivan for this dad.

Now, some will see the Eurosport as simply a cheaper Pontiac 6000STE. We can tell you that’s nonsense. No one ever accused a Pontiac of being European.

Other Chevy news for 1984: The Caprice Classic coupe is “back by popular demand.” A handsome face lift for the Cavalier. And the bodacious, new fourth-generation Corvette. It’s been on sale since last year, when we learned that—despite persistent rumors—the engine wasn’t migrating to the middle. Which is fine, really, since that would be like Coca-Cola changing its recipe—it might be better, but it wouldn’t be the same. —Dave-O “Bun-Bun” Gluckman, Midsize-Sedan Affairs Desk

Tags: Chevrolet Centennial, Chevrolet Corvette |

Read more »

Are We Headed For Dudsville? Ask Chevrolet! [Chevrolet Centennial, 1970s Edition]

Chevrolet is marking its 100th anniversary this week. To celebrate, we’re republishing two posts per day from our blog archives, each one plucked from a different decade of the marque’s long existence.

Man, this switch from gross to net horsepower has really thrown a wet blanket on everybody’s scene. The power’s the same, but not the same? My 365-hp Chevelle only makes 285 now? Jive, man! Jive! And the loss of our high-compression engines? We’re beginning to understand why the Panthers went to Sacramento with guns!

With the harsh realities dealt by the hand of law firmly in place, the House of Louis thinks that going more “European” is the wave of the future — dig that Vega they launched earlier this year. Aluminum block and head, sharp styling. If they can keep that little mill together — we’ve heard some worrying reports about head-gasket failures — the little Chevy really is a sweet little machine in keeping with the times, given the insurance-price Altamont we’ve suffered through these last few years.

We hear the company’s working on a new Monte Carlo that’ll debut in about a year. They’ve apparently figured out a way to work in those hodad-crazy new 5-mph-impact bumpers into the design, and from what we’ve been able to glean from designers over Neapolitan veal and a few bottles of Paul Masson’s finest, the cats are planning to work in an opera window. From square to swinger in a single purchase!

The mainline Chevelles hitting dealerships next fall will also get more of a European look. We hear — straight from Johnny Z. no less — that the new machines will be bigger, lighter and the best handlers of any midsize Chevy to date. Keep your eyes peeled for a rakish coupe version that’s sure to be a hit at Talladega.

During the aforementioned dinner with Bill Mitchell’s boys, the guys mentioned that the new trucks will not be affecting a Continental habit, but will appear even blockier than the current models. They do promise, however, some serious flair in the color choice department. We predict that with the more stringent emissions regulations coming into effect for automobiles over the next five years, the truck and van segment is primed to explode. Expect a heap of wild custom creations as the rodders ply their way-out trades in new areas. Opera window on a Chevy Van — will it stand as the height of working-class opulence in this new decade? Or is there something more? Surely, creative thinkers can outdo Yates’s “Moon Trash II” transcontinental Dodge Custom Sportsman van.

By the way, if you’re into that noise, the fourth Led Zeppelin long-player drops next week. One of our friends at Creem spun us a promo copy. We’re betting we’ll find it jammed in El Camino and Camaro 8-track players for years to come.

Read more »

Camaro to Go Bye-Bye, But EV1 Just Might Stick Around; Could It Lead to Alt-Power Chevys? [Chevrolet Centennial, 2000s Edition]

Chevrolet is marking its 100th anniversary this week. To celebrate, we’re republishing two posts per day from our blog archives, each one plucked from a different decade of the marque’s long existence.

Time and time again, we’ve pitted the Camaro against the Mustang, and the Mustang has walked away lacking. Yet 2002 will be the end of GM’s F-body twins. No more Camaro. No more Firebird. No more Trans-Am. No more wacky specials like Grand National–powered T-top TAs or 427-inch aluminum-block Camaros. Done. Finito. Poof. Fin. Fare-thee-well, Eskimo Charlie. You get it. The platform itself dates back to 1982. The interior design is questionable. The ergonomics can kindly be described as iffy. But the LS1 is such a fantastically great lump that you don’t care that its roots are in the 1955 Chevrolet; indeed, much of the time, you don’t care about the essential badness of your surroundings. It’s a neat trick that never gets old. Except that now, apparently, it has.

So what have we got to look forward to? GM’s EV1 program hasn’t been a roaring success, but it seems as though they’ll stick with it. We don’t foresee an edict taking the small group of cars they’ve leased away from their owners—although we would rather like to watch those vegetable-chewing ninnies squirm and yelp if the big, bad General comes for their toys.

We’ve also heard that the next Corvette, which we should see in three years or so, will feature a smaller 5.4-liter version of Chevrolet’s Gen III small block. It may also be mid-engined. Whatever the case, with things heating up in the Middle East, we’ll see GM get serious about alternative energy sources and smaller powerplants within the next three years. Which also means, as GM’s volume brand, Chevy’s about to buckle down on real automotive efforts, rather than coasting on its truck and SUV profits. We can only hope that in 2005, we’ll see 300-hp V-6–powered Camaro and Firebird siblings and perhaps a Trans Am with the rumored 5.4 from the Vette. After all, if America’s without the Screaming Chicken for long, the terrorists have clearly won.

Tags: Chevrolet, Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Centennial |

Read more »