BMW tii models are go

By Georg Kacher Motor Industry 02 April 2008 17:06 BMW chief Norbert Reithofer has confirmed to CAR Online that a range of tii performance options will be launched soon on the company's smaller models. He has finally ruled out a rumoured M1 version of the 1-series and said the tii spec would be the most performance-oriented model, claiming the the twin-turbo 135i was quite fast enough (it does 0-62mph in 5.3sec, after all).The tii concept shown at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show points accurately to the approach BMW is developing: performance kits for the 1-series coupe and hatchback, an aero package, carbonfibre details, fatter wheels and tyres, sports seats and instruments. There's even talk of a new M-style steering wheel with integrated LED rev counter.A tii for the massesBMW is the past master at offering huge choice in spec and trim; subtle nuance of alloy wheel size here, and Sport spec there is the stuff of workplace car park folklore.

New Ferrari F12 variant leaked in patent drawings

The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta took its first public bow at the Geneva auto show in February of 2012. Just 20 months later, Car News China has found some leaked drawings of the new version from the Chinese patent office. (China has a patent office?-ED) They speculate it could be the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta GTO.

Video of Nissan GT-R’s record lap at the Nurburgring

By Tim Pollard Motor Industry 02 June 2008 10:15 Remember we brought you news of the new Nissan GT-R setting a new Nurburgring record of 7min 29sec? Well now you can see the hot lap on video, courtesy of our Youtube film below. It’s not the best quality (it seems to have been filmed from a TV monitor at a Nissan event), but you can see test driver Tochio Suzuki at work in this eight-minute clip as he masters the Nordschleife’s notorious corners.