Page 47 - Club Braman Magazine Spring/Summer Edition

A NEW GENERATION OF
ULTIMATE DRIVING MACHINES
AT BMW WEST PALM BEACH AND BRAMAN BMW JUPITER
Enthusiasts applaud the arrival of the long-awaited 8-Series coupe, a convertible version of BMW’s i8 Hybrid sports car of the future and an all-new 3-Series.
By Peter Frey -The Test Drive Guy
For BMW fans, the arrival of a new model is always exciting and the atmosphere at BMW West Palm Beach and Braman BMW Jupiter is practically electric (literally, in one case) with hot new cars, including an 8 Series Coupe, a convertible version of the futuristic i8 plug-in hybrid sports car and a next-generation 3 Series.
Last built between 1989 and 1999, the
8 Series has achieved legendary status among enthusiasts. Now, the company is introducing an all-new 8 Series that will replace the iconic 6 Series and become the new agship model of the BMW lineup.
A concept version called the ‘M8 Gran Coupe’ was shown to great acclaim at the 2017 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, and the production version is designed to compete with such cars as the Aston Martin DB11, Bentley Continental GT, Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe and Mase- rati Gran Turismo. As a result, the 8 Series will be available with several engine options, including an M-division tuned twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 and a twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V-12.
"The 8 Series will raise the benchmark,” says BMW chairman Harald Kruger. "It will demonstrate that sharp dynamics and modern luxury go hand in hand.”
Since its showroom
debut at BMW West Palm
Beach and Braman BMW
Jupiter two years ago,
the futuristic i8 plug-in
hybrid sports car has
become a star among
the Palm Beach supercar set. Now BMW has upped the ante with two body styles, the sleek Coupe and new Roadster, which features an all-electric cloth folding top that opens or closes in just 15 seconds, special suspension tuning and 20-inch alloy wheels.
Both Roadster and Coupe feature enhanced BMW eDrive that extends all-electric driving range up to 33 miles at up to 75 miles per hour. Mash the accelerator, however, and the Ultimate Driving Machine side of the i8’s person- ality comes alive with the combined 369 horsepower electric/gasoline hybrid power-train delivering 369 horsepower to all four wheels and producing 0 to 60 acceleration and a top speed of 155 mph – all while getting an average of 36 mpg!
The 3 Series is one of BMW’s best-selling
models and an all-new version will be making its appearance at BMW West Palm Beach and Braman BMW Jupiter later this year. With both exterior and interior styling inspired by the 5 Series, the new 3 Series will feature lightweight construction to improve both perfor- mance and e ciency.
Inside, you’ll see a wide-screen infotain- ment system and a BMW iDrive system that borrows some technology, like gesture-recognition and intelligent cruise control, from the 7 Series. Engine choices will be familiar, ranging from sporty, fuel-e cient 4-cylinder to high-perfor- mance M-tuned twin-turbo 6-cylinder producing more than 460 horsepower.
Check out the new BMW 8 Series, i8 Roadster and 3-Series – or any of the extensive range of BMW luxury perfor- mance sedans and sports cars at BMW West Palm Beach, 2901 Okeechobee Blvd. West Palm Beach (www.bramanbmwwpb.com / 561-609-0118) or Braman BMW Jupiter, 1555 W. Indiantown Rd. Jupiter (www.bramanbmwjupiter.com / 561-203-8796).
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