At the BMW stand during the Geneva Motor Show you will be able to see this kitted car, dressed in BMW Performance wear. Admittedly the kit does not touch engines, therefore that side of performance remains standard. But that does not mean there is no improvement in go.
Able to be retrofitted by your local dealership, the BMW Performance kit improves upon virtually every aspect of the cars' looks, thereby bypassing the need to hit the tuners’. The products are under full BMW warranty and take into full account safety aspects such as airbags. All 3 and 1 Series models can be fitted. 1 Series almost turns Tii Concept in this kit.
How cool is that steering wheel, for example? It’s made of alcantara and leather, and features a K.I.T.T.-like LED display at the top on the normal 10 to 10 position, which displays all sorts of info like lateral acceleration, ideal shift-points and oil temperature.
Another feature that should be a favourite is the gear lever, covered in chrome and alcantara and said to improve shift travel by about 25 percent. If it works anything close to what it looks like – maybe even feel like Honda’s brilliant 6-speed manual cogs – BMW would have a winner in their hands, so to speak.
Plenty of carbon fiber on the exterior beckons, most notably on the boot spoiler and wing mirrors। Air diffuser looks the part as well, not just adding a source for eye candy but of course useful as a performance mantle piece.
Press Release
European debut in Geneva: BMW Performance
The BMW driver with a particular passion for dynamic motoring and individual, sporting style now has new options to live out his or her personal preferences and enhance the performance of the car to an even higher level. Expanding the wide range of Original BMW Accessories, the new range of BMW Performance products comprises a number of components for an even greater and more exhilarating driving experience.
Introducing BMW Performance as of late March/early April, specifically the BMW 3 Series and the BMW 1 Series will be available with retrofittable options for the suspension, drivetrain, aerodynamics, and cockpit of the car developed especially for the respective model, reflecting the particular style of the brand in its technical and design features, and fulfilling all of BMW’s excellent standards in terms of quality and safety. All BMW Performance products are naturally covered by BMW’s full warranty. The products are sold and fitted by BMW Dealers and Service Partners as well as BMW Retail Outlets.
Superior driving dynamics is a regular asset of every BMW – and the various components in the BMW Performance line bring out this superiority even more consistently and with even greater style. Indeed, the products in this new line of accessories emphasise the BMW brand values dynamism, sportiness and innovation precisely according to the customer’s choice and with the features he or she wishes to enjoy. A high standard of technical excellence and authentic BMW design, in turn, clearly bear out the tradition of the brand, which has always been committed to sporting and dynamic performance.
With all BMW Performance components being available individually, each BMW driver has the option to make a clear and convincing statement through selected features in areas he or she regards as particularly significant. And through their consistent focus on a sporting experience at the wheel, all BMW Performance products come together to provide a harmoniously balanced overall package.
Aerodynamics and weight: perfect optimisation all round
The BMW Performance Aerodynamics Kit optimises the dynamic driving qualities of the car and at the same time guarantees a powerful look in everyday traffic. Available for all models in the BMW 1 Series, the BMW Performance Aerodynamics Kit comprises a striking front air dam with a highly expressive, fully integrated surround on the BMW kidney grille in black high-gloss look as well as dynamically contoured side-sills.
Model-specific accessories made of carbon-fibre are also available in the interest of enhanced aerodynamics. These are carbon exterior mirror caps on all models in the BMW 1 Series, the BMW Performance carbon rear spoiler again for all models in the BMW 1 Series and the BMW 3 Series Saloon, as well as the BMW Performance carbon diffuser for all BMW 1 Series and all BMW 3 Series.
Suspension technology for sporting and superior handling
The search for additional dynamism was also the focal point in developing the BMW Performance components for the car’s chassis and suspension. So here in this particular area BMW Performance sports brakes, the BMW Performance suspension, the BMW Performance spring-strut reinforcement bar made of carbon-fibre, as well as attractive double-spoke light-alloy wheels offer a wide range of choice and individual style.
The BMW Performance sports brakes comprise extra-large, vented brake discs perforated on the front wheels and further refined by slot openings. The six-piston fixed-calliper brakes on the front axle are finished in brilliant BMW Performance Yellow and proudly bear the words “BMW Performance”. The same designation is to be found on the spring strut reinforcement bar fitted within the engine compartment for greater body stiffness.
Another new development is the BMW Performance chassis and suspension. Through its particularly sporting set-up, this special suspension ensures even better handling and optimum performance with a very sporting style of motoring, at the same time maintaining a high standard of comfort in everyday traffic.
The BMW Performance suspension also lowers the car in the interest of excellent grip even in the most sporting and dynamic driving manoeuvres. Through their finish in sporting BMW Performance Yellow, the coil springs likewise provide a particularly visual touch.
The BMW Performance double-spoke light-alloy wheels, through their exclusive design, accentuate the sporting character of the car and enhance agility to an even higher standard through their particularly low weight. Depending on the model, these wheels come in either 18 or 19 inches.
Drivetrain: optimised air flow and striking tailpipes
The new BMW Performance air intake system gives the straight-six petrol engines extra air supply for extra power in the BMW 1 Series and the BMW 3 Series. Proceeding from the standard configuration, the filter cartridge and the internal air flow have been modified, improving the flow of air and minimising the risk of a drop in pressure.
A further advantage of the system is the particularly sporting sound experience within the car. And last but certainly not least, the BMW Performance air intake system optimises not only power and performance, but also the efficiency of the engine.
The BMW Performance exhaust silencer serves to highlight the superior power and performance of the engines through the right sound. Without impairing the car’s long-distance touring comfort, the system gives the engine a particularly discreet but audibly sporting sound, the dual tailpipes made of chrome-plated stainless steel emphasising the high-tech status of the car also in its looks. And a particularly important feature of this corrosion-resistant material is its very long service life.
Like a sports car inside
To enjoy the dynamic performance of his BMW in particularly intense style, the real enthusiast is able to give the interior of his car a genuine sports car look through BMW Performance products. Particularly the driver’s workplace in a BMW 1 Series or BMW 3 Series therefore becomes the ideal area of action for the ambitious driver benefiting, for example, from BMW Performance sports seats in motorsport design. With genuine bucket contours, these seats are ergonomically tailored to the body, offering not only significant seating comfort but also sophisticated and slender design through their stylish finish in black alcantara.
Beneath the integrated headrests are two openings on each side covered by plastic tops finished in Ferric Grey. The side airbags are also integrated in the seats.
BMW Performance sports seats are available for the driver and front passenger on the five-door, the three-door and the BMW 1 Series Coupé, as well as the BMW 3 Series Saloon, the BMW 3 Series Touring, and the BMW 3 Series Coupé.
Apart from being very attractive to behold, the BMW Performance gearshift lever also helps to make the process of shifting gears even smoother and more dynamic. Finished in optimised ergonomic design, the gearshift knob made of chrome and black alcantara ensures precise operation and shortens shift travel by approximately 25 per cent versus the regular version.
Supplementing these highlights, the new range of BMW Performance features also includes an innovative multifunction sports steering wheel. Finished in alcantara and leather, this very special steering wheel is particularly pleasant and safe to hold. An LED display in the upper section of the steering wheel rim presents various data such as the oil and coolant temperature, lateral and straight-ahead acceleration, the ideal point to shift gears, and the time of day. To retrieve all kinds of information, all the driver has to do is press the multifunction buttons on the steering wheel.
Decorative trim in carbon design on the centre console, the dashboard and the panels on the front and rear doors as well as the side areas at the rear further accentuate the sophisticated and sporting style of the interior. The pedals and footrest made of aluminium and also featured in the BMW Performance range convey the functions and qualities of a racing car to everyday motoring through their particular style and design.
At the Geneva Motor Show a BMW 123d Coupé demonstrates the unique appeal of this new product line. Finished in Alpine White non-metallic, the show car features the BMW Performance Aerodynamics Kit as well as the carbon elements available on the BMW 1 Series Coupé and a BMW kidney grille in high-gloss black. The car also boasts 18-inch BMW Performance light-alloy wheels and comes with the BMW Performance suspension, BMW Performance sports brakes, and the BMW Performance spring strut support bar made of carbon.
Looking into the interior of this beautiful two-door coupé, the enthusiast will immediately see the BMW Performance sports seats, the BMW Performance gearshift knob with its shift gaiter made of alcantara, interior trim in carbon design as well as the pedals and footrest in aluminium.
Boasting these features, the BMW 123d Coupé presented in Geneva confirms more than ever before the dynamic potential of the model series at very first sight.
Source: BMW/Winding Road
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