Revisting a Conversation with BMW Executive Jack Pitney

We were saddened to learn the news that BMW marketing executive Jack Pitney died last Thursday in a tractor accident. We spoke with him at the 2009 New York Auto Show. He was a dynamic person with personal candor. Jack Pitney has a clear idea of the perfect car. “It would be a convertible, a manual transmission. The world needs a bit more joy right now,” he said.... Read More

Feeling spry? Time for a car buy, says Edmunds

While Gotryke opts for the more ephemeral car news, Edmunds.com is geared toward the brass-tacks of American car buying. Edmunds auto experts are predicting a price drop in 90 percent of new cars in the next 30 days. “The next 30 days will be the best time of this year to get a great deal on a car, as there is still sufficient selection of old model year bargains and prices are... Read More

Tamara Warren drives the 2011 BMW 5 Series, Yeow!

Stunna. That’s the thought that crosses my mind each time a dude stops dead in his tracks, puts down his cell and drops his mouth to the pavement to look at me in the bold BMW sedan. The BMW boys are easy to spot.  It is generally the men-folk that keep their eye on every nuance that changes with each numerical introduction in the German automaker’s racy lineup.... Read More

Apolo Anton Ohno Adds Olympic Gloss to BMW

Apolo Anton Ohno, short track speedskater, the most decorated American winter Olympic athlete and Dancing With the Stars alum was on hand in New York on Monday for BMW’s announcement that it is the Official Mobility Partner of the United States Olympic Committee. BMW also announced that it is the official mobility partner of the governing bodies for USA Bobsled & Skeleton,... Read More

24 Hour Fantasies from Nurburging

I’m reading reports of the dramatic ending of Nurburging 24 and I’m getting recurrent fantasies about making it through a 24-hour race. At the top of my list is the pinncle Lemans, but I’d take Nurburing. 200 cars and 700 drivers.. It’s like the best of both of my coming of age years combined  — all-night clubbing and fast cars mixed in one. In... Read More

Sneak Peek: Jeff Koons X BMW Art Car

Jeff Koons provided a sneak peak of the schematics for his forthcoming 17th BMW Art Car alongside the crisp white BMW M3 GT2 race car that will bear the artist’s designs zipping by at extremely high speeds. BMW announced that the car will be raced at the 24 Hours at Lemans race on June 12 and 13. The last art car to race was Roy Lichtenstein’s M1 art car in 1977.... Read More

BMW Designer Adrian van Hooydonk: A Conversation

BMW Designer Adrian van Hooydonk who is one-year deep into his tenure as the head of BMW design. The Dutch native takes the reigns from Chris Bangle and is responsible for the BMW, Rolls Royce and MINI brands. We spoke at the 2010 North American International Auto Show. It was late in the day, and I had the last interview slot, indicating that Van Hooydonk had probably given... Read More

Top Ten Cars of 2009

It takes a realistic optimist to be enthusiastic about vehicles in 2009. A realistic optimist looks at 2009 as the basis for a meaner, leaner decade, shaped by some sense of purpose. And purpose is surely what’s been lacking in the credit-driven capitalistic society. It’s an old trend with a new name: maturialism. The reality is that 2009 was full of painful and complex... Read More

Chef Thomas Keller valets the BMW ActiveHybrid X6

Thomas Keller Thomas Keller’s newest restaurant, Bouchon in Beverly Hills, opened this week. BMW added die oompf to the Hollywood affair providing rides to Pierce Brosnan, Julia Louis Dreyfus, Ludacris, Gilles Marini and Sex and the City creator Darren Star in a BMW Active Hybrid X6.The vehicles reach dealership Dec. 5 In charge of the French cuisine are Chef de Cuisine... Read More

2009 BMW M3 Convertible: Tip top action

M-3 on M-5, I-696, I-75, M53, M-14, I-94, The Lodge Freeway, Michigan Ave., Woodward Ave., 12 Mile Road. Jefferson Ave. I spent some serious seat time in the 2009 BMW M3 in Michigan last week traversing the entirety of the metro region. Big large open, uncrowded roads afford the perfect American version of Autobahn. It makes you understand why car magazines stay put in Detroit... Read More