• The stock 135i N55 TwinPower Turbo 3.0-litre inline-6 engine featuring Valvetronic throttle-less intake technology, direct injection, and a single twin-scroll turbocharger is tuned to 320 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque.
• A performance exhaust system complements the increased engine performance and provides a sporty exhaust note, while a sport suspension, enhanced differential, and an upgraded engine cooling system further complement the performance characteristic of the 135is.
• A re-programmed Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system to enhance performance-oriented driving. Similar to the 135i, the DSC and Dynamic Traction Control (DCT) can both be disabled entirely.
• Unique 18″ wheels, unique high-gloss black kidney grille, black mirror caps, special exterior badges, and the standard M Sport Package make up the exterior of the 135is. No word yet on the available exterior colours.
• Stainless steel pedals, special interior badges, optional black leather seats, and blue contrast stitching complement the interior of the 135is with either a standard 6-Speed manual transmission or an optional epic 7-Speed Double Clutch Transmission in the middle.

For those of you that felt cheated when BMW announced a limited edition, one-year only, 1M model, you’ll be glad to find out that the 135is will arrive in US showrooms as early as the fall. Unfortunately for us Canadians, there’s no word yet on whether the 135is is coming to Canada.

During the full-scale press launch in Sicily, an island known for its impossibly twisty and narrow roads, the Gran Coupe was put through its paces by the automotive journalists of the world. What they found out is that the GC seems to shrink around the driver and instantly shed its weight when pushed through the more dramatic Sicilian roads – a trait akin to BMWs.

Engines currently range from the 3.0-litre N55 inline-6 640i that produces 320 hp and 450 Nm of torque and the 4.4-litre N63 V8 650i producing 450 hp and 650 Nm of torque. Coupled to an 8-speed automatic with steering wheel mounted shift paddles, it’s smooth and fast gear changes have no problem propelling the GC to illegal speeds in the blink of an eye.

Styling wise, the Gran Coupe needs no flattering words or phrases of adoration. It’s downright beautiful inside and out. We’ll therefore let the pictures below do the talking, as we lack the vocabulary to describe this sleek, stylish, stunner of an automobile.

Moonstone 6 Series Gran Coupe.

Citrin Black 640i Gran Coupe M Sport.

650i Gran Coupe.

Expect the Gran Coupe to land in Canadian showrooms sometime this summer. Canadian pricing has yet to be announced.

If you’d like to inquire about any new BMW model please call (905) 619-5522 or send an email to info@endrasbmw.com to be put in touch with a sales advisor.

First up is 30 BMW M3 Performance Edition coupes with unique frozen colours. BMW tells us they will make 10 cars in each Frozen Blue, Frozen Red, and Frozen White. The M3s are also fitted with lots of BMW Performance parts such as carbon front splitters, trunk spoilers, black kidney grilles and side gills. While we’re still waiting on more details we speculate that there were several more Performance parts fitted that we can’t (yet) see.

At the same time BMW also announced a similar batch of 30 M Performance Editions for the new M5. Again, the 3 colours to choose from are Frozen Blue, Red, and White. In addition to gloss black 20″ factory wheels, black kidneys, and side gills, we can also see an Alcantara steering wheel, contrast stitching, and a special dash trim inscription displaying the car’s batch number out of 30.

The price premium for the Performance Edition over the standard M5 is quite large at £22,000. Nothing we have to worry about though, as the Performance Editions will only be sold in the UK. But we look forward to hopefully seeing some of these parts and colours appear in the Canadian catalogues!

[Thanks to Bimmerpost for the pictures!]

An avid high school football and basketball player along with being an oarsman racing at Henley for the Sir Winston Churchill Bulldogs in St Catharines, Andrew made the decision to leave high school in 1988, intent on making it in the world on his own. Sticking around his home turf, Andrew went knocking on Pace Car Import’s door for a job as a car salesman. It’s here where Andrew’s now unbridled love for the BMW brand was born. In the midst of receiving his sales training Andrew purchased his first BMW, a 1984 325e with a manual transmission and a manual metal sunroof. But for anyone that knows Andrew, you know that he’s all about the 7 Series – BMW’s flagship. So it wasn’t long before Andrew upgraded to a 1984 stick-shift 733i. Since then, Andrew’s owned every generation 7 Series all the way to his current daily driver, a 2009 Black Sapphire 750i.

Continuing our walk through Andrew’s resumé, we arrive at a local Pontiac & Buick dealership where Andrew filled the position of Sales Manager. Even though Pontiacs may not have been his cup of tea, Andrew welcomed the promotion with open arms. Then in 1999, Andrew again shifted to a higher gear as the General Manager of Continental Honda in Welland, Ontario. After a successful tenure at Honda, Andrew decided to spend some time developing some of his own ideas. This meant working closely with a company called ‘Dealer Access’ who specialized in online credit adjudication systems. However, because his valued experience and guidance in the automotive industry was a hot commodity, it wasn’t long before Andrew was contacted by yet another dealership. In mid-2001, along came a headhunter who successfully pitched the General Manager position at a Woodbridge-based Land Rover & Jaguar dealership called ‘Coventry North.’ Several years later down the road,Andrew decided to take on another challenge. This time successfully reviving BWM Maranello’s Pre-Owned sales department. Not one to ever sit still, Andrew then spent the next few years working on his entrepreneurial ventures surrounding automated trade appraisal software.

Fast forward to January 2011 and Andrew is asked by a friend to make the move to Endras BMW as the Pre-Owned Sales Manager. Looking back at the department’s sales before Andrew’s arrival, we can’t even begin to thank him for his leadership, guidance, expertise, and knowledge that has helped snowball the Endras BMW Pre-Owned sales department into one of the finest and most successful Pre-Owned divisions across the Canadian BMW network. When asked what keeps him motivated day in and day out, Andrew replies that he loves the fact that his job continually keeps him on his toes and he relishes the opportunity to help his sales team ensure that each customer walks out of here with their dream BMW.

A few interesting facts about Mr. McGraw are his love for the New England Patriots and his undying belief in the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s also a ‘moderate’ mountain biker, a sport he enjoys with his fiancée Tanya. Each and every morning they go for a walk to the local Starbucks. They do this not just for their morning latte (Andrew) and cappuccino (Tanya), but also to stretch the legs of their two bulldogs, Tank and Lola. When Andrew’s not at work, watching sports, or mountain biking, he enjoys a bit of gardening and decorating around his new place in Thornhill. Lastly, Andrew dreams of one day owning a 1972 Lamborghini Miura S, a desire that only grew stronger a few years ago when his friend let him behind the wheel for a spirited drive.

We’d like to hereby thank Andrew for the excellent results he’s achieved within the Pre-Owned department and we wish him continued success both at Endras BMW and with his many endeavours.

Andrew McGraw
Pre-Owned Sales Manager
Telephone: (905) 619-5547
Email andrewm@endrasbmw.com

• M6 Convertible & Coupe. We mention the Convertible variant first because BMW decided to launch the 6 Series in reverse order. This means that European customers have already begun taking delivery of M6 Convertibles while M6 Coupes are expected to arrive in a few months time. While we hope to see the first M6 Convertible touch ground in Canada later this month, Canadian customers will have to wait until early summer to take delivery of theirs. One feature we’re especially excited about are the optional gold-painted carbon ceramic brakes that will make their debut on the M6.
• M6 Gran Coupe. Announced earlier this year as a four-door Coupe of the 6 Series, the M6 Gran Coupe is expected to use the same 560 hp M TwinPower Turbo V-8 from the M5 and M6. The undoubtedly stunning M6 Gran Coupe would serve as the cherry on top of the icing of the cake that are BMW M cars. Expect the M6 Gran Coupe to absolutely terrorize the competition’s similar offerings in the shape of Porsche’s Panamera Turbo (S), Mercedes-Benz’s CLS63 AMG, Maserati’s Quattroporte GTS, and Audi’s (R)S7.
• M Performance Automobiles (MPA). MPA’s are a recently announced line of mainly diesel engined M engineered BMWs that sport equally impressive fuel economy as performance numbers. Unfortunately, Dr. Nitschke told BMW blog that “we started with diesel engines and as you know, they are not very popular with the American consumers,” signalling that the current range of diesel engines will likely not make it across the pond. However, Dr. Nitschke did say that “we will also bring a petrol engine … specifically made for the U.S.” and that “perhaps in the future the technology and market adoption will exist to bring across the diesel engines as well.”
• BMW M3/M4. As you may have found out by now, BMW will rename the Coupe and Convertible variants of the 3 Series as ‘4 Series.’ This means the upcoming M3 will only exist in sedan variant, while the M4 Coupe and M4 Convertible will complete the rest of the range. The most exciting news however, comes from Dr. Nitschke, who says that “[dramatic] weight savings will be seen in the new M3″ through extensive use of aluminum and carbon fibre. Dr. Nitschke also commented on how the new line of M Performance Automobiles allows for more extreme M cars “specifically made for the race track where you can drive fast.” For those of you fearing a DCT-only M car, Dr. Nitschke further added “we have a lot of customers in the U.S. that want a manual, and this is why we offer the new M5 (and M6) with a manual also.” Rest assured then, that a manual option will be on the M3/M4 US (and hopefully Canadian) order sheet.
• BMW M2. While we’re fairly certain that we’ll see a successor of the 1M Coupe, it probably won’t be called the same. Since the 1 Series will follow the same moniker change as the 3 Series, ‘1 Series’ will now only be used for the hatchbacks while ‘2 Series’ will be used for the Coupes and Convertibles. The M2 will likely be just as aggressive and raw as the 1M Coupe was, while the recently introduced M135i should do a fine job of keeping the (European) enthusiasts temporarily satisfied.

A Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren crushing supercar has long been rumoured to be on the way – alas with little concrete evidence. One thing however is for sure and that’s “if BMW would bring a car in this category, it must be the best,” says Dr. Nitschke. He further added that he already believes that “the M5 is without a doubt a supercar.” But considering his favourite M car is the classic M1, you can rest assured that the idea of a full blown high-end supercar successor to the iconic M1 is just as much a dream to you as it is to the CEO of BMW.

In a way, all us youngsters will finally get a chance to relive the ‘Golden Era’ that saw BMW E30 M3s battle it out against Mercedes’ 190E AMG for manufacturer supremacy in the late 80’s. To us gear heads, the very mentioning of ‘Golden Era’ gives us goosebumps as it simultaneously reminds us of Warsteiner livery M3s tearing up European racetracks. It wasn’t racing as we know it today – it was war. Every race was a battle against a hated enemy, blood was shed, no car was ever left undamaged, egos boiled, and no race was ever an easy win. Due to its success in the various touring Car Championships in Italy, Australia, England, and other European countries, the E30 BMW quickly became what everyone lusted after. In the late 80s, everyone wanted one, the E30 M3 adorned bedroom walls, terrorized local tracks, and became the car to own.

In fact, it’s still the car to own. When you give it some thought, there’s no vintage car as well respected, versatile, affordable, and brilliant to own with as much pedigree as a BMW E30 3 Series. And which was the greatest? Well the E30 M3 DTM of course! So as an ode to BMW’s Touring Championship roots, let’s run through an (overly) simplistic guide to having your very own parked in your garage in a matter of weeks.

The two problems you’ll quickly run into are availability and price. While they’re not Pebble Beach Ferrari expensive, a good example will set you back around $35,000 – or the price of a new BMW 3 Series. But once in a while a bargain is to be found. Get started by purchasing this ‘project’ E30 M3 for sale in Vaughan, Ontario, that at $8,000, is less than a quarter of the price of a showroom condition E30 M3. Aside from needing a new fuel pump, fuel tank lining, and some TLC, it looks like it’s got plenty of life left in it. Pending everything else works well, we’ll then give it the full DTM treatment.

On the inside we’ll need to chuck the seats, install a rear roll cage and two Recaro racing seats. You could go mental and install a full cage, plastic windows, rip out most of the dash, and leave the passenger seat behind, but we’re all about usability, so let’s keep it simple and affordable.

Moving on to the outside, the rusty bits that the ad mentions will need to be taken care of. Once mended and sanded down, the body will receive the Alpine White treatment to prep for the legendary Warsteiner livery. In the meantime, hunt down some gold BBS RS wheels and a set of racing springs. Then roll some low profile tires around those BBS wheels and install it all once the M3 is back from the spray booth. To truly get the M3 up to DTM spec, a myriad of parts would have to be sourced, but something tells us we’d already be content with a properly running stock E30 M3. Last but not least comes the decals. Lucky for us Eastern Canadian folk there’s a man in Montreal who prints exactly the decals we’re after and sells the full set for $595 + tax. That’s M stripes, sponsor and BMW factory decals Dekra numbers, and driver’s name all in one, printed on durable high quality 3M vinyl and shipped within a week.

That’s it. You now own a car reminiscent of the world’s most successful, legendary, and desirable Touring Car. Go find a track, a friend with a Mercedes-Benz 190 E, cue the German rock, and relive the Golden Years. (See below).

Programming: Tune in on April 29th to see BMW trade paint with Mercedes and Audi at the Hockenheimring Baden-Wurttemberg as a new era begins.

Yesterday we hosted our Next Generation 3 Series gala that had the entire province talking. We made sure to feature the very best foods, drinks, music, prizes, giveaways, displays, and of course, BMW cars for over 300 of our customers and guests. With three impressive 3 Series Lines on display (Modern, Luxury, Sport) and five test drive cars parked out front, we made sure everyone was able to sample the new worldwide benchmark of luxury sedans. Those of you who weren’t able to make it will be happy to find some pictures of the festivities below. Stay tuned for a gallery of professionally taken pictures of the event that we hope to have posted by next week.

Wednesday Morning: The set-up.

Wednesday Afternoon: Organizing the test drive units.

Wednesday Evening: The party starts.

Wednesday Night: The cars.

Wednesday Late: Some members of our very dedicated team.

A massive thanks goes out to our friends and partners: La Bicicletta (@labicitoronto), Greg May Hair Architects (@GregMayHair), DJ Jester (@ThisIsJester), Salem & Kingston Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique, Truffle Cake & pastry, Holt Renfrew Personal Shopper Jeanne Kim, and our Marketing Manager Sally Byun (@SallyByun) for making last night unforgettable.

For an even better recap of yesterday’s events you’ll have to check out our Twitter stream that used the hashtag #3SeriesGala all night long and had attendees and fans from all over joining in on the conversation and festivities. You can follow Endras BMW on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/EndrasBMW.