Newsletters Archive - BimmerLife

BimmerLife | The M8 is Dead. We Drove a Gran Coupe To Say Goodbye

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 16:15:49 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

December 24, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

Four Quick Things You Learn After Driving the M8 Competition Gran Coupe

By Travis Okulski on December 23, 2025

	Travis Okulski	Last week, we learned that the M8 is already dead, gone, out of production since October without a chance of […]
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The BMW M8 Went Out of Production in October

By Travis Okulski on December 18, 2025

We've known for a while that 8 Series production was coming to an end, but we just didn't know when. […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

Re-Resurrecting Bertha (Part V: Heat)

The next step in making Bertha the knock-around-drive-during-winter-if-there's-no-salt-on-the-roads 2002 (which is, not coincidentally, what it already looks like anyway) is […]

Inside Line | Reminiscing on BMW NA Turning 50

By Tom Plucinsky on December 19, 2025

Celebrating your own 50th birthday is really not much fun; for me it was a black-and-white realization that I’m officially […]

Proper Preparation Makes Maintenance Enjoyable

By Nick Owen on December 19, 2025

For the Do-It-Yourselfers out there, I wanted to share a few tips I've picked up over my years of working […]

Self Propelled | Add “Load-Test Battery” To My Pre-Trip Checklist

By Mike Self on December 18, 2025

I’ve never been shy about driving my 2002s on long trips. Heck, when I bought them—the ’69 (Wolfgang) new, the […]

Kenton Koch on the M4 GT4 EVO and the Competitiveness of SRO GT4 America

By David Haueter on December 22, 2025

Kenton Koch knows a thing or two about driving a GT3 or GT4 BMW race car. He won two championships […]

BMW Lineups Set for Bathurst 12 Hour

By David Haueter on December 22, 2025

The Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst, Australia is one of the most dynamic and challenging circuits in the world. It's […]

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BimmerLife | We Asked Bob Lutz About BMW Design. He Had a Lot to Say.

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 16:45:53 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

December 17, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

Here’s What Bob Lutz Thinks of Modern BMW Design

By Travis Okulski on December 16, 2025

	Travis Okulski	For the next issue of Roundel, I asked former BMW exec and all-around car guy Bob Lutz to write about the […]
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Meet the Members Who Willed Their Dream Car Into Reality

By Jon Kirschner on December 11, 2025

When Katrina and Eric Anderson left Georgia for South Carolina, they figured they were simply picking up a new BMW. […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

Re-Resurrecting Bertha (Part IV: Brake Master Cylinder Replacement)

Last week, I was less than thrilled to find that Bertha's low brake fluid was caused by it leaking out […]

The Full History of the BMW i3 and i8 Is Deeply Interesting

By Travis Okulski on December 12, 2025

The i3 and the i8 were massive departures for BMW. Both of these cars were more about efficiency and mobility […]

Safety Third | Which Car Will Be the Last One I Sell?

By Alex McCulloch on December 11, 2025

I have two cars remaining at my business, the 2001 740i M Sport which I wrote about in March and […]

Tech Talk | VANOS Conundrum, Parking Brake Issues, and an Alarming Discovery

By Nick Owen on December 12, 2025

Welcome to Tech Talk, where our resident BMW tech Nick Owen answers all your pressing BMW technical questions, frustrations, and […]

BMW’s IMSA and WEC GT4 Driver Lineups for 2026 Are Set

By David Haueter on December 15, 2025

BMW M Motorsport has finalized their driver lineups for M4 GT3 EVO entries in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship as […]

Team WRT Snagged a Podium in the Sepang Round of the Asian Le Mans Series

By David Haueter on December 15, 2025

The Asian Le Mans Series (ALMS) opened its short season with a pair of four-hour races at the Sepang International […]

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BimmerLife | We Drove the 2027 BMW iX3. Here’s What It’s Like.

Wed, 10 Dec 2025 17:43:31 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

December 10, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

2027 BMW iX3 50: First Drive

By Tim Stevens on December 4, 2025

	Tim Stevens	The cadence of new car releases is so incessant that it's easy to feel saddled by malaise when testing this […]
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Despite a New Team, BMW’s M Hybrid V8 2026 Driver Lineup Is Unchanged

By David Haueter on December 4, 2025

BMW will once again contest both the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship with the updated […]

Ends This Week!! Win a 1998 BMW E36 M3 Refreshed by BimmerWorld! Reveal Video!!

By BimmerLife Contributor on December 9, 2025

Enter to Win a 1998 BMW E36 M3 Sedan. The Ultimate Mid-’90s Dream Drive. Boot up your memories. This isn’t […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

Re-Resurrecting Bertha (Part III: Where the Brake Fluid Went)

Last week, I punted the issue of brake fluid loss in Bertha, my ratty '75 2002ti tribute car that had […]

Shifting Gears: How the BMW CCA Foundation Plans to Top the Alpina Exhibit

By BimmerLife Contributor on December 9, 2025

If 2025 was the year of the Masterpiece, 2026 is shaping up to be the year of Evolution. As the […]

Time to Order Our Annual Wall Calendar

By BimmerLife Contributor on December 9, 2025

The 2026 BMW CCA National Capital Chapter & M Chapter wall calendar makes a great holiday gift and/or stocking stuffer […]

BMW’s Incredible SRO America Season

By David Haueter on December 5, 2025

BMW racing fans who were at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the final rounds of the SRO-sanctioned U.S. GT series and […]

Racing Lines | An Exciting Weekend at Road Atlanta

By Brian Morgan on December 5, 2025

The November Tire Rack BMW CCA Club Racing weekend at Road Atlanta featured close racing at the front of the […]

American Racer Josh Green Selected for BMW M Racing Academy Class of 2026

By David Haueter on December 8, 2025

BMW M Motorsport has selected a trio of drivers to participate in the M Racing Academy for 2026, and American […]

Turner Motorsport’s Justin Rothberg Just Won the BMW Sport Trophy

By David Haueter on December 8, 2025

Every December, BMW M Motorsport invites the customer racing teams from around the world to come together for an awards […]

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BimmerLife | Who Are Your BMW Heroes? We Want To Know.

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:54:34 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

December 3, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

We Want To Know Your BMW Heroes

By Travis Okulski on December 2, 2025

	Travis Okulski	We all have favorites. Whether it's a person, place, or thing, it doesn't have to be rational. It doesn't need […]
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The First BMW M Car Is For Sale

By Travis Okulski on November 28, 2025

The M1 might have been the first BMW to have an M badge, but the 3.0 CSL was the actual […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

Re-Resurrecting Bertha (Part II: Taking Stock)

Last week, I talked about bringing Bertha (the '75 2002 I bought in Austin in 1984, brought back to Boston, […]

A Letter From the BMW CCA Foundation on Giving Tuesday

By Travis Okulski on December 2, 2025

Today is Giving Tuesday, the global day of generosity. At the BMW CCA Foundation, we have one mission: Saving Lives […]

Tech Talk | Transfer Case Woes, Code Breaker, and Hot Start Solutions

By Nick Owen on November 28, 2025

Welcome to Tech Talk, where our resident BMW tech Nick Owen answers all your pressing BMW technical questions, frustrations, and […]

This Is the Final Edition Z4

By Travis Okulski on November 27, 2025

Next year is the last for the co-developed BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra, with production at Magna in Austria slated […]

Would You Drive an Electric 2002?

By Travis Okulski on November 27, 2025

For the 1972 Munich Olympics, BMW built two electric 1602s. Part of their job was to serve as VIP transport, […]

Racing Lines | The 2026 BMW CCA Club Racing Schedule Is Here

By Brian Morgan on December 2, 2025

While 2025 isn't quite over, we're already getting excited for 2026. The Tire Rack BMW CCA Club Racing series schedule […]

WRT’s Asian Le Mans Series Lineup Is Set

By David Haueter on December 1, 2025

BMW M Motorsport factory driver Dan Harper will contest the Asian Le Mans Series with Team WRT in an M4 […]

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BimmerLife | What BMW Should I Buy? I Need Your Help

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:09:06 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

November 26, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

Help Me Pick My Next BMW

By Travis Okulski on November 21, 2025

	Travis Okulski	It's now been about seven weeks since I joined the CCA as the new editor of BimmerLife and Roundel. While […]
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Crafted with Care: The Expert Refresh of Our 1998 BMW M3 by BimmerWorld

By Jon Kirschner on November 20, 2025

This particular 1998 BMW M3 (known to enthusiasts as an M3/4/5, denoting its rare sedan body and 5-speed manual transmission) […]

Updated M Hybrid V8 Tops Night Timesheets at Daytona IMSA Test

By David Haueter on November 20, 2025

The updated M Hybrid V8 GTP cars made their first appearance in the US in official IMSA-sanctioned testing at Daytona […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

Re-Resurrecting Bertha

In 1984, as Maire Anne and I began preparing to leave our stint in Austin and return home to Boston […]

Running on Empty | The Ones That Got Away—Or That I Threw Away

By Satch Carlson on November 20, 2025

Just about the time I thought I had experienced another Brilliant Epiphany—in my case these are so rare that they […]

Want To Show Off Your Garage? Submit Yours to Our Winter Garage Tour

By BimmerLife Contributor on November 18, 2025

Attention all CCA members: Do you have a cool garage you want to share with your fellow members? We are […]

Brakes Squealing? Don’t Blame the Car, Blame Yourself

By Nick Owen on November 21, 2025

I am probably going to get some flak for this. When it comes to brake squeal on our BMWs, it's […]

Enjoy the Sound of this Group A E30 M3 Rally Car

By Travis Okulski on November 25, 2025

The S14 is a magical engine. No, by modern standards it is not the most powerful, torquiest, or make for […]

Paddock Talk | BMW M Team WRT’s Vincent Vosse on 2026

By David Haueter on November 24, 2025

Vincent Vosse is the Team Principal of BMW M Team WRT–which ran the BMW Hypercar program in the FIA World […]

Jordan Pepper Is BMW M Motorsport’s Newest Factory Driver

By David Haueter on November 24, 2025

BMW M Motorsport has a new factory driver, with 29-year-old Jordan Pepper set to contest GT programs with the M4 […]

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BimmerLife | Braking Is, By Far, the Most Important Driving Skill to Master

Wed, 19 Nov 2025 16:01:00 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

November 19, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

Street Survival | Braking Is the Most Important Skill for New Drivers to Master

By Travis Okulski on November 13, 2025

	Travis Okulski	You might think that the first time you get behind the wheel, the most important thing is making that car […]
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A Visit to BMW Group’s Designworks Sheds Light on the iX3

By Kyle van Hoften on November 18, 2025

If you're on this site, that means you're a BMW fan. And it's likely the comments below will sound familiar: […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

My Final Roundel Magazine Column

When I first began writing online content for BMW CCA, it was hosted behind the bmwcca.org paywall, but at some […]

How to Support the BMW CCA Foundation’s Future on Giving Tuesday

By BimmerLife Contributor on November 18, 2025

This Giving Tuesday, a global celebration of kindness and generosity, we invite you to join the BMW CCA Foundation in […]

The Newest BMW Special Edition Celebrates 3 Series Greats

By Travis Okulski on November 17, 2025

This year, in BMW land, has been all about the 3 Series. Now that we're 50 years on from its […]

Tech Talk | Shock Talk, Pro Help, and Bundling Repairs

By Nick Owen on November 14, 2025

Welcome to Tech Talk, where our resident BMW tech Nick Owen answers all your pressing BMW technical questions, frustrations, and […]

Want To Show Off Your Garage? Submit Yours to Our Winter Garage Tour

By BimmerLife Contributor on November 18, 2025

Attention all CCA members: Do you have a cool garage you want to share with your fellow members? We are […]

This S54-Powered E30 318i Is So Cool

By Travis Okulski on November 13, 2025

I love a good engine swap, the more creative the better. But it's also great to merge two classics together, […]

A Brief Look at the National Capital Chapter’s Summit Point Time Trial

By BimmerLife Contributor on November 14, 2025

By Mike Saul Sixteen National Capital Chapter instructors and advanced students participated in a Time Trial event at Summit Point […]

BMW’s Macau GP Weekend Saw a Podium Finish

By David Haueter on November 17, 2025

The Macau Grand Prix is one of the world's most iconic street races. Located on the south coast of China, […]

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BimmerLife | Here’s Why Some BMWs Use Extremely Thin Oil

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 17:03:03 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

November 12, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

Plug-In Hybrids Need Very Thin Oil. Here’s Why

By Nick Owen on November 7, 2025

	Nick Owen	Since my return to technician life at BMW of Murrieta, I have noticed that there are a lot of different […]
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This M4 Has a 2.6-Liter Single-Turbo S55 That Revs to 9000 RPM. It’s Amazing

By Travis Okulski on November 11, 2025

I tend to be rather curated about who I follow on social media. I don't want my apps flooded with […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

The BMW Road Trip That Wasn’t (Part II)

Last week, I wrote about nearly taking my 40-year-owned 1973 3.0CSi for a weekend in Vermont with my wife until […]

Lime Rock Park’s Historic Concours Is a BMW Goldmine

By David Haueter on November 11, 2025

Lime Rock Park is the picturesque ideal of a race track, nestled in a beautiful valley in the northwest Connecticut […]

Racing Lines | Returning to Road Atlanta, a BMW CCA Club Racing Fixture

By Brian Morgan on November 6, 2025

As club racers return to Road Atlanta in November for the penultimate event of the 2025 season, it is important […]

Anyone? Anyone? | A New Definition for Good Trouble

By Mark Buehler on November 7, 2025

So: I thought TWUBBL and I may have had a little trouble with the local constabulary—except TWUBBL was there, and […]

Racing Lines | Spec Class Racers Swarm at Carolina Motorsports Park

By Brian Morgan on November 6, 2025

The annual late-October Sandlapper Chapter event at Carolina Motorsports Park brought out 38 racers, with 18 running in Spec E46 […]

BMW Wins Second Consecutive SRO Global GT4 Title

By David Haueter on November 10, 2025

BMW won the 2025 SRO GT4 Manufacturers Title in global competition for the second year in a row. This isn't […]

BMW’s Challenging WEC Season Is Finally Over

By David Haueter on November 10, 2025

The final race of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) season, the 8 Hours of Bahrain, was another disappointing result […]

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BimmerLife | We Drove The 2026 M2 CS. Is It Great?

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 16:11:02 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

November 5, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

What You Learn After Driving the 2026 M2 CS

By Travis Okulski on November 5, 2025

	Travis Okulski	Nobody has accused the current M2 of being boring. The latest in a long line of small performance BMWs, the […]
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Like, Totally, RADwood Is Tubular!

By Kyle van Hoften on November 4, 2025

When the event DJ can play Ozzy, Debbie Deb, and The Psychedelic Furs back to back to back and everyone […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

The BMW Road Trip That Wasn’t

To give context to this piece, I need to summarize events in the Lotus end of the world. The one-year […]

Join the X Chapter for an Inside Look at the Rebelle Rally

By BimmerLife Contributor on November 4, 2025

By Valerie Caprigno The BMW Car Club of America X Chapter enjoyed exclusive access to the dramatic conclusion of the […]

The Mini Column | Twenty Years of a Special Relationship

By Melissa Cunningham on October 30, 2025

Milestone anniversaries should never be taken for granted; the number of years in the relationship show commitment and represent countless […]

Tech Talk | Disappearing Coolant, Diff Issues, and Soft-Top Troubles

By Nick Owen on October 31, 2025

Welcome to Tech Talk, where our resident BMW tech Nick Owen answers all your pressing BMW technical questions, frustrations, and […]

Self Propelled | Diagnosing Problems with Brains and Electronics

By Mike Self on October 31, 2025

I began working on cars 32 years before we were gifted with—or stuck with, depending on how you look at […]

BMW M2 Challenge Class Coming To IMSA In 2026

By David Haueter on November 3, 2025

The new M2 Racing is coming to IMSA. In a recent IMSA Endurance Hour Podcast, series president John Doonan confirmed […]

Paddock Talk | Dan Harper and Max Hesse on Their IMSA Endurance Championship

By David Haueter on November 3, 2025

Dan Harper and Max Hesse are two of the young guns competing on the world racing stage for BMW M […]

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BimmerLife | The 2026 BMW iX M70 Is Outrageously Quick

Wed, 29 Oct 2025 12:22:55 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

October 29, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

2026 BMW iX M70: An Outrageously Quick EV Crossover

By Travis Okulski on October 28, 2025

	Travis Okulski	The iX is about as far from a traditional BMW as you can get. This is an electric crossover that’s […]
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Want To Make Your Rolls-Royce Phantom Better? Do a Cummins Swap

By Travis Okulski on October 23, 2025

The first Rolls-Royce that was fully developed and produced under BMW's ownership of the brand was the 2003 Phantom. It's […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

The Annual Used Wheel and Snow Tire Search

Well, okay, maybe it's not annual, but it feels that way. Actually, what it feels like is somewhere between having […]

Enjoy this M2 Drifting Through BMW’s Factory

By Travis Okulski on October 24, 2025

When I was a kid, I had no idea what Red Bull was. Before I knew it was an energy […]

O’Fast 2025 | The Car Control Clinic Is Street Survival for Adults

By Mike Self on October 24, 2025

Eager drivers, not quite ready to test themselves and their cars in an autocross, and definitely not in a driving […]

O’Fast 2025 | The Autocross Was a Blast

By Mike Self on October 24, 2025

A long-time tradition at Oktoberfest continued at Wisconsin’s O’Fast 2025: the autocross. This is basically a car-handling challenge in which […]

Racing Lines | U.S. Racers Once Again Capture Can-Am Challenge Trophy

By Brian Morgan on October 23, 2025

The fifth edition of the Tire Rack series’ Can-Am Challenge once again went to American club racers. The 2025 results […]

BMW Wins GT World Challenge Europe Overall Championship

By David Haueter on October 27, 2025

The GT World Challenge Europe championship closed out its 2025 season in early October with an endurance race in Barcelona. […]

Paddock Talk | Kelvin van der Linde on His Amazing First Season with BMW

By David Haueter on October 27, 2025

BMW factory driver Kelvin van der Linde's 2025 season–his first with BMW after a successful career with Audi–was a dream. […]

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BimmerLife | This Hero Is Transforming His Supra Into a New M Coupe

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:29:07 +0000

	BimmerLife is presented by Valentine Research.

October 22, 2025 Edition • read more at bimmerlife.com

This Supra With a Z4 Nose Proves We Need a New M Coupe

By Travis Okulski on October 20, 2025

	Travis Okulski	The current Supra may have a Toyota badge on the nose and tail, but there's BMW written all over it. […]
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This 7.2-Liter LS-Swapped E39 Wagon Is the Ultimate Sleeper

By Travis Okulski on October 18, 2025

Last week, we shared an E61 535i xDrive wagon that was painstakingly swapped to become an S85-powered M5 Touring clone […]

HACK MECHANIC: ROB SIEGEL

The Current Clamp

Last month, I wrote about installing electric air conditioning (a/c driven by an electric compressor) in my 1969 Lotus Elan […]

Facebook Marketplace Saves a Civic

By Alex McCulloch on October 21, 2025

This is the story of one of the rarest cars I’ve ever sold. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t a BMW—but the […]

BMW CCA Events: Drifting Event, Foundation Zentrum ALPINA Event, BMW Performance Center Event

By BimmerLife Contributor on October 7, 2025

BMW Car Club of America, the official BMW enthusiast club, offers membership that includes access to hundreds of BMW-focused chapter, […]

Racing Lines | O’Fast Indeed: Quick Classes Dominate at Road America

By Brian Morgan on October 22, 2025

Running at—or even near—the front of the pack in the October O’Fast races at Wisconsin’s famed Road America circuit required […]

BMW Is Selling a Record Number of V-8-Powered Cars

By Travis Okulski on October 17, 2025

While some premium manufacturers seem to be reducing the number of V-8s–cough, cough Mercedes ahem cough, cough–available in their lineup […]

The 500,000th BMW Built in Mexico Is an M2 CS

By Travis Okulski on October 16, 2025

BMW began building cars at its plant in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, in June 2019. Initially just for the 3-series, […]

Team WRT Wins Indy 8 Hour, BMW Teams Win SRO Championships

By David Haueter on October 20, 2025

It was a great weekend for BMW at the SRO Indy 8 Hour. It's not only the final race on […]

BMW Teams Sweep Class Championships in SRO GT4 America

By David Haueter on October 21, 2025

The SRO GT4 America championship wrapped up its season with the final two races of the year at the famed […]

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