Marty Padgett's Inside Scoop on Auto News and M3

Usain Bolt and BMW M3: "Love at First Sight"

By Colin MathewsColin Mathews, November 28th, 2008

That's how BMW says the world record-smashing sprinter described his first experience with a BMW M3 in his native Jamaica. And now Bolt's No. 1 sponsor--sportswear maker PUMA--is shipping him his very own black M3. The vehicle is set to arrive before Christmas in Kingston, Jamaica. Usain Bolt always admired his uncle's BMW, never missing the chance for a ride when he was a kid. And the 22-year-old just got a chance in the driver's seat with a professional BMW instructor, driving at the vehicle's limit through winter conditions at the BMW Vehicle Test Facility in Aschheim, near Munich. Bolt toured BMW Velt where Ian Robertson (member of the... That's how BMW says the world record-smashing sprinter described his first experience with a BMW M3 in his native Jamaica. And now Bolt's No. 1 sponsor--sportswear maker PUMA--is shipping him his very own black M3. The vehicle is set to arrive before Christmas in Kingston, Jamaica. Usain Bolt always admired his uncle's BMW, never missing the chance for a ride when he was a kid. And the 22-year-old just got a chance in the driver's seat with a professional BMW instructor, driving at the vehicle's limit through winter conditions at the BMW Vehicle Test Facility in Aschheim, near Munich. Bolt toured BMW Velt where Ian Robertson (member of the... Read More

Tags: Marketing, Driving, Enthusiasts, Cars We Love, Celebrities

Posted in: 2008, 2009, BMW, Sports Cars, M3

2008 Paris Auto Show Preview

By Marty PadgettMarty Padgett, October 1st, 2008

The 2008 Paris Auto Show is upon us--or, rather, TheCarConnection.com is upon it, since we're just a few Metro stops away and we already have cameras, laptops, and phones charging up for tomorrow's full-on press day.

The Paris Auto Show has a unique place in our hearts; it's where we got the background on the Ford-Firestone debacle and lost approximately 40 pounds in water weight, since the Mondiale de l'Expo hall has no air conditioning. It's also been the platform on which some very important cars have been launched to the media and the world, cars like the Audi R8, the Ford Mondeo, the current MINI Cooper, and, er, the Dodge Avenger.

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The 2008 Paris Auto Show is upon us--or, rather, TheCarConnection.com is upon it, since we're just a few Metro stops away and we already have cameras, laptops, and phones charging up for tomorrow's full-on press day. The Paris Auto Show has a unique place in our hearts; it's where we got the background on the Ford-Firestone debacle and lost approximately 40 pounds in water weight, since the Mondiale de l'Expo hall has no air conditioning. It's also been the platform on which some very important cars have been launched to the media and the world, cars like the Audi R8, the Ford Mondeo, the current MINI Cooper, and, er, the Dodge Avenger. ... Read More

Tags: Paris Auto Show

Posted in: 2008, Audi, BMW, Chevrolet, Kia, MINI, Ferrari, M3

More Video Timesuckage: The Glory That Is BMW's M3 V-8

By Marty PadgettMarty Padgett, April 15th, 2008

For all the hell they've wrought on American society -- think McRib -- advertisers have also done the public a great service. BMW's latest television and Web commercials are case in point: they reveal the glory that is the heart of every BMW M3, its eight-cylinder engine. What better way to spread the gospel of BMW's new 4.0-liter V-8? The latest ad campaign isn't only centered on the engine, it's centered inside it. The ad, created by Austin-based GSD&M Idea City, is a 30-second clip capturing the firing pattern of a single cylinder from the inside out -- without the use of CGI or other visual trickery. It was shot over the course of four... For all the hell they've wrought on American society -- think McRib -- advertisers have also done the public a great service. BMW's latest television and Web commercials are case in point: they reveal the glory that is the heart of every BMW M3, its eight-cylinder engine. What better way to spread the gospel of BMW's new 4.0-liter V-8? The latest ad campaign isn't only centered on the engine, it's centered inside it. The ad, created by Austin-based GSD&M Idea City, is a 30-second clip capturing the firing pattern of a single cylinder from the inside out -- without the use of CGI or other visual trickery. It was shot over the course of four... Read More

Tags: Enthusiasts, Shoppers, Videos

Posted in: 2008, BMW, M3