#BrownCarGuy – News, Views & Reviews!
This compact 2025 BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe has more horsepower than the 1992 E36 BMW M3. So does that make it a bona fide junior ‘M’ car? With the keys to the turbocharged four-door in my hands and the Hill Route at the Millbrook Proving Ground beckoning, there is only one way to find out!
BCG BMW SOLD! The End of an Era for My Classic E30.
8 February 2025 – Well, here we are. The BrownCarGuy BMW E30 325i SE – the BCG BMW – has officially moved on. The keys have been handed over, the last revs have echoed through the streets of Brent, and the car park suddenly feels a little too empty.
So, I was coming back from a media launch drive of a brand new, shiny, tech-laden, plug-in hybrid family SUV, boasting an impressive list of features longer than the Pan-American Highway. Yet, I couldn’t help but ponder that whilst it was undeniably brilliant, my pituitary gland remained decidedly indifferent. Despite having over 300bhp under my right foot, where were the coursing endorphins and the dopamine hit? Oh wait, I’ve found them…
In today’s rapidly evolving automotive landscape, new business models are emerging that could significantly impact our driving experience. One such development is the rise of in-car subscription services, where manufacturers like BMW are considering charging extra for features that were once standard. But how do these subscriptions compare to pay-per-mile road user charges in terms of restricting our driving freedom? During a recent press drive of the new Nissan Qashqai in Portugal, my friend and fellow motoring journalist Massimo Pini and I got deep into this controversial topic. Our conversation highlighted the growing concerns among car owners regarding these new charges. You can watch the video, or read the full article below.
Where is the pollution in London actually coming from? And could it mean that we’ll be looking at a ‘ULEZ’ charge for homes and buildings as well soon? And just how quickly is London’s apparently illegally toxic air actually killing us, compared to the rest of the country? Find out in this astonishing video!!
Look past that infamous elongated signature BMW kidney grille and this might well be the most elegant and handsome BMW 7 Series since the late 1990s E38 iteration of the flagship. The latest G70 looks the part, although the shock of just how humongous this thing is, takes a while to sink in when you encounter it. View it head on, and you think at first, it’s an SUV.
Check out my coverage of the amazing West London Classics Annual Show & Shine 2023 Car Show, held last weekend. Spectacular modern and classic cars, brilliant interviews and outstanding entertainment, music and dancing. A proper motoring festival. Don’t miss this! Video produced, filmed and edited by Junaid Sheikh @junjiproductions
Which are the most wanted and quickest-selling cars in the UK? What about the rest of the world. A few shocks and surprises here!
Video from yesterday at the British Motor Show Pop-Up at Marshall BMW in Hook with Tim Shaw of CAR S.O.S and Sam Hard of Hard Up Garage, where I put my 1989 BMW 325i SE E30 on display ( #BCGBMWE30 ) – here’s a full walkaround of the show with Sam and an in-depth unfiltered chat with Tim Shaw.
The BMW i4 is essentially the full electric version of the 4 Series. The M50, which I reviewed at Millbrook Proving Ground last year (which is to say I got to drive it hard around the close road circuit), is the top dog. Pretty much the M4 of BMW’s i-series saloons.
