Tomorrow: You Can Place Your Order for the BMW M3 Frozen Black Edition

June 16th 2011 at 11:30 am EST, you can place your order for the limited edition 2011 BMW M3 Frozen Black Edition car. Now, how limited are we talking? Only 20 will be produced, but 19 slots that will be filled Thursday to those who have $80,000 for this car. The other one will be sent to BMW North America, where they will use it to show off at car shows and they might sell it at a later date.

What's so special about this car? Well, I'm glad you asked. BMW took a M3 and improved it by doing the following:

BMW Individual Frozen Black Exterior Paint (fancy version of matte black paint)
Black Extended Novillo leather with Red Contrast Stitching on seats, headrests, door inserts, armrests, middle console, and door pulls.
Black M3 GTS wheels, 19" diameter with high-performance summer tires
Red brake calipers
Gloss black kidney grills
Gloss black side-gill elements
Gloss black exhaust pipe tips

Additional specified equipment from M3 catalog:

M-DCT Transmission with Drivelogic
Competition Package
Lowered suspension
Sport mapping for EDC/DSC
Premium Package 2
Power folding auto-dimming mirrors
Universal garage-door opener
Power front seats
Carbon Leather interior trim
Interior mirror with compass
BMW Assist with Bluetooth
Convenience Package
Anti-theft alarm system
Comfort Access keyless entry system
Park Distance Control (rear)
Navigation System
Voice-command
iPod and USB adapter
Real-time Traffic Information
Heated Front Seats
Satellite Radio with 1-year subscription
BMW Individual Enhanced Premium Sound System

Performance wise: the Frozen Black M3 is powered by the award-winning 4.0-liter, 414-horsepower M V8 engine, equipped with BMW's M Double Clutch Transmission (M DCT) which lowers the 0-60mph acceleration time of the M3 from 4.7 to 4.5 seconds.

If you're seriously interested, dial 1-800-245-4269 Thursday, June 16th 2011 A.D. at 11:30 am eastern standard time.

I'm sure that BMW will show off this car at the next Beemerfest, SEMA, LA Auto Show, North American International Auto Show, and the New York International Auto Show.

Photos: BMW

Volkswagen Presents the Black Turbo Launch Edition Beetle

The 2012 Volkswagen Beetle doesn’t arrive in showrooms until September, so Volkswagen decided to release an opportunity to be one of the few who can own a Black Turbo “launch edition” Beetle. This limited edition (only 600 will be produced) comes painted black (with Turbo lettering on the doors) and is powered by VW’s turbocharged 200-hp, 2.0-liter in-line four-cylinder engine that also powers the GTI. In addition to the turbocharged performance features, the four-cylinder engine offers an EPA fuel economy rating of 30 mpg on the highway when outfitted with the automatic transmission.

Standard features include Bluetooth® technology, iPod® connectivity, three-color ambient lighting, larger brakes with red calipers, a rear ducktail spoiler, and a sport suspension. The interior is set off by carbon-fiber-look dashboard trim, aluminum pedals, an anthracite headliner, and subtle red accent trim, a "kaeferfach" additional glovebox that is similar to that of the original Beetle, sport cloth seating surfaces, and 18-inch alloy wheels. It also includes an RCD 310 sound system with eight speakers.

If you are one of the lucky few who pre-orders the Beetle Black Turbo launch editions, it will cost you a $495 fully refundable reservation fee that will go towards the starting MSRP of $24,950.

Other than the obvious Turbo painted on the side, this looks great. It reminds me of the Porsche Cayman S Black Edition. But as we all know, I do love all vehicles that are considered black limited editions.

BMW 1 Series M: The "Reasonable Doubt" of BMWs...

(I love the Jersey plates on this car, and I know insurance for this car will be through the roof)

According to the Detroit Bureau, the BMW 1 Series M is only going to be out for a year. Designated a 2011 model, the 1M is just rolling into showrooms, but it will go out of production no later than December of this year. BMW drops hints that a future update may be in the works, but it could be some time before a model dubbed 1M returns to the States because the more conventional 1-Series is about to go through a significant update. There’s typically a delay of as much as several years before BMW adds a high-performance M edition of its conventional products.

Whatever it is called, the new 1M is the lowest-priced model – adjusting for inflation – ever to roll out of the M brand. Sharing many of its underpinnings with the slightly larger BMW M3, the newer addition features a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo inline-six powertrain that can launch it from 0 to 60 in just 4.7 seconds. Top speed is electronically limited at 155 mph. The proposed MSRP is $46,150, however if you add all the tchotchkes you can possibly add to it, it raises the price to $54,100.

Side note: I called this post the BMW 1 Series M: The Reasonable Doubt of BMWs because Jay-Z's first album, Reasonable Doubt, was suppose to be his only album, and we've seen what happened since then.