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BMW said today that the new BMW M2 CS set a new benchmark on the legendary Nordschleife racetrack of the Nürburgring on 11 April 2025.* Driven by BMW M development engineer Jörg Weidinger, it completed the 12.9-mile Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuit in 7:25.5, beating the previous best time for compact cars by eight seconds. In March Audi set a new record lap in the compact vehicle class on the Nordschleife at 7:33.123 minutes. Depending on the ongoing Trump tariff wars, Audi might still retain the lower price entry point for a top Nordschleife runner., depending on who you value – in currency units – the ~8 seconds in elapsed times.
“The BMW M2 CS has achieved a significant milestone with its lap time of 7:25.5 on the Nordschleife, showcasing the potential for combining performance, technology, and exceptional driving dynamics into a single vehicle,” said Franciscus van Meel, the Managing Director of BMW M GmbH. ‘We are proud that the M2 CS has once again set a new benchmark in the compact car class with this lap time.” Continue reading
Happy Fourth of July 2025! Let’s Return to our Founding Ideals
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On this day, the Fourth of July 1776, the Continental Congress after considerable debate released our Declaration of Independence. AutoInformed notes that this is or should be our still continuing guide to what were then awakened American ideals. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston – the so-called Committee of Five – did much of the enlightenment conceptual work. Jefferson, the most eloquent writer in the Congress, created one of our essential documents with the input of what were 56 men of the opinion that all of us equals could and would work at Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.
Then in the course of human events these ideals led to our following War of Independence. It turns out that these ideas were powerful. So powerful that they were bigger than the despots, Redcoats, Hessians and other mercenaries deployed against us. We overcame this oppression and the Divine Right of Kings against impossible odds with the help of the French. Who also later added the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. Continue reading →