BMW (16)
Across all classes of vehicles, the move toward electrification and automation is on the minds of automakers, as it’s generally accepted that when automation truly gets a foothold, most of those vehicles will be electric.
The world of luxury sedans is no exception. In this elite category, where prices are high and brand loyalty is key, the question each luxury brand faces is how far to go on the electric side while still maintaining the sharpness of the traditional ride.
BMW’s 5-series is annually one of the top-selling luxury sedans, for good reason. A staple in the industry for nearly 50 years, it’s a vehicle that rarely disappoints and has attracted a loyal following for generations as it battles other stalwarts in the class such as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Audi A6.
The version of the 5-series I recently tested was a bit different, and it reflects this modern movement to improve the eco-friendly factor of the vehicle. Read on for a full report on what the BMW 530e iPerformance plug-in hybrid is trying to accomplish, and how it fits into the 5-series lineup and overall luxury market.
The BMW brand has a certain mystique about it, but in the end a driver has to like the entire experience for that loyalty to remain once someone picks up one. It’s a fine line between focusing all-out on performance, while also maintaining a comfortable experience for the driver and their family.
With their expansive X line of SUVs (X1 to X6 on sale now, with X7 and X8 coming very soon), BMW is treading that line very closely. I recently spent time in one of their compact SUV offerings, the X3, and I’m back with a full report.
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Taking a look at the exterior of the redesigned 2018 BMW X3, including the unique BMW split grille up front, I would easily put it at or near the top of the class when we’re talking about compact luxury SUVs.
Moving inside, it’s also plush and comfortable with attractive wood trim, and the rear seat has decent leg and headroom for the segment, something that’s often missing. You get a heated steering wheel, plus heated front and rear seats.
With fold-down rear seats, cargo space is impressive at 62.7 feet, considering this is a compact SUV, and you get 8 inches of ground clearance.
The electric vehicle just got a whole lot more fun, as BMW this week introduced the 2019 BMW i8 Roadster at the L.A. Auto Show.
The Roadster combines the BMW i8’s green tendencies with powerful performance, and gives you the chance to enjoy the cool breeze in your hair on top of that.
Total output reaches 369 horsepower, and the first-ever BMW i8 Roadster (and its coupe counterpart) can both cover up to 18 miles in purely electric driving.
0-to-60 speed is in the low 4-second range, and top speed is estimated at 155 mph.
Passengers in the BMW i8 Roadster can either choose to drop the top (which opens in about 15 seconds) or stay covered. Standard equipment on the BMW i8 Roadster includes 20-inch wheels.
Sales of the i8 Roadster and i8 coupe will commence in spring 2018, with prices yet to be announced.
If you can’t have fun in this hot rod, you must be an empty shell of a human being or just hate the idea of driving.
Featuring 365 horsepower from a 3.0-liter, turbo 6-cylinder engine, the M240i features stunning speed and agility and was one of the strongest vehicles I tested this year.
It’s a two-seater by default (back seat isn’t really capable of holding humans of any significant size, and even the front seats are a bit cramped). But it’s all worth it due to the performance.
This machine isn’t just fast; it launches you forward, going 0-to-60 in under 5 seconds.
It’s a thrill to drive, even if you don’t have a particular destination (perhaps even moreso).
It doesn’t just hug the turns, it gives them the “I haven’t seen you since last Christmas so we’re going to make this count” embrace.
Bottom line: Enthusiasts who want to enjoy every second they’re driving should take a BMW M240i for a test drive when shopping for their next ride,, as the M series vehicles from BMW are perennial contenders for their attention.
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BMW has announced the first-ever BMW X2, the newest addition to the BMW X family featuring an unmistakable design with sporty yet urban genes. The car’s specifically tuned chassis and xDrive, BMW’s intelligent all-wheel-drive system, promise undiluted driving fun. The cutting-edge BMW TwinPower Turbo engine strikes the ideal balance between sporting dynamics and exceptional efficiency powering this Sports Activity Coupe in just 6.3 seconds from 0-60 mph. The latest digital services from BMW ConnectedDrive and BMW ConnectedDrive Services add the necessary technology for the first-ever BMW X2 to fit perfectly into a seamlessly connected lifestyle.
Even next to its bigger brothers, the BMW X4 and BMW X6, the BMW X2 makes a distinctive impression with its unique design language. The main contributing factor is the car’s exterior design, which essentially combines the fast-moving body language and low-slung proportions of a coupe with the robust construction of a BMW X model.
“The BMW X2 represents an expression of modern and extrovert vehicle dynamics,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design, in describing the first-ever BMW X2. “Its standalone vehicle concept brings a new, fresh and exciting facet of the BMW to the compact segment.” On the road, the BMW X2 has the poise of an athlete in peak condition. This is true for the basic version and even more so for M Sport X models. The BMW X2 M Sport X package combines design elements from BMW M and the BMW X family.
The first-ever 2018 BMW X2 will be available in Spring 2018 with pricing to be announced closer to market launch.
The BMW Group is systematically expanding the intelligent connectivity capabilities of its vehicles by seamlessly integrating the highly versatile Alexa, Amazon’s voice-controlled personal assistant, into all BMW and MINI models from mid-2018. The innovative inclusion of a cloud-based voice service will enable BMW Group customers to access a variety of services, entertainment features and shopping facilities while on the move by simple voice interaction. Tens of thousands of Alexa skills that can be accessed from Echo devices will now be available for in-car use, too.
BMW Connected skill for Alexa has been available since September 2016. This has allowed BMW Connected users in the USA, Germany and the UK to ask Alexa to check vehicle information such as the state of charge or fuel level, or control their car via Remote Services from the comfort of their home. Alexa also makes it possible to consult appointments or scheduled routes and departure times with the help of the BMW Connected mobility agenda. The availability of Alexa in the car now makes it possible to use functions enjoyed at home while out on the road as well.
BMW is not a name people take lightly. This is an auto company with a century of history, and a reputation that it must uphold.
One of their most popular vehicles in their midsize 5-series sedan, which has been redesigned for the 2017 model year to be more powerful and lighter. I recently spent some time in a 2017 BMW 530i xDrive sedan, and I’m back to let you know if it lives up to the company’s lofty name.
BMW announced at the 2017 Auto Shanghai the first-ever BMW M4 CS, an exclusive special-edition model produced by BMW M GmbH. The BMW M4 CS lines-up between the BMW M4 Coupe with Competition Package and the uncompromisingly track-focused BMW M4 GTS. The 3.0-liter high-performance engine raises the output of the BMW M4 Coupe by 29 horsepower, to 454 hp. The state-of-the-art M TwinPower Turbo technology allows the BMW M4 CS to dip below the four-second mark for the 0 to 60 mph sprint, stopping the clock at 3.8 seconds (preliminary) while the standard M Driver’s Package raises the electronically limited top speed to 174 mph.
With its two mono-scroll turbochargers, charge air cooler, High Precision Injection, VALVETRONIC variable valve timing and Double-VANOS fully variable camshaft timing, the inline 6-cylinder engine aims at higher echelons of performance and efficiency. More aggressively styled, the first ever BMW M4 CS continues the decades-long tradition of successful M special editions, which began in 1988 with the E30 BMW M3 Evolution. The first ever BMW M4 CS will be built at the BMW plant in Munich and will be available at U.S. dealerships in 2018 with pricing announced closer to market launch.
After reporting best-ever revenues and earnings figures for the seventh year in succession, the BMW Group intends to continue its course of sustainable and profitable growth, while also expanding its role as innovation leader. The company’s core business will be strengthened by the targeted addition of new models and continued work on the strategic areas of electric mobility and automated driving.
“Once again, we are targeting record sales volume, revenues and earnings in 2017,” stated Harald Krüger, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG in Munich on Tuesday. The BMW Group forecasts a slight increase in Automotive segment deliveries to customers in the current financial year, which would result in a corresponding growth in segment revenues. Group profit before taxes is also expected to improve slightly.
The all-new 7th generation BMW 5 Series is already earning accolades from the industry as it recently was awarded the Best Designed User Experience Award from EyesOn Design. The EyesOnDesign Awards are the officially-sanctioned design awards for the 2017 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), honoring the best production and concept vehicles making their worldwide auto show debut in Detroit.
The all-new BMW 5 Series won the judges votes by featuring a broad array of technology and design working in perfect harmony. The new 5 Series makes use of a new user interface (iDrive 6.0), BMW Gesture Control, the latest generation of Head-Up Display, Remote 3D View and an improved Voice Control with natural voice input, marking a new era of personalized connectivity. The BMW 5 Series is the most innovative BMW 5 Series to date, combining unique driving dynamics using Remote Control Parking and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems clearing the way towards semi-automated driving. “BMW has long been a pioneer in advanced Human Machine Interface (HMI) technologies and the new 5 Series brings together everything we have learned in our 100 year history. It is truly an honor to receive this prestigious award from EyesOnDesign for the Best Designed User Experience on the all-new BMW 5 Series.” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO of BMW of North America.
Starting at $51,200 plus destination and handling, the all-new BMW 5 Series will be available at U.S. dealers in February 2017.
-- Press release courtesy of BMW
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BMW has announced pricing for the all-new BMW 5 Series, arriving in U.S. showrooms February 11, 2017, shortly after its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 2017 BMW 530i will be available for $51,200, the 530i xDrive model for $53,500, the BMW 540i will be available for $56,450 and the BMW 540i xDrive model for $58,750, plus $995 Destination and Handling. Standard equipment now includes Adaptive LED Headlights, Sport Seats, Active Protection, Fatigue and Focus Alert as well as an 18-inch Double-Spoke Wheels and an Anthracite headliner enhancing the sporty character of the latest BMW Sport Sedan.
Kicking off the 100 year anniversary of the BMW Group, the BMW M760i xDrive and BMW ALPINA B7 xDrive will make their North American debuts at the 2016 New York International Auto Show on March 23, 2016. The BMW lineup will also feature the BMW M2, BMW X4 M40i, BMW 7 Series, BMW X1, BMW 330e, BMW i8 and others.
From the moment you see the BMW i3 -- the plug-in electric-powered hatchback from the luxury automaker -- and you know you’re looking at something evolutionary (or perhaps revolutionary). From its spaceship-esque bubbly shape, to the unique and attractive interior design, this is clearly unlike any other vehicle you’ll ever see.
Beyond looks and design, this is a vehicle that tells the future. No, it’s not what everyone will drive now -- honestly, they will probably sell very few of them compared to gas-powered vehicles due to the “range anxiety” that electric vehicles tend to give potential buyers -- but years down the road we’ll look back at vehicles like the i3 and remember that this was a trailblazer.
My week behind the wheel of an i3 was unlike my usual vehicle testing periods, mostly in a good way, and I’m back with a full report on this visitor from the future.
BMW has announced the all-new BMW X1. In its second generation, the new MY 2016 BMW X1 builds on the success of its predecessor (61,974 sold in the U.S. to date) by incorporating a roomier interior, greater efficiency and technology on the forefront of innovation. The BMW X1 xDrive28i will be the exclusive model in the U.S. at launch featuring a 2.0-liter TwinTurbo 4-cylinder engine from BMW’s new family of modular engines with maximum output of 228 horsepower, making the all new BMW X1 the most powerful entry model in the segment.
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