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BMW sets Guinness record for longest drift with new M5 [w/video]

In September of 2011, Chinese drifter Wang Qi broke the Guinness record for the world's longest sustained drift, doing 13 laps inside the Olympic Center Stadium in Tianlin, China for 5,802.3 meters. That was broken in February of this year by Abdo Feghali in Abu Dhabi drifting a new Chevrolet Camaro around a skidpad for 11,180 meters - almost seven miles. In March, BMW decided it wanted the record "back in the US," and set up a course at its BMW Performance Driving School near Greenville, South Carolina to get the job done. On May, 11 it was Mission Accomplished when Performance Center driver Johan Schwartz drifted an M5 around a skidpad continuously for 51.3 miles.
Despite that accomplishment, we're pretty sure that professional drifter Vaughn Gittin, Jr. isn't impressed. The way Guinness defines "drifting" can also describe a donut, which is effectively the kind of drifting that's been done for these last three records. BMW went even further by watering down the surface of the track, reducing the skill required and the need to change tires during the effort. On the other hand, you can't drift a car for long in a straight line, but perhaps there should be some clarification or classifications added to the milestones.
There's a short video below taken during the record-breaking run, and a press release from the company that did it.

2014 BMW 328d ready to burn oil in just four cylinders

Despite showing off the new 328d sedan in New Jersey yesterday, BMW though it only fair to bring the first four-cylinder diesel it will ever sell in the US to the New York Auto Show today as well. Unfortunately, the company remains vague about pertinent details like fuel economy and price, but we did hear again that the oil-burner will be capable of getting 45 miles per gallon on the highway. BMW's Oliver Ganser told AutoblogGreen, "We do not want to give out" the city or combined mpg ratings quite yet, but The New York Times got someone to estimate a fuel economy of mid-30s in the city.
The two-liter TwinPower turbocharged and direct injected engine and eight-speed automatic transmission (sorry, no manual will be available) put out 180 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque and should get the 328d up to 60 miles per hour in just over seven seconds. As we noted earlier, the 328d will be available with every option and trim level - like all-wheel drive - that other 3 Series models have in the US (transmission excepted) and should start at under $40,000 when it goes on sale this fall.
Officially, the 328b will be able to accept biodiesel blends up to B5 (or, just maybe B7), which is standard diesel with five (seven) percent biofuel. Read more about that and other aspects of the 328d here.

X4 launch to spearhead BMW crossover onslaught at NY Auto Show

It's no secret that crossovers are one of the key vehicle types driving today's auto industry profits, and nowhere is that more true than among the world's luxury brands. BMW became one of the first players in the luxury CUV segment when it launched its original X5 in 1999, and buoyed by that model's runaway success, it followed up with the X3 in 2003, the X6 in 2008 and the X1 in 2009 (though the latter didn't make it to the US until late 2012). It's replaced the X5 twice since then and the X3 once, but the Bavarian automaker isn't about to let matters rest there.
First off, a production version of a new X4 model is expected at the New York Auto Show in April. The model was previously rumored to be earmarked for reveal a month earlier, but a new report from Autocar suggests that the previously mooted reveal date and location were inaccurate. The X4 is expected to apply the same controversial slant-back formula to the X3 that transformed the X5 into the X6, which will in turn lead to an update for the X3 as well.
But that's not all. Autocar also reports that before 2014 is out, BMW will unveil a revised X6 at the Moscow Motor Show in August, which will in turn be followed by upgraded versions of both the X6 M and X5 M. These high-performance crossovers are tipped to pack the same 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 as the outgoing versions, albeit with higher outputs than the current models' 555 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. All this, and they're still expected to simultaneously improve fuel consumption and emissions figures.