2000 Bmw Z3 2dr Z3 Conv 2.5 (cooper Lanie 317-837-2009) on 2040-cars

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Can the government mechanically force you to wear your seatbelt? [w/poll]

The National Highway Traffic Administration is considering the use of ignition interlocks in vehicles that would require the seatbelts of occupied seats to be fastened in order to drive the car, Automotive News reports, four decades after Congress moved to prevent manufacturers from installing them in cars sold in the US market. Following a transportation bill passed last year that lift some of the restrictions on seatbelt interlocks, automakers such as BMW are considering the benefits of using them in future cars. Now, before you go crying about your lost freedom, keep reading.
BMW said in an October 2012 petition that the use of seatbelt interlocks would allow the company to make lighter and more spacious vehicles, if the devices could be used in lieu of unbelted crash tests. The crash test has required the addition of bulky safety features, such as knee bolsters, that aren't as necessary when occupants are buckled up, especially when considering the dizzyng list of safety features that come standard on today's cars. Europe, which has a higher rate of seatbelt use than in the US, doesn't perform unbelted crash tests on cars sold there.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer getting third row

In what enthusiasts will likely see as a continued attempt to dilute the BMW brand, the German manufacturer is testing a three-row variant of its already controversial 2 Series Active Tourer. Our trusty spy photographers captured images of the new, front-drive MPV testing on the roads of Europe.
The easiest way to ID this more passenger friendly 2er is its slightly longer length, which will allow it to accommodate seven people in total. As our spies point out, this should make the 2AT an attractive proposition for European taxi companies. Yep, BMW built a car that will be praised by taxi drivers. On top of the extra seats, the rear overhang appears larger as well, which should mean extra cargo space.
This, of course, is not the first time we've captured images of a new 2AT variant undergoing testing. Back in May, we spotted a hybrid-powered variant out for a drive.

BMW reveals full details on M235i Racing

We were suitably excited when BMW first announced the imminent arrival of the M235i Racing. After all, what's not to like about a factory-prepared racecar with 333 horsepower you can pick up for just eighty grand? Now BMW has released the full details on the latest addition to its racing portfolio, where it joins the M3 DTM, M3 GT4, Z4 GTE/GT3 and 320 TC in a growing family of competition machinery prepared by BMW Motorsport.
Based on the new 2 Series coupe, the M235i Racing is the first M Performance model for the track, and boasts the line's most powerful engine: the 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight six has been optimized to 333 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. A mechanical limited-slip differential helps transfer the power to the track surface, along with race-tuned ABS, DSC and traction control.
Four-pot calipers up front and two-pot calipers in the rear shave off speed for the corner and are packed inside the 18-inch alloys, with KW dampers and H&R suspension components. Inside there's a six-point racing harness and Recaro bucket surrounded by an FIA-certified roll cage, and customers can even have an extra seat installed to take passengers for ride-alongs. All of which can be yours for €59,500.00 - equivalent to $82k at today's rates, before taxes.