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BMW M5 spied as camouflage striptease continues

The facelifted BMW M5's striptease continues. The latest spy images of the super sedan show even more headlight and taillight details, on top of more overt signs of this car's character. Our first spy photos of the M5 showed a car with production 5 Series wheels and tiny quad exhaust pipes. The next set got sportier black wheels. But the latest shots depict a machine that gets the current M5 Competition Package's black wheels along with BMW M's trademark blue calipers, just like the current car. It also ditches the camouflage on the pillars, roof rails, and rear windows. Beyond those changes, stripping away some of the camouflage has shown modest tweaks. We're finally getting a good look at the updated, squared-off LED running lamps and the tweaked front fascia. Updates are even more minor in back. But there may be something more drastic at play with the taillights. Studying these shots, we can't really see any detailing in the rear lamps. There's a similar thing going on between the normal LEDs on the BMW M4 and the OLED units in the new M4 GTS. Backing up this speculation is a single shot of one of the rear turn signals illuminated. It doesn't look quite like the current car's signal, but we can't be certain. It's possible that the shots and the camouflage might be playing tricks on our eyes. And since this is the first time we've seen the updated M5 with production taillights, there's no real basis for comparison. Still, BMW's tantalizing new OLED tech is sure to proliferate beyond the M4 GTS. We just can't yet be certain if it's coming to the next M5. Related Video:

BMW to be featured at 2016 Monterey Motorsports Reunion

The 2015 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion just wrapped up, with the Shelby GT350 serving as the featured marque. Track officials, however, are not wasting any time – or enthusiastic momentum – in announcing a featured marque for next year's event. Next year's Reunion will highlight BMW on the occasion of its centenary. Now if you're thinking that the Bavarian manufacturer hasn't been building automobiles for that long, you're technically correct. The company started out as an aircraft engine manufacturer 99 years ago in 1916. It then got into motorcycles in 1923 before rolling out its first automobile – the Dixi that was a licensed version of the Austin 7 – in 1928. However you trace the automaker's history that's still one heck of a long time. And BMW has been active in motor racing throughout, making it a worthy candidate for next year's celebration. This won't be the first time that Munich's finest will be featured at the reunion. BMW was given the same honor back in 1996. The featured marque can alternately be an automaker, a specific model, a type of vehicle, or even an accomplished racing driver. Last year's was Maserati, preceded by the Chevy Corvette, Shelby Cobra, Jaguar, and the legendary Dan Gurney. Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Jaguar, and Porsche have each been featured thrice - that's right, thrice! - in the history of the retrospective event. Related Video: BMW TO BE HONORED AS FEATURED MARQUE OF 2016 ROLEX MONTEREY MOTORSPORTS REUNION MONTEREY, Calif., August 16, 2015 — The full, rich heritage of the Ultimate Driving Machine® will be celebrated when Bavarian Motor Works is honored on the occasion of its 100th anniversary at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. The celebration takes place August 18-21, 2016 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca on the scenic Monterey Peninsula. "The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is a perfect stage on which to celebrate 100 years of BMW," stated Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America, LLC. "The BMW brand and the legend of The Ultimate Driving Machine® was forged on and continues to be refined on racing circuits all over the world. In the United States, Laguna Seca has played a starring role. This year, our BMW Z4 GTLM racing cars finished 1-2 in IMSA competition there - almost 40 years to the date a BMW 3.0 CSL won our very first race on the classic circuit.

Is Audi getting complacent and suffering from brain drain?

The argument is made in a Reuters article: Audi is falling behind other luxury brands, such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW, due to a lack of research-and-development spending and "brain drain," or the migration of top executives and R&D chiefs to other parts of the Volkswagen Group. Reuters notes that Audi's current R&D chief is the third in 16 months.
Audi, which contributed to 40 percent of VW Group's $11.6 billion in profit the first nine months of the year, is delivering cars at a record pace: 1.31 million were delivered from January to October 2013 versus BMW's 1.35 million. Yet Audi, Reuters reports, doesn't have a halo car akin to BMW's new electrified i3 and i8 or an answer to Mercedes' plug-in-hybrid S-Class, and the R&D spending at Audi is less than BMW and Mercedes by a fair margin. It's noted in the article, however, that Audi benefits from other R&D spending within VW Group.
Reuters mentions that BMW "trumpets its new 'i' series" and the new Mercedes CLA and GLA ranges are winning "rave reviews" as part of its argument that Audi's recent lack of technological innovation could hurt future sales. Those cars do pack tons of new technology, some of which are firsts for mainstream production cars. But last time we checked, the i3 could be causing BMW's stock to slide, the CLA isn't receiving the rave reviews that Reuters would have you believe and the GLA hasn't been reviewed yet.