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2016 BMW 330e Plug-In Hybrid First Drive

Piecing together the i8 eco sports car taught BMW some valuable lessons, some of which you'll see in the next generation or two of the company's electrified mainstream cars. You won't have to wait that long for BMW to deliver on the key lesson, which can be seen right here in the 330e: make hybrids fun to drive and don't make people compromise on what they like. The 330e neatly sidesteps the traditional character-blanching entry ticket you get with hybrids by delivering almost as much torque as the 340i and a sprint time to 62 miles per hour of 6.1 seconds. For most people eco-conscious enough (especially in a time of cheap gas) to bother with plug-in hybrids, that's going to be quick enough. And so is the 140-mph top speed. It won't quite manage the precision of a normal 3 Series because it's 353 pounds heavier, but it's not far away. This 330e is (theoretically) capable of delivering 25 miles of electric-car range or ridiculous amount of range as a gasoline-electric hybrid. It will post a 44-gram CO2 emissions figure and officially deliver 1.9 liters/100km on the NEDC test cycle in Europe, which translates to 124 miles per gallon equivalent in the US, though it's unclear what the EPA-certified number would actually be. While punching in a straight line is always good, and sipping fuel like it's being rationed is nice, the key part to the 330e is that still handles like a 3 Series should every time you arrive at that one fun corner. It won't quite manage the precision of a normal 3 Series because it's 353 pounds heavier, but it's not far off. BMW has buried the 7.6-kWh lithium-ion battery pack beneath the cargo floor, while the electric motor resides up front, so the weight distribution moves from 50:50 to 49:51, leaving it a touch heavier in the back. Effectively, it's a 3 Series with the 320i's 2.0-liter, four-cylinder gasoline powertrain, the standard eight-speed automatic transmission, and an electric motor sandwiched in between to create a hybrid. The electric motor adds 87 hp to the gas engine's 181 horsepower to offer 248 hp of total power (yes, we know they don't directly add up, but that's the total output). While it has 74 pound-feet of continuous torque, the electric motor can overboost to 184 lb-ft when it needs to. Add that to the gas engine's 214 lb-ft and the car has a maximum of 310 lb-ft – 22 lb-ft shy of the 340i, without pumping out as many emissions.

This 1966 BMW 1600 Neue Klasse lives on the backroads

Among early BMWs, the 2002 gets a lot of love for being a relatively accessible, great-handling little sports coupe. Jim Huff explains in the latest episode of Petrolicious why the slightly earlier BMW 1600 Neue Klasse sedan also offers a fantastic drive – especially with some choice modifications. Huff was a fan of 2002s until his wife gave him a vintage BMW sedan model car as a gift. That toy sparked his interest in the Bavarian automaker's earlier four-door models, and he had to have one to drive. He eventually tracked down his 1966 1600 and started on a project to convert it into a great vehicle for blasting over California's backroads. Huff's 1600 still features the original classic lines, but his now includes a larger 2.0-liter engine with Weber carbs, an upgraded suspension, and improved brakes. As a result of the tuning, the vintage BMW can hang with Huff's buddies in Alfa Romeos and Porsches on curvy roads. It sounds fantastic, too. Petrolicous interviews Huff, and he discusses a little about the history of these sedans. The real highlight is seeing and hearing his BMW in motion, though. Enjoy the ride with him in this video.

We'll finally see the BMW M2 in Detroit

Despite being unveiled in October, the world will finally get to meet the BMW M2 at the Detroit Auto Show. The entry-level M coupe brings 365 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque from the M TwinPower Turbo engine, as well as an active rear diff and lightweight components. We'll also get close-up looks at the intense exterior design, which seems to have opinion divided opinion concerning its front fascia. The X4 M40i will also storm Detroit, its inline-six M Performance TwinPower Turbo with 355 hp and 343 lb-ft is also making a world debut. This isn't a proper M version of the X4, but there's been heavy revision throughout the crossover-coupe, and it gets special 19-inch wheels to stand out. Elsewhere of note on the stand will be the 330e and 740e plug-in hybrids that we first met in Frankfurt, and the i8 with laser lighting. The press release below has more. BMW M2 AND BMW X4 M40i TO MAKE WORLD DEBUTS AT THE 2016 NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW IN DETROITAdditional Featured BMW Vehicles include: BMW 330e, BMW X1, BMW 7 Series and BMW i8, among others.18.12.2015 - The BMW M2 and X4 M40i will make their world debuts at the 2016 North American International Auto Show on Monday, January 11, at the BMW Stand at 10:05 a.m. in Detroit's COBO Center (One Washington Boulevard Detroit, MI 48226). In addition, BMW will feature the new, BMW X1, BMW 7 Series, the plug-in hybrid BMW 330e, the high-performance BMW i8 and the all-electric BMW i3 among other BMW models at the BMW Stand. English, German and Spanish speaking BMW representatives will be available for interviews throughout the day.Making its highly anticipated world debut, the 2016 BMW M2 features the renowned BMW M Performance complimented by a sleek interior and exterior design. A newly developed M TwinPower Turbo technology 3-liter, 6-cylinder engine produces 365 bHP and 343 lb-ft of torque, catapulting the high performance vehicle from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Inspired by its motorsport history and enhanced by BMW EfficientDynamics technology, the BMW M2 sets the pace in its segment when it comes to agility, driving feeling, directional stability, steering precision and controllability at the limit, without any compromise in everyday use. The 2016 BMW M2 will be available in US showrooms in spring 2016. Pricing will be announced shortly. BMW M2 Press Kit.The BMW X4 M40i also will make its world debut in Detroit.