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BMW wants to build electric SUV in the US

Tesla needs to watch its back. The all-electric Model X hasn't even hit the market yet and already, luxury competitors are gearing up to combat it. Audi is prepping an all-electric concept for Frankfurt that previews a Model X-fighting CUV, and now BMW is allegedly prepping a third member of its i sub-brand, in the form of an American-built, all-electric crossover. Germany's Wirtschaftswoche claims the plan is awaiting board approval for production in Spartanburg, where BMW already builds the entirety of its X lineup. BMW, for its part, has told Automotive News Europe that the report is simply "speculation." Speculation or no, we agree with Evercore ISI analyst Arndt Ellinghorst, who told Automotive News that adding a crossover to the i family is a logical move. "In our view an iSUV makes perfect sense for BMW. SUVs are in demand and given the market's reaction to Tesla's Model X so far, it seems to be a good fit for families and suburban commuters." While Audi is preparing to offer its Model X fighter by 2018, though, Ellinghorst told AN not to expect BMW's entry to the segment before then.

BMW says no more manuals, M cars capped at 600 hp

BMW appears to be approaching a big change in the way that it handles performance. First, the clutch pedal may be a goner from future M models, based on recent statements from the division's boss, Frank van Meel. We also might not be seeing any significant increases in horsepower from some of these vehicles anytime soon. "From a technical standpoint, the future doesn't look bright for manual gearboxes. The DCT and auto 'boxes are faster and they have better fuel consumption," van Meel said to Autocar. Although, he left the door open slightly to keeping them at least in the near future. "It's difficult to say we'll stick to the manual, but we still have a big fan community for manuals and we are not going to take away something the customer wants to have." Van Meel also suggested that the company is capping the output of M models at 600 horsepower. "We're at the limit. If you go on adding more horsepower and torque, it'd probably be over the limits," he said to Autocar. That ceiling does leave some room to grow for future versions of the M3 and M4, which currently offer 425 hp. However, it means that the M5 and M6 with 560 hp are basically at the cap. The limited BMW M5 30th Anniversary Edition already packs 600 hp. Rumors have suggested that the already spied, next-generation M5 might stick with around 600 hp. It seems unlikely for BMW to completely give up competing against the Autobahn-burning sedans from Mercedes-Benz and Audi. Performance could still see a boost thanks to a reportedly lighter platform and optional all-wheel drive. Related Video: News Source: AutocarImage Credit: Copyright 2015 AOL BMW Technology Performance bmw m dual clutch transmission automatic transmission

Rinspeed Budii Concept is a rolling smorgasbord of future tech [w/video]

There's a strange dichotomy going on inside the Rinspeed Budii Concept. Actually, there's a slew of seemingly mismatched ideas, but that seems par for the course when it comes to the mind of Frank Rinderknecht, no? For instance, there's a manual-wind Manero PowerReserve watch embedded in the cabin, which seems quaint, considering the high-tech nature of the car's design and intent. A high-resolution camera apparently "recognizes" when the watch is getting low on power, and a robotic arm "uses ingenious motions to wind the movement" of the watch. Seriously. The aforementioned robotic arm is a seven-axis unit that can "reach out" to the driver or passenger so that they can take over driving duties from the autonomous car. In this way, the occupants can choose to put their lives under the control of the "cognitive and intuitive autopilot" provided by a telescoping laser scanner and a high-res camera that map the car's surroundings, or to make their own "ethical" driving decisions. We kind of assume that refers to the current autonomous-driving question of the times: whether or not to save the lives inside the car our outside of it in case of emergency. If all of that sounds suitably high-tech, you should also know that the "feel-good lounge atmosphere" of the interior features removable plexiglass work surfaces inside, folding blinds for privacy that are custom printed with user-selectable designs, air outlets with ambient lighting, a "wellness shower in the headliner" (whatever that means) and a center console with – you guessed it – cup holders. The platform on which all of this is based is the all-electric BMW i3 hatchback. If all of that sounds intriguing, we suggest you read all about it in the press release below and take it all in via the included image galleries. Rinspeed "Budii" redefines human-machine interaction Reach out to robots The vision of autonomous driving will soon become reality and will fundamentally change the interaction of man and automobiles. While the research centers of the automotive industry are still feverishly working on the technical solutions, progressive thinkers such as the Swiss idea factory Rinspeed are already giving concrete thought to how automated private transport will transform the car and the man-machine system. Besides fundamental conceptual changes, this will also have to involve issues of ethics and society. In the past, the robots in the factories of this world merely assembled cars for people.