1974 Bmw 2002 Base Sedan 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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BMW patents strange three-cylinder pushrod engines, perhaps for cruiser motorcycle

For decades BMW's motorcycles were easily identified by the two opposed cylinders sticking out of each side of the bike. While you can still find this layout on some of its products, these days the company also uses a variety of other layouts, depending on the model line. Based on European patents, there might even be a Bimmer in the ranks eventually with an absolutely bizarre-looking W3 configuration. BMW actually has two separate patents on these W3 designs, and both of them have the goal of cramming three cylinders into the space of a traditional V-twin. The first splays the cylinder out into a fan shape with pushrods operating the valves. The description submitted to the World Intellectual Property Organization describes the solution as, "The embodiment according to the invention represents an as of yet unknown type of W-3 reciprocating piston internal combustion engine having cylinder angles which can be largely freely sized." The other solution is more of a modification to the traditional V-twin. Two of the cylinders share a crankpin, but the third has its own and is positioned inside the angle of the V. It's a very odd-looking engine. With BMW's assertion that these designs are meant to fit in place of a traditional V-twin, Jalopnik speculates that they could be for a future cruiser from the company, and that would make sense. While brand offers a line of sport tourers with the K1600 line, it doesn't have something more classic to take on the likes of the Ducati Diavel. Creating such a weird engine would probably grab early interest from riders.

BMW E9 3.0L CSL Batmobile is an awesome retro racer

When BMW released pictures of its 3.0 CSL Hommage earlier this year and then brought a period-livery racing example to Pebble Beach, this is the car it was looking at. The BMW E9 New Six CS came before BMW Motorsport and BMW M cars existed, and well before the tagline "The ultimate driving machine," but it paved the way for all of them. Built as a road-going coupe from 1968 to 1975, 1,265 units out of a total production run of 30,546 units were homologated for the European Touring Car Championship. Fitted with the final specification aero package in 1973 and powered by a 3.003-liter inline six-cylinder with a base rating of 200 horsepower, it proved such an able racer that it won the overall ETCC trophy six times - four of those after its road car donor had ceased production, and a bunch of other races like a class win at Le Mans. Clean samples go for huge money. That aero kit earned it the nickname "Batmobile," and Car Throttle drove a left-hand-drive version in the UK (BMW did build 500 right-hand-drive models, though). This is less a car review and more a dream drive, the host letting us know right off that the 3.0 CSL is the one car he's wanted to drive more than any other. He also finds that the Coupe Sport Leicht had a stop/start system... of the temperamental kind. Check it out in the video above. Related Video:

BMW names new chief for Mini

Mini is still transitioning models over to its new platform, and in the US market at least, the diminutive brand is dealing with a sales decrease of 15.6 percent in 2014. The low gas prices aren't helping either. But as of March 1, there's a new boss running the company across the world as Sebastian Mackensen (right) is promoted to the top spot from his current role as head of sales. Mackensen has been with Mini since October 2013, and according to Automotive News, before that he headed North and South American sales for Audi. Current brand boss, Jochen Goller is staying with BMW family and moving to China to take over as marketing chief for the BMW Brilliance joint venture. He had been the leader at Mini since 2013. Among several other personnel shifts, the BMW brand is also promoting Uwe Dreher to be its new head of marketing. He is currently in charge of those duties for the company in the Great Britain region. Personnel changes at MINI and BMW Group sales Munich . From 1 March 2015, Peter van Binsbergen will be Senior Vice-President, Sales and Marketing of BMW Group Germany. The 47-year-old mechanical engineer is currently Head of Sales and Marketing at the BMW Brilliance Joint Venture based in China. Mr van Binsbergen's career with the BMW Group began over 20 years ago when he assumed senior positions responsible for product planning, marketing and sales at BMW South Africa. He then moved to BMW Japan, where he was Director of Marketing, followed by a move to BMW Group headquarters in Munich, where he led the department responsible for sales channel development and the Group's "Future Retail" programme. Jochen Goller will move to China where he will take over an extended role with overall responsibility for Sales and Marketing at the BMW Brilliance Joint Venture in China. Mr Goller (48), who has headed up the MINI brand since 2013, already has experience when it comes to the Chinese market. During his 15-year career with the BMW Group, he was previously Head of Marketing at BMW China before returning to Europe, where he first took over responsibility for the MINI brand in Great Britain and Ireland ahead of moving to his current job. From 1 March 2015, Sebastian Mackensen will take on responsibility for the MINI brand. Mr Mackensen (43) joined the BMW Group in October 2013 as Head of MINI Sales.