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BMW 2 Series Active Tourer pulls its way onto the stage

We know what you might be thinking: here comes another BMW with yet another kind of roofline. Only this isn't just another BMW. It's the first front-drive BMW, and the first time we've ever seen it in person.
That model, of course, is the new 2 Series Active Tourer, debuting here in Geneva as the production version of the Concept Active Tourer and the beefier Concept Active Tourer Outdoor that followed. It shares about as much with the 2 Series Coupe as a jelly donut, but takes BMW into a new market segment - that of the high-roofed hatchback (or micro-minivan, depending on your perspective) occupied by the likes of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class and Volkswagen Golf Sportsvan.
Power comes from a choice of 1.5-liter turbo three, 2.0-liter turbo four or 2.0-liter turbodiesel - but aside from the forced-induction engines what they all the versions have in common is what makes the 2 Series Active Tourer newsworthy: they all sit up front, driving the front wheels. It's an idea BMW purists might not appreciate, but one we'd all better get used to just the same.

Best sport sedans for 2022 and 2023

SUVs dominate the car industry at every size and price level, but some people still prefer the looks, and more importantly, the performance and comfort, of the traditional sedan. With a lower ride height, lighter weight and generally smaller size, they often are much more fun to drive, and can even be more comfortable. Sport sedans of course lean harder on the performance side of things, and are among the best options for sheer speed and fun, thanks to those inherent characteristics. We've rounded up the ones in the segment that do the sporty dance better than any others in 2024 to give you a handy guide when you're shopping for one of your own. You'll find a wide array of cars here including gas, electric and hybrid powertrains. They'll have manual and automatic transmissions and drive the front, rear or all four wheels. Technically a few hatchbacks have slipped in, but they're close enough in look and feel that we wanted to include them. And excluding them means you might miss out on some of the best-driving options available. You wouldn't want that, would you? Alfa Romeo Giulia Why it stands out: Punchy four-cylinder; astounding power from Quadrifoglio; light and nimble character; awesome shift paddlesCould be better: Clunky infotainment; sub-par switchgear Read our Alfa Romeo Giulia review We start this list with one of the most predictable inclusions: the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Yes, it's a stereotype that the Italian sport sedan is fun to drive, but the fact is, well, it is. The Giulia comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 280 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful four-cylinders in the segment. It's paired with a snappy and smooth eight-speed transmission and either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.  The engine is lively and torquey, if a little short of revs, and the chassis feels super-light. The steering is eager and the car jumps into corners. We also highly recommend getting a version with the enormous and superb aluminum paddle shifters that make clicking through gears much more entertaining. And on the topic of the interior, it's attractive, but the various switches and knobs feels a little cheap, and the infotainment system is clunky. Of course there's also the incredible Giulia Quadrifoglio at the high end. It gets a Ferrari-derived twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 making 505 hp, and it's rear-wheel drive only.

BMW says X5 xDrive40e PHEV will get 55 MPGe

This is one vehicle that Sammy Hagar can actually drive 55. Miles on the equivalent of a gallon of gas, that is. BMW has starting talking about details of its first-ever production plug-in hybrid CUV, and the latest are centered on the model's projected miles per gallon-equivalent figure. Bimmer is now saying the its X5 xDrive40e PHEV will get a robust 55 MPGe on the US EPA scale (on the European scale, the vehicle's expected 77 or 78 grams of CO2 per kilometer would translate to around 70 mpg). The model, which pairs 2.0-liter twin-turbo four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, will be able to go as far as 13 miles on electricity alone, and also hit 75 miles per hour using just the battery. BMW first unveiled the model at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2013. The CUV, which will have full-time all-wheel drive, will have some guts, too. The model will deliver 308 horsepower, including 111 from the electric motor alone. As a result, the X5 xDrive40e will be able to scoot from 0-60 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds. Not exactly Tesla Model S quick, but peppy nevertheless. US and European sales for the model-year 2016 version will start this fall. The model will be produced at the company's plant in Spartanburg, SC. Take a look at BMW's press release below. Show full PR text The BMW X5 xDrive40e Launches the Next Chapter of EfficientDynamics with its First Ever Plug-in Hybrid Sports Activity Vehicle The new BMW X5 xDrive40e. The first plug-in hybrid BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Up to 13 miles of zero-tailpipe-emission pure electric driving Preliminary fuel economy estimates up to 55 MPGe 0-60 mph in just 6.5 seconds Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – March 17, 2015 ... The BMW X5 xDrive40e, the company's first plug-in hybrid Sports Activity Vehicle, charts the next chapter of BMW's ongoing EfficientDynamics initiative. Benefitting from the groundbreaking work by BMW i on electromobility, the X5 xDrive40e combines the company's award-winning 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine with an electric motor, powered by a lithium-ion battery, integrated into its 8-speed automatic transmission. This newest BMW SAV can travel approximately 13 miles on pure electric power, ideally suited to short commutes and quick trips around town. Working in concert, the gasoline engine and electric motor puts out 308 horsepower and produces 332 lb-ft, enough to propel the X5 xDrive40e from 0-60mph in just 6.5 seconds.