13 Bmw 650xi M Sport Leather Great Value Lease 4x4 Navigation Financing on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW M2 claims 7:58 'Ring time in video

BMW really, really wants us to believe the new M2 is a return to form for the high-performance sub-brand. In its initial release on the car, it drew a strong, explicit link to not only the 1 Series M Coupe – easily its most direct ancestor – but also to the original E30 M3, which is basically the M2's granddaddy. Further underscoring this link, BMW has paired the M2 with the 1M Coupe and ur-M3 for a new video where it reveals that the newest M car will lap the Nurburgring Nordschleife in just 7:58. While that isn't as fast as the M4 – we're betting that vehicle's fan base just let out a huge sigh of relief – it's quicker than the E92 M3, which is certainly something worth boasting about. Check out the video up top to see the new M2 dice with its predecessors, and then head back and check out our original post on the newest M car.

2017 BMW i3 rumored to get more electric range

BMW will reportedly give the 2017 i3 a jolt of extra range that will increase the EV's max driving distance to around 120 miles. If true, that would be quite a boost from the current EPA-estimated 81 miles. An upgraded lithium-ion battery will make this improvement possible, according to Automotive News. Ian Robertson, BMW's boss for sales and marketing, told AN the upgrade to the i3 "puts it into a much more usable range." The company has more tweaks in store for the 2017 model but doesn't want to discuss details about them yet. Rumors late last year hinted that the extra range for the i3 would come thanks to a higher-density battery, improved electronics, and new software. The changes could push range to over 124 miles on the European testing cycle. BMW would also offer the improvements on the i3 REx range-extended model, and the company would even allegedly allow current owners to purchase the upgrades. The German automaker wants to offer these updates every three years to keep the EV fresh. If BMW can achieve 120 miles of range, then the electric i3's driving distance would come significantly closer to the current REx's EPA-estimated 150 miles. Of course, the range-extended model can always be topped up with a tank of gas to keep its wheels spinning further. The i3's rumored boost would also still put it short of the roughly 200 miles that Chevrolet promises from the Bolt when that model arrives late this year. In any case, it's an exciting time for proponents of electric cars. Related Video:

BMW reclaims US luxury sales crown from Mercedes

The numbers, they are in: BMW has reclaimed the luxury-sales crown from Mercedes by a margin of 9,347 cars. Mercedes donned the king's headgear in 2013 after a strong final quarter of 2013 when the new CLA and S-Class poured out of dealerships. This year, led by the 3 Series/4 Series and X5, BMW sold 339,738 units – a 9.8-percent increase year-on-year. Mercedes, led by the C-Class and M-Class, saw its sales go up by 5.7 percent to 330,391 units. We'll have to wait a bit to see if there's another registrations-vs-sales challenge as in 2012, when BMW was anointed US luxury ruler. Behind them, a dark horse named Lexus nudged closer to the leading Teutons, selling 311,389 cars. The Japanese luxury automaker also had the biggest gain among the top three, its sales rising by 13.7 percent compared to 2013. Audi had the biggest sales of anyone among the top five, though, with a 15.2-percent gain to 182,011, which moved it a spot ahead of Cadillac; the Wreath-and-Crest brand dropped 6.5 percent to 170,750. Acura (167,843), Infiniti (117,300), and Lincoln (94,474) took the final positions. Speaking of Lincoln, sales at the once-mighty luxury marque stand as the mightiest jump of any on this list, up 15.6 percent. That's the power of Matthew McConaughey... and better cars and a new crossover, sure. So now that we're back to Round One of 2015, in case no one else has said it yet: "Ok, fight!"