2012 Bmw 6-series 6-series 650i M Package-edition(coupe) on 2040-cars

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BMW-Toyota partnership to spawn hybrid supercar

BMW and Toyota inked a partnership some time ago to develop green technology, and while we were excited by the idea of a reborn Supra with BMW's carbon fiber reinforced plastic slashing the curb weight or an ultra-efficient, hybridized 1 Series, the joint efforts have been rather limited. That's set to change, though, according to a report from Australia.
Motoring reports that the partners have come to terms on a sports car. And not just any sports car, but a lightweight, hybridized model, with a six-figure price tag. Lending a bit of street cred to that idea is the site's claim that Toyota is currently carrying out durability testing on the BMW i8. According to the site, the new model will slot into the spot left by the Lexus LFA, although based on the language used, it's unclear if this is the Tokyo-bound vehicle we mentioned several months ago.
Details on this potential car are limited, although Motoring claims it will use a Toyota hybrid system mated up to a BMW gas engine - likely the 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 found in the M5 and M6. That sounds pretty amazing to us, but we'd still advise taking this with a grain of salt. What would you like to see out of a joint-venture supercar from Toyota and BMW? Let us know in Comments, and have your say on the prospects of a hybridized, twin-turbocharged V8.

BMW reveals Concept Compact Sedan in Guangzhou

While our eyes were fixed on Los Angeles, BMW turned its attention to Guangzhou, China, where the German automaker unveiled the Concept Compact Sedan. The show car envisions a Bavarian rival to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class and Audi A3 sedan. Munich released little in the way of technical details. Instead, the Concept Compact Sedan is all about the design. Relative to its form, the show car rides on a long wheelbase, with the wheels pushed to the corners, and a greenhouse set back behind a long hood. The details are distinctly Bimmer, from the signature double-kidney grille to the Hofmeister kink in the C-pillar. The horizontal lines of the front and rear fascias are designed to maximize the vehicle's visual width, and the muscular design integrates touch-sensitive door handles below the swage line for a cleaner look. All that is rendered in liquid metal bronze paint, offset by polished aluminum brightwork and 20-inch split-spoke alloys. Geared towards the "life of a generation of youth in China," the interior is designed around the driver, but also seeks to maximize rear-seat space despite the vehicle's compact footprint. The horizontal treatment continues inside to give the impression of space, with upscale materials like three-tone Nappa leather, open-pore wood, and brushed aluminum trim with orange accents and ambient lighting. All the auxiliary surfaces are controlled by touch panels on the steering wheel, center stack, center console, and door handles. There's a panoramic roof, a head-up display for the driver, and an 8.8-inch screen in the dashboard. The sum total is a compelling preview of what a four-door addition to the 1 Series and 2 Series could look like. And to our eyes, it looks like it would be just as home on American roads as it would be in China, Europe, or anywhere else for that matter. Check it out in the high-res image gallery above and the details in the press release below. BMW Concept Compact Sedan. Sporty, elegant, exclusive – the perfect statement-maker. 20.11.2015 Munich/Guangzhou. The BMW Group has chosen Auto Guangzhou 2015, one of the largest international motor shows in China, to present a very special new development to the global public: the company's vision of a four-door sedan for the compact segment. "The BMW Concept Compact Sedan reveals the potential we see in a compact sedan," says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design.

Acura TLX Type S vs. BMW M340i xDrive | Sport sedan comparison test

Luxury sport sedans are still turning up on the market, and the Acura TLX Type S is one of the freshest cuts of meat in the window. It’s AcuraÂ’s big return to Type S performance models. Benchmarked against the proverbial best performance sedans of the segment, Acura is aiming to not just to compete, but to win dogfights like these. To see if the return of Type S is all itÂ’s cracked up to be, we decided to pin it up against the historical king of sport sedan shootouts: a BMW 3 Series. Specifically, the Type S is taking on the M340i xDrive, which is this AcuraÂ’s most natural competitor from Munich. Should the diehard BMW driver make the switch to Japanese performance? Does Type S do enough to lift this Acura up to best GermanyÂ’s finest? There are a lot of variables at play here, and they all make it complicated to choose a winner. The similarities between these two begin from the top of the spec sheet and go down. Both have 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engines — BMW arranges its cylinders inline, while Acura chooses a V configuration. Quick-shifting automatic transmissions are standard. BMW uses an eight-speed unit, while Acura uses a 10-speed. Both get electronically-controlled dampers, big brakes and sticky summer rubber. They each offer up usable backseat space and reasonably-sized trunks. WeÂ’d feel just as confident showing up to an important business meeting in either one as we would at a track day. ThatÂ’s the beauty of this mid-tier performance segment. After looking at their specs, it shouldn't be surprising that the M340i is the quicker of the two here. Its 382 horsepower and 368 pound-feet of torque hit noticeably harder from any speed than AcuraÂ’s 355 horses and 354 pound-feet of torque. The Acura is also carrying an extra 232 pounds of curb weight over the Bimmer, which makes the M340iÂ’s 1-second advantage in the 0-60 mph sprint make perfect sense. For the record, BMW quotes a 4.1-second time, and Acura only offers an approximate time of 5 seconds. Both estimates feel accurate. Beyond sheer acceleration, both engines offer up their own version of tingly feel-goods. BMWÂ’s inline-six is as smooth as ever as it plays its sonorous note all the way to the 7,000 rpm redline. There are few sounds in the automotive universe that surpass the glee we feel when listening to a BMW inline-six at full-chat, and that rule still applies to the M340i.