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Project CARS vs reality at Laguna Seca shows amazing potential

Project CARS is aiming to be the next great racing sim. Offering a mix of modern and classic cars on famous tracks, developer Slightly Mad Studios is trying to inject a fresh energy into the genre, and at the moment its game looks ready to take on Forza and Gran Turismo.
The game is still about six months from release, and the graphics already look practically photorealistic. The video below shows side-by-side laps of Laguna Seca in a BMW - real life on the left and the game on the right. It's absolutely astounding. Other than some changes to the sponsorship around the track, they are almost identical.
Of course anyone with quality seat time in a racing sim knows that graphics are just one factor. How the game feels is even more important, and without getting hands on, it's impossible to judge yet. However, consider our interest piqued. Project CARS is scheduled to launch in November on the Sony PlayStation 4, Microsoft Xbox One, Nintendo WiiU, Windows PC and Steam OS. Scroll down to check out the video.

BMW Concept Active Tourer Outdoor enjoys a day in the sun

This BMW Concept Active Tourer has evolved for the nature and cycling set and premiered at OutDoor Friedrichshafen, a trade fair in held this month in Germany. The sturdy wagon is tweaked with new materials, accessories and ConnectedDrive features for those who do a lot of their living under the sky as opposed to inside their cars.
Under the hood is the same plug-in hybrid drive system we've were introduced to in 2012, featuring a transversely-mounted, 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor and a battery pack under the rear compartment floor. Total output is 190 horsepower and 147 pound-feet of torque headed to the front wheels, a claimed time from zero to 62 of under eight seconds, a pure electric range of up to 19 miles, a top speed of 124 miles per hour and claimed fuel economy of around 95 US miles per gallon.
The space behind the rear seats is the showcase, with a transformable compartment that can stow two bikes on built-in, retractable carriers. Remove the front wheel and seat from the bikes, then the frames can be locked into place using two rails and brackets. The wheels can be stowed in a holder attached to the right rear seat, the saddles can go into a compartment in the load floor. If you need to make a quick adjustment or a fix, you can do so since the bikes are aligned across the load bay.

BMW X1 EV for Zinoro spotted

BMW has teamed up with Chinese automaker Brilliance Automotive to create a joint venture in China, called Zinoro, and it appears that an all-electric version of the X1 crossover is to be the brand's first model. Spotted testing in Munich, these spy shots show a more camouflaged version of the X1 EV that we saw back in April.
Comparing these latest spy shots, we can see that the Zinoro model will wear a completely unique front fascia that ditches BMW's trademark grille, but few other changes seem to be taking place. Previous reports indicate that this Zinoro EV could go on sale in China early next year.