2002 Bmw M3 E46 Smg Parking Sensors 18 In Wheels on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW 8 Series return signaled by a ton of new trademarks

There's an ebb and flow to rumors in the auto industry. We'll hear a rumor or report, then nothing for months, only for the story to pop back up again with a fresh head of steam. This time around, it's the BMW 8 Series, a car we haven't reported on since February, when we said it'd be back in 2020. Today's news is that BMW has filed trademark applications for a series of numbers related to the new model – 825, 830, 835, 850, 845, and 860 – along with an M850 and an M8. It was uncovered by AutoExpress, which adds additional depth to the story. Much like the 7 Series dukes it out with the Mercedes-Benz S-Class Sedan, the new 8er will take the fight to the S-Class Coupe. Even in Europe, where automakers like Mercedes offer a far wider array of powertrain options, the S-Class Coupe is only available in six-cylinder S400, eight-cylinder S500 (what we call the S550) and S63 AMG, and twelve-cylinder S65 AMG trims. If BMW uses all the numbers it's sitting on, the 8 would have a far broader spread of powertrain options, three of which – 825, 830, and 835 – could undercut even the base S400. But as AutoExpress explains, these trademarks obscure a bigger shift in how BMW will build and market its luxury coupes. Under the new strategy, BMW would move the 6 Series away from its role as a larger grand tourer, leaving space for the 8. The 6er would then be repositioned to challenge the Mercedes-AMG GT and Porsche 911. According to AE, BMW has been content to let the 911 do its thing, but the success of the AMG GT is forcing its hand. That means a lighter, hotter, and two-seater 6 Series. We like. Of course, 8 Series rumors have been floating around since the last one, the E31, went out of production. That means we'll continue to advise caution here, even though everything laid out by AutoExpress makes lots and lots of sense. Related Video: News Source: AutoExpressImage Credit: BMW Rumormill BMW Coupe Luxury Performance trademark bmw 8 series

BMW i3 with range extender could arrive after HOV stickers run out in CA

We will weep for the BMW i3 REx owner with ticket #40,001 for California's green HOV stickers. While the standard-issue battery-electric i3 has been deemed eligible for the state's white stickers, which allow for owners to drive in HOV lanes solo, the proverbial jury of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) is still out on the BMW i3 REx, which will have a little-bitty range-extender on board, Transport Evolved says. The issue is that, while there is an unlimited number of white stickers for pure EVs such as the Nissan Leaf and Tesla Model S, the state has limited the number of green stickers, which grant solo-HOV access to plug-in hybrids and extended-range plug-ins, to 40,000. And with almost 29,000 green stickers given out as of the end of last year to cars such as the Chevrolet Volt and the Toyota Prius Plug In, they may run out within two months. The other key point is that the waiting list for the i3 with a range extender is running at about six months as of January, that could cause a bit of hand-wringing among folks looking to buy the REx. BMW said earlier this year that the extended-range version of the i3 would qualify for white stickers because the car is a so-called BEVx, meaning that its range-extender's full-tank range is less than the electric motor's single-charge range. BMW designed the i3 with a small range-extender tank of just 2.4 gallons, but the automaker estimated that California's green stickers wouldn't run out until the end of 2014.

BMW M760i all dressed up for hundredth birthday festivities

BMW is the latest automaker to be celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. So to mark the occasion, the Bavarian automaker is rolling out a special anniversary edition of its flagship 7 Series sedan. Somewhat awkwardly labeled as the BMW Individual 7 Series THE NEXT 100 YEARS, the celebratory edition features a number of special touches to set it apart. The bodywork is painstakingly painted in a unique shade of Centennial Blue metallic, with two-tone 20-inch wheels and handcrafted emblems. The interior meanwhile is highlighted by off-white, fine-grain leather – quilted and trimmed with hand-woven piping – with matching Alcantara headliner and piano-black trim. Of course there are the requisite special badges inside and out, and each sedan comes with a specially made Montblanc fountain pen. Only 100 examples will be made for distribution worldwide, with three different engine options depending on the market. The US market will only get five examples based on the recently revealed M760i xDrive performance model, complete with 6.6-liter twin-turbo V12 driving 610 horsepower to all four wheels. As a special version of Munich's top-of-the-line luxury sedan, pricing will surely fall within "if you have to ask" territory, so we'll just wish BMW a happy birthday and rest assured that each of the hundred individually numbered examples will find a good home. The BMW 7 Series centennial models "BMW Individual 7 Series THE NEXT 100 YEARS". Woodcliff Lake, NJ – April 19, 2016...Today BMW announced the "BMW Individual 7 Series THE NEXT 100 YEARS" models to mark the company's centenary, representing the historically evolved technological competence of the world's leading manufacturer of premium automobiles and emphasize the exclusivity with which both luxury and innovation are expressed. The BMW 7 Series centennial models are being produced in a limited quantity with only 100 units available worldwide with three different engine variants. The US market will receive 5 units and it will be exclusively available as the "BMW Individual M760i xDrive Model V12 Excellence THE NEXT 100 YEARS" centennial model, featuring a 12-cylinder engine producing 610 hp (preliminary) and a unique combination of state-of-the-art comfort, luxury and dynamic agility. This centennial model will be available by the end of 2016.