2010 Bmw M3 Base Convertible 2-door 4.0l With Navigation on 2040-cars

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World Car of the Year finalists announced

To say the 2014 Geneva Motor Show was packed full of news is an understatement as big as the show's home at the Palexpo convention center. Despite everything that we were able to cover during this year's show, there's still more coming out of Switzerland, including the announcement of the finalists for the 2014 World Car of the Year Awards.
We reported on the original list of finalists over three weeks ago, and now, that initial list has been pared down to three finalists for each of the five awards. The finalists were announced at a press conference by frequent Autoblog contributor and co-chair of the awards, Matt Davis (above).
The finalists for the overall title of 2014 World Car of the Year are the Audi A3, the BMW 4 Series and the Mazda3. The World Luxury Car of the Year will be either the Bentley Flying Spur, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, while the Performance Car of the Year will be awarded to the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, the Ferrari 458 Speciale or the Porsche 911 GT3 (which, um, yeah...).

BMW 6 Series Convertible gets a little work done for 2015

Truth be told, I've never really found the modern BMW 6 Series to be a particularly attractive car, in Coupe, Convertible, or sedan Gran Coupe forms. This current generation certainly looks a whole lot better than the Bangle-fied Six that came before it to my eyes, but on the whole, I find much of the car's design to be fussy and awkward. There's a new 6 Series on the way, scheduled to arrive sometime in 2017 or 2018, but to hold us over until then, BMW is freshening its current range, as evidenced by this convertible prototype our trusty spies recently caught testing.
Will the changes to the current 6 Series be an improvement? Perhaps. Up front, there are restyled headlamps and a new front bumper, and at the rear, BMW has redesigned the LED taillamps to bring them more in line with the rest of the company's offerings. Aside from those modest tweaks, we don't expect much more to change on the Big Six - the interior will likely carry over with some minor tweaks (or new colors), and it's possible the powertrains could be massaged gently for gains in either power, efficiency, or both.
Whether you think this new look is pretty or not, this freshened 6 Series will likely debut sometime next year, while BMW's engineers and designers craft the all-new version. See it from several angles in our gallery, above.

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW plans for retired batteries; automakers support dual-standard chargers

Toyota will test hybrids with silicon-carbide (SiC) power semiconductors. In Japan, Toyota has put the SiC power semiconductors into the power control units of a Camry Hybrid prototype and a fuel cell bus for a year-long test. Research suggests the SiC units will decrease electrical losses while managing power supply, thus improving overall powertrain efficiency. Current power semiconductors account for about 20 percent of electrical losses, and success with these tests could mean more efficient hybrids on the roads in the future. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Automakers from CCS and CHAdeMO camps are supporting dual-standard charging station networks. https://www.autoblog.com/bmw/, Volkswagen (CCS camp) and ChargePoint announced plans to build "express charging corridors" by installing about 100 DC fast chargers, many of which will support both types of charging. Kansas City Power & Light is partnering with Nissan (CHAdeMO camp) and ChargePoint to install DC chargers that "will charge any model of electric vehicle on the market." This leads the folks at Green Car Reports to look into whether this ends the looming standard war between automakers in the US. Read more at Green Car Reports. BMW, Bosch and utility company Vattenfall are making plans for a second life for retired BMW i3 batteries. The Second Life Batteries Alliance project will recycle the old lithium ion battery packs - which can still hold a charge - in off-grid storage and grid-stabilization applications, beginning with a grid storage system in Hamburg, Germany. Bosch has created a battery management algorithm to extend the life of the batteries and make sure they don't cause harm to Vattenfall's facilities. Read more at Transport Evolved.