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BMW i8 could get 300-hp, 2.0L turbo-four

First and foremost, the long-rumored, high-performance BMW i8 will not be called the i8 M. While the lack of an M badge might be a disappointment, it's fair to say the performance of the new model likely won't be. AutoExpress claims BMW is developing a new 2.0-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder that will take the place of the i8's three-cylinder engine. Offering an even 300 horsepower, up from the current car's 228, total system power would sit around 450 ponies, thanks to the extra cylinder. The electric system won't be fettled with, though. If that still sounds modest, it's because it is – AE's source claims the i8 could handle another 300 hp. BMW would also make a concerted effort to at least maintain the current i8's weight, even with the extra heft of the 2.0-liter turbo to deal with. AutoExpress's source claims that BMW could skip the paint on certain exterior carbon-fiber elements while also offering a more focused, minimalist cabin to save even more weight. According to AE, this new model should arrive as early as 2016, which could result in a debut in Frankfurt this September, Los Angeles in November, or even Detroit, in January.

Florida bikers threatened at gunpoint for beating motorist

A road rage incident in Pinellas County, FL spiraled out of control when a motorist confronted a trio of aggressive bikers at a stop light. According to The Sun, YouTube user known only as DankWheelie posted video on April 8 of a fistfight between a driver and a pack of sportbike riders on a busy Florida highway which ended abruptly when one of the participants pulled a pistol. There is precious little context for the video, which became a near instant viral sensation this week. Little is known about either the motorist or the bikers. The video starts with the bikers riding along an oceanside highway, when a red, older model BMW 5 Series gets into some confused lane changing shenanigans with them on a bridge. At a stop light after the bridge, the bikers and the driver of the BMW get into a fist fight in traffic, which does none of them credit. The bikers knock the driver to the ground and surround him, when a woman passenger in the BMW pops out with a pistol drawn and brandishes the weapon at the bikers. At this point the bikers all attempt to flee and the video ends. While there seems to be no police report filed, a local police official familiar with the incident made a statement to The Sun. "After the first incident, that's when you get on the phone," said Sergeant Mike Lynch, suggesting that all parties involved could have made better decisions. "That's when you call 9-1-1." "We're looking at a woman who looks terrified for either a friend that was in the vehicle or a spouse of some sort maybe," Lynch continued. "We encourage the public to call about that type of reckless driving. It endangers all of us on the road, not just their own lives but everybody else that's out there." Related Video News Source: YouTube, The Sun Weird Car News BMW Driving Safety Motorcycle Videos Sedan road rage biker

BMW X3 ensnared by diesel emissions probe

Volkswagen may not be the only German automaker ensnared by this whole diesel debacle. The latest reports suggest that BMW could be guilty of the same offense. According to Bloomberg, citing a report from Germany's own Auto Bild magazine, the X3 could be over the European legal limit for emissions. The report suggests that a BMW X3 xDrive20d registered tailpipe emissions more than 11 times the limit under testing by the International Council on Clean Transportation. The council is the same that triggered the investigation into Volkswagen that led to the automaker's admission that it cheated on emissions tests for its diesel vehicles and the subsequent resignation of its chief executive. Volkswagen admitted to installing software that initiates additional emissions controlling measures when it detects that the vehicle is being tested. For its part, however, BMW denies that it has any such similar system in place, noting that many of its vehicles have passed testing by the same organization. Whatever the truth in BMW's case, it may not emerge unscathed. Bloomberg reports that the company's stock fell as much as 9.7 percent – the most it has lost in over four years – amid concerns that it could be implicated in the scandal as well. Shares in rival automaker Daimler also dropped by 5.8 percent. Volkswagen has already lost over $20 billion in market value in the midst of the scandal. The German government and European Union are considering implementing more restrictive standards and more thorough testing on diesel engines in order to prevent this sort of thing from recurring.