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BMW 225xe and 330e get official ahead of Frankfurt

BMW is going green at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show with the launch of the 225xe and 330e plug-in hybrids, but the Bavarians are spilling the beans about them early. The models are the latest to use Bimmer's eDrive tech that's derived from the i3 and i8. The modular system allows the automaker to roll out PHEVs through its range. For the new 225xe, eDrive makes for an all-wheel drive, PHEV version of the brand's usually front-wheel drive wagon. Other than the door hiding the charging point, the vehicle looks the same as other versions. Underneath the skin, it uses a 134-horsepower, 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder to spin the front-wheels through a six-speed automatic. An 87-hp electric motor with a 7.7-kWh lithium-ion battery turns the rear, and the result is a total system output of 221 hp and 284 pound-feet. BMW claims a sprint to 60 miles per hour in 6.7 seconds, but this 2 Series shines in fuel economy with between 112 and 118 miles per gallon on the European cycle. Multiple driving modes let the driver find the right mix of power and mileage, but the electric range is only 25 miles. Like the standard version, there's no chance of the 225xe coming here, but prices in Germany start at 37,800 euros ($42,050, at current rates) later this year. For buyers wanting BMW's iconic 3 Series as a PHEV, there's the 330e. Again, the only major styling difference is the charging door on the front fender. Its 87-hp electric motor and 181-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder both send power to the rear wheels. The result is a total system output of 248 hp and 310 lb-ft. The 330e maintains a 50-50 weight distribution, and fuel economy on the European cycle is rated between 112 and 124 mpg. Even with that efficiency, the 330e can get to 60 in 6.1 seconds. The 7.6-kWh lithium-ion battery allows for 25 miles of EV range, too. BMW's gargantuan press release goes into exhaustive detail about every technological element in the two new models. You can check out all of those details below ahead of the Frankfurt reveal, below. BMW eDrive – the latest generation. 1. BMW eDrive technology. Setting a new benchmark for efficiency. The innovative BMW eDrive technology in the new BMW 225xe and new BMW 330e once again underlines BMW's leading role in the premium segment when it comes to powertrain electrification. BMW eDrive technology includes a number of cutting-edge plug-in hybrid components and makes a significant contribution to reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe now more expensive than when new

At the end of the day, your friendly Autoblog editors are car guys, just like you. So, while we might have more of an opportunity to test some of the most interesting vehicles on the new car scene than does your average gear head, we can still be found whiling away those long afternoon hours looking at used cars and thinking about what could be.
Just the other day, we had a vivid reminder about one of our dream cars from the very recent past, the 2011 BMW 1 Series M Coupe. If you didn't catch it, Michael Harley had a great time testing and reviewing the new Dinan S3-R version of the car, which throws an impressively engineered turbo and suspension tune on a BMW that was damn near perfect out of the box.
In the Comments section of that review, a few savvy Autoblog readers pointed out that our estimated price for a used donor car, set at $50,000, was low. Odd, we thought, as the car retailed for less than $50k ($46,135) when it was new in 2011. So we started checking around.

2014 BMW X5 configurator goes live

BMW won't begin selling the 2014 X5 for another few months, but the German manufacturer has brought the third-generation SAV's configurator online, allowing interested customers to poke around and look at the X5's optional goodies.
Like the 3 Series, the X5 is available in a number of lines that load up extras automatically. There's also a do-it-yourself truck that allows owners to pick and choose if they're not enamored with the styling or trim of one of the dedicated packages. As usual, the options list is quite vast, regardless of which line is chosen. We were able to easily take the new, rear-drive X5 sDrive35i, which started at $52,800, and bring the total price up past $80,000.
The new X5 carries over its 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 from the current model, as well as BMW's excellent 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six. The X5 xDrive35d, with the 3.0-liter turbodiesel will also be available on the third-generation SUV, but won't hit dealers until early 2014. BMW is stepping outside of the X5's usual bounds, offering a dedicated rear-drive model, available with all the same trimmings as the xDrive vehicles. Head over to BMW's US consumer page and have a go.