Low Miles, Manual Trans. 500 Hp Clean Autocheck, Triple Black, 1 Owner 5.0l 10 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Finalists for 2014 Green Car of the Year announced

The list of finalists for the 2014 Green Car of the Year has been announced, and in a genuinely bizarre twist, there's only one hybrid and no electric vehicles among the five contestants, despite the arrival of cars like the BMW i3 and Tesla Model S. Taking the place of the EVs are a pair of diesels, repping a technology that last won a Green Car of the Year award in 2009, when the Audi A3 TDI took the title. No diesel was in the running for last year's award.
Naturally, both of the diesel finalists are fielded by the Germans - with BMW's 328d and Audi's A6 TDI getting the nod. In the case of the 3 Series, BMW installed a 2.0-liter, turbodiesel, capable of delivering 180 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, while returning 45 miles per gallon on the highway. Audi and its larger, 3.0-liter, V6 turbodiesel produce quite a bit more grunt, with 240 hp and 428 lb-ft of grunt, but net a very impressive 38 mpg on the highway in the A6.
Finalists for this year's awards include two diesels, three gas-powered cars and a plug-in hybrid.

BMW X7 to follow Volvo's lead with four-seat, $100k limo

That BMW is planning an X7 crossover is nothing new. The company needs a three-row model to cap its crossover range and take on the Mercedes GLS and Audi Q7, and the current X5 can only take it so far. But according to Automotive News, the Bavarian automaker is planning an even more luxurious version – with fewer seats. The ultra-luxe X7 variant is slated to arrive as the latest embodiment of a new trend emerging among upscale automakers. You make a seven-seat SUV, then rip out the second and third rows, replace them with a pair of first-class recliners, and presto! You have a high-riding limousine. Volvo recently took that approach with the introduction of the XC90 Excellence, and Mercedes may soon adopt a similar formula with the anticipated Maybach version of the GLS. Now BMW appears to be following suit as well. Like the XC90 Excellence, the X7 limousine would carry a price tag in excess of $100,000, and for all that scrap, buyers could expect all the luxury accoutrements that Munich has to offer. Look for reclining seats, acres of legroom, infotainment displays mounted to the front seatbacks, and a center console packed with temperature-controlled cupholders, folding tables, and maybe even a bottle cooler. Like the anticipated 9 Series sedan, the X7 limo would help BMW bridge the gap between its core range and its Rolls-Royce line, which is soon to launch a crossover of its own – albeit unrelated to the X7 – to compete in an even higher market segment. Though these rearward-focused luxury crossovers may be targeted especially at the Chinese market – where titans of industry are chauffeured through densely packed city streets – the X7 is anticipated to be built right here in the USA at the plant in Spartanburg, SC. It won't be the only new crossover joining the Roundel marque's lineup, though. A new X2 is anticipated to apply the same format we've seen on the X6 and X4 to the smaller X1. At this rate, we wouldn't be surprised to see a super-sized, slant-backed X8 to follow as luxury automakers make a growing share of their profits from crossovers. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2014 BMW X5 View 35 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: BMW BMW Crossover Luxury bmw x7

BMW could add all-electric Mini, X3 SUV

BMW's Mini sub-brand will add a battery-electric variant as the company looks to meet stricter emissions mandates around the world, according to an interview Bloomberg News conducted with CEO Harald Krueger. BMW is also planning an all-electric version of its X3 SUV and may start greening up models as large as its 7 Series sedan, though that prospect is far cloudier. The all-electric Mini will be available to the public as soon as 2019, while the battery-electric X3 SUV will likely start sales the following year. BMW didn't offer specifics about how much those models would cost or far they will be able to travel on a full electric charge, with Krueger only saying single-charge ranges would be "competitive" with other all-electric models. BMW this summer upgraded the battery in its i3 electric vehicle and boosted its single-charge range by about 40 percent to 114 miles. As for demand for BMW's i sub-brand vehicles, US sales of the i3 through September fell 27 percent to almost 5,800 vehicles, while sales of the i8 plug-in hybrid are down 19 percent to about 1,100 units, BMW said on Monday. Meanwhile, word got out earlier this year that BMW may dedicate the Rocketman concept hatchback as Mini's entrant to the electric-vehicle sector. BMW actually used a Mini as its first electric testing vehicle. The Mini E was produced in 2009 and 2010 before giving way to the BMW ActiveE, which was actually a converted 1-Series vehicle. Eventually, BMW started producing the i3. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mini Rocketman Concept View 25 Photos News Source: Bloomberg News Green BMW MINI SUV Electric