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2013 BMW M3 Coupe Lime Rock Park Edition

Sic Transit Gloria
I like difficult cars. I like turbo "moments," dramatic weight distribution, low-grip, peaky power delivery, and overly quick steering, along with ultra-short wheelbases and any number of other non-racecar-perfect dynamic foibles. I love the newest generation of BMW cars and engines - all turbo'd up with tons of torque and power everywhere in the rev range, too. But what I think the enthusiast community will miss when this 2013 M3 Coupe becomes the 2014 M4 Coupe - replacing its idiosyncratic, small-displacement, revvy V8 for something like a triple-turbo, directly injected, inline six-cylinder powerhouse in the process - is the work it takes to drive the car fast and perfectly. Sometimes small flaws just make things better; my mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun, and all that.
The idea of this E92 M3 going away then, magnified by the loss of the M3 badge for the coupe, is at best bittersweet for me. This generation of M car is already surpassed in terms of raw thrills by the better-than-ever Mercedes-Benz C63, a car that doesn't ask its driver to sacrifice low-end grunt or the very latest in amenities in return for stellar backroad performance. Yet any time I've been lucky enough to lap a track in the M3, it has quickly become clear that the Bimmer is the better on-edge tool. With the freedom to wring the neck of the 4.0-liter V8 and room to exercise the lovely balance of the car, the E92 is hard to match (even six years after its debut).

BMW Concept Roadster has two fewer wheels than we were expecting

The annual Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como is an opportunity for some of the most beautiful vehicles in the world to descend on one of the poshest places on earth each year. Unsurprisingly, the event is also increasingly the chance for automakers to debut exclusive concepts to some of the wealthiest auto enthusiasts in the world. In the last few years, BMW has become the masters of this annual unveiling with automotive concepts like the Gran Lusso Coupé, BMW Zagato Coupe and motorcycles like the the gorgeous Concept 90, not to mention the just-revealed Mini Superleggera Vision. But this year the Bavarian automaker has been somewhat tricky.
What would you first think when you heard of the BMW Concept Roadster? A lithe, two-seat convertible? Nope. This roadster is a cut-down, minimalist motorcycle with an ultra-modern design. As opposed to the retro looks of the Concept 90, this naked bike looks like it could fit in a BMW showroom tomorrow and not seem out of place.
The Concept Roadster packs the brand's classic two-cylinder boxer engine displacing 1,170 cubic centimeters and producing 123 horsepower and 92 pound-feet of torque. That power is routed to the rear wheel via a cardan drive, essentially a driveshaft, with a single-sided swing arm rear suspension. It's all nestled in a tubular spaceframe.

BMW M2, we're happy to see you

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of the BMW M235i and, well, I didn't love it. Sure, it's a great car, but I just didn't truly bond with it the way I have with previous M cars. What I had hoped for was a proper successor to the 1 Series M Coupe I fell in love with in 2011, but what I got instead was just a sporty 2 Series that didn't exactly stir my emotions in the same way.
But now there's this: the honest-to-goodness BMW M2. Previously, spy photographers captured a development-mule M2, but this is the real thing, in its full prototype body. Notice the aggressive front fascia that mimics the M3/M4, the more more robust wheel/tire package, and the M-standard quad exhaust outlets around back. This thing sure does look the business.
Details are slim as of this writing, but rumors suggest power will come from BMW's now-ubiquitous N55 turbocharged 3.0-liter six, with output somewhere in the 360- to 380-horspower range. The seven-speed M dual-clutch transmission seems like a good fit here, too. As does a six-speed manual transmission (here's hoping).