2006 Bmw X5 4.4l 282hp V8, Premium & Cold Packages, 1 Owner, Very Clean! on 2040-cars

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BMW and Mini getting GoPro integration

The small, high-quality and relatively inexpensive GoPro camera has been revolutionary for Internet video, especially of cars. Imagine how much awesomeness and hilarity we would have missed without them. Finding ways to integrate the cams into performance cars is becoming increasingly popular among automakers, as well. For example, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette has its Performance Data Recorder, and Volkswagen is giving GoPros to early buyers of the 2015 GTI. BMW Group is going straight to the source for its rendition, though, with a new app that allows drivers to control a GoPro from inside of some BMW and Mini vehicles.
In July, owners with 2012 or later models equipped with BMW Apps or Mini Connected can download the new app. There are a few hurdles to jump over, though. Not only do users need a model with the infotainment system, a WiFi-equipped GoPro camera is also required. The app also must be installed on an iPhone connected to the vehicle.
Once all of those stipulations are met, the app can configure and control the GoPro through iDrive and display a nearly live image on the infotainment system. Menus are simplified on-screen but still allow users to select among six camera modes, aim it and start and stop recording. While filming, it shows recording time, battery life and signal strength. While BMW's approach isn't quite as nicely integrated as the Corvette's solution, it's interesting to see automakers working to make filming easier. Scroll down to read the full announcement.

Dashcam catches oblivious car thief in the act

A car thief from North London became an overnight internet sensation when he was recorded making a phone call by a car's dashcam. According to The Guardian, an unidentified car thief stole the BMW i3 in the early hours of February 7. As he drove through the nearly deserted streets of the London borough of Enfield, he made a phone call to someone who may have been a potential buyer for the car. Unbeknownst to the thief, the car's dashcam was recording the entire time. The thief describes the car to the person on the other end of the call and tells them where he planned to park it – at his flat near North Middlesex Hospital. "Listen, I ain't never been in a car like this," the thief told his customer. "This car, will leave, anything for dust! It is off! It can move!" he shouts off-camera. He's not wrong. The little BMW i3 packs a electric motor that generates 125 kilowatts, or 170 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque in internal-combustion terms. The thief never got the chance to unload the car, however. The next day the car's owner located it via GPS tracking data and recovered his vehicle without incident. Dinah Rose, a friend of the BMW's owner, uploaded the dashcam footage to YouTube and tweeted about it on May 15. The video immediately went viral, garnering nearly 50,000 views in twenty-four hours. Since the vehicle was recovered without incident, London Metropolitan Police have no plans for further action or to track down the thief's identity. According to the Metropolitan Police's London crime figures, more than 71,000 motor vehicle crimes were reported in the city between March 2015 and March 2016. Of those reported crimes, 2,753 were reported in the borough of Enfield, where this incident occurred. Motor vehicle crimes are defined by the Metropolitan Police as theft of and from vehicles. Related Video:

BMW spotted testing new 5 Series Gran Turismo

As previously reported, BMW is going ahead with a second-generation 5 Series Gran Turismo, no matter how silly the first generation of the sedan-cum-hatchback-cum-wagon may be. These are our first spy photos of that new vehicle, which is still on track for a late 2016 debut. Perhaps the best thing we can say about the next 5GT is that it won't be quite so hunchbacked. The seven images provided by our spy photographer show a car with a profile that's far more svelte than the bulbous entry on offer today. The roofline, in particular, is more aggressively raked at the rear and there's a proper, distinguished rear deck, as well. Part of what makes today's 5 Series GT look so bizarre is the combination of an almost fastback tail with a very tall decklid height. While the updated model still features that high rear – you can actually see where the beltline kicks up at the rear quarter window – the fastback styling has been softened so that it doesn't look quite so bizarre. The new Gran Turismo should also be a much better steer than the 5GT currently on offer. Our spies report that this next-gen model will be significantly lighter, which is something we can always get behind. Engine options will consist of gas, diesel, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid, as is the trend, although specifics aren't quite available yet. Spitballing, though, it's almost a guarantee that the next 5GT will share the 5 Series sedan's engine lineup. Expect a number of carryover engines there – 2.0-liter turbo four, 3.0-liter turbo six, 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8, and 3.0-liter diesel, probably – along with a plug-in hybrid option, although nothing's been confirmed so far. With an official debut slated for late next year, either Paris or Los Angeles seem like a logical debut location.