2011 Bmw X5 M on 2040-cars

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This Or That: 1980 Oldsmobile 442 vs. 1989 BMW 635CSi [w/poll]

The last time I roped a coworker into an automotive debate, I lost. Resoundingly, I might add. Still, 2,385 voters chose to cast their lots for the Fiat 500 Abarth, as opposed to 5,273 choosing the Ford Fiesta ST, and so I can rest easy in the knowledge that at least 30 percent of you, dear readers, see things my way. I still like to think we have more fun, too.
My loss in the first round of our This or That series, in which two Autoblog editors pick sides on any given topic and then attempt to explain why the other is completely wrong, didn't stop me from picking another good-natured fight, this time with Senior Editor Seyth Miersma. Last time, our chosen sides were eerily similar in design, albeit quite different in actual execution. This time, our vehicular peculiarities couldn't seemingly fall any further from one another: A 1980 Oldsmobile 442 wouldn't seem to match up in comparison to a 1989 BMW 635CSi.
How did we come up with such disparate contenders? Simple, really. Seyth and I mutually agreed to choose a car that's currently for sale online. It had to be built and sold in the 1980s, and it had to be a coupe. The price cap was set at $10,000. The fruits of our searching labors will henceforth be disputed, with Seyth on the side of the Germans, and myself arguing in favor of the Rocket Olds. Am I setting myself up for another lopsided loss?

BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe gets Bang & Olufsen Individual edition [w/video]

Not content with a bit part on the options sheet, high-end sound gets a starring role on the BMW Individual 6 Series Gran Coupe Bang & Olufsen Edition. There's no technical difference between the 1,200-watt, 16-speaker High End Surround Sound System in this run of 6 Series Gran Coupes and the $3,700 system you can order as an option on the standard Gran Coupe, but the special edition gets brushed black aluminum finish speaker grilles, a first for the range.
The packages and colors are what set these apart, exteriors available in either Brilliant White Metallic or Dark Graphite II Metallic, interiors possible in either black or Opal White and black. You'll also get upgrades like the Cold Weather, M Sport Edition Packages on the non-M car, the Competition Package and Executive Package on the M, plus piano black wood trim, special floor mats and lots of B&O badging.
This isn't just a special edition, it's a limited edition, with BMW saying only 100 will be produced. Prices start at $116,240 for the 650i B&O Edition and top out at $152,423 for the M6 B&O Edition. There's a press release below with more details, and we've included a video on the stereo itself to help understand why it might deserve a car named after it.

See the BMW 3 Series morph through history in this animation

The BMW 3 Series is now over 40 years old, and the folks over at Donut Media have put together a very cool animation to commemorate its four decades on the road. The minute-and-a-half-long video shows some of the highlights of the 3er's career, with the side view morphing from the super-basic 1975 E21 316 to the Group 5 racecar based on the same chassis, and up to the current F80-body M3 in Austin Yellow, with stops along the way highlighting different body styles from each of the car's six generations. The color names are at least as interesting as the little info callouts scattered around the video, and the sound bites of racing commentary are a definite treat, so be sure to have your speakers on. Another plus is that you can halt the video between morphing and create some very weird looking BMWs. As a bonus, the creators offer posters of the iconic German cars. It's another clip in a series from Donut Media that brought us an earlier 911 evolution video, so be sure to watch that one as well for a quick automotive history recap. Donut Media is also asking for suggestions on what to morph next. You can leave your ideas in the YouTube comments. Related Video: News Source: Donut MediaImage Credit: Donut Media Auto News BMW Automotive History Racing Vehicles Classics Videos