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BMW 4 Series Convertible basks in the sun

The BMW 4 Series Convertible will show its non-camouflaged face sometime later this year, but our spies recently caught this nearly naked prototype out getting some sun. As you'll recall, the droptop 4 Series replaces the 3 Series Convertible in the BMW range, and if our recent stint behind the wheel of the new 435i Coupe is anything to go on, this topless 4er should be quite a fun runabout for sun-drenched motoring.
To no one's surprise, the 4 Series Convertible shares all of its design with the 4 Series coupe, save, of course, the obvious roofectomy. Beyond that, the topless 2+2 will use the same engines and transmissions as the coupe, meaning it should arrive in the US in both 428i and 435i guises, powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four and 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, respectively. Both six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmissions will be available.
The car spied this time around has the full M Sport visual treatment, with the revised (and better-looking) front fascia, larger 19-inch wheels, and attractive Melbourne Red paint. Interestingly, it appears this prototype has the standard xenon headlamp setup, rather than the full-LED option that's also available.

BMW i8 could get 300-hp, 2.0L turbo-four

First and foremost, the long-rumored, high-performance BMW i8 will not be called the i8 M. While the lack of an M badge might be a disappointment, it's fair to say the performance of the new model likely won't be. AutoExpress claims BMW is developing a new 2.0-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder that will take the place of the i8's three-cylinder engine. Offering an even 300 horsepower, up from the current car's 228, total system power would sit around 450 ponies, thanks to the extra cylinder. The electric system won't be fettled with, though. If that still sounds modest, it's because it is – AE's source claims the i8 could handle another 300 hp. BMW would also make a concerted effort to at least maintain the current i8's weight, even with the extra heft of the 2.0-liter turbo to deal with. AutoExpress's source claims that BMW could skip the paint on certain exterior carbon-fiber elements while also offering a more focused, minimalist cabin to save even more weight. According to AE, this new model should arrive as early as 2016, which could result in a debut in Frankfurt this September, Los Angeles in November, or even Detroit, in January.

BMW reveals M4 safety car with innovating water injection system [w/video]

Racing series don't just pick their safety cars at random, or use just whatever car is lying around. These days the car that sets the pace at the front of the pack is typically provided through consideration by a sponsor. In the MotoGP series, that's BMW and its M division, which have served up the Official Car of MotoGP since 1999. What you're looking at is the latest, and it packs some innovative technology on board. Aside from the matte black wrap with BMW's iconic striped livery, upgraded aero kit, retrofitted interior and emergency equipment, this BMW M4 coupe packs a new injection system under the hood. Only instead of injecting fuel, it injects water into the combustion chamber – something that wouldn't usually be recommended, but BMW insists actually aids in the combustion process. The idea is that the temperature of the air being mixed with the fuel inside the engine is usually hotter than ideal, so the system injects a fine mist of water into the collector in order to reduce the air's temperature... sort of like one of those hydrating misters at an amusement park or outdoor mall, but in an even hotter environment. The system brings the temperature of the air down to a more optimal temperature, helping it combust better. The process is said to yield a number of positive effects. For one, it reduces knocking. For another, it can make more out of lower-octane fuel where higher octane isn't available. It also can control the adverse effects of higher ambient temperature on the combustion process. But most of all, it increases output and reduce fuel consumption by around eight percent. Whether that eight percent is worth the added weight of the system – particularly with water pump and a 1.3-gallon tank in the trunk – is up for debate. But we'd imagine that the Bavarian engineers have weighed very carefully. Of course there's also the matter of refilling the water tank, which BMW says would be carried out whenever the safety car is refueled, but in real-world conditions would only necessitate attention once every five top-ups at the gas station. By now you might have guessed that BMW probably didn't develop this system just for the MotoGP safety car, and isn't planning on keeping it confined to the racetrack. Instead it's being tested and demonstrated on the safety car before being rolled out on production models in the future.