2011 Bmw Z4 Sdrive30i Convertible 3.0l In Black Sapphire With 12k Miles on 2040-cars

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BMW 2 Series Convertible goes for a drive in the cold

The BMW 2 Series is the car that will eventually replace the 1 Series here in the United States (remember: the 1 Series moniker will live on to describe the hatchback models in other markets), and while we've seen the new coupe out on the prowl, we're now seeing the droptop version out on the road. We don't have much information about the new 2er models, only that they are expected to bow sometime in 2014.
Dimensionally, the new 2 Series convertible looks very similar in size to its outgoing 1 Series kin, with things like the roofline and roof shape looking nearly identical. Of course, reworked front and rear fascias are immediately noticeable, and judging by what little we can see, it appears as though the small BMW will take many of its design cues from the larger 3 Series rather than the oft-awkward-looking 1 Series hatch that's currently available in Europe.
Assuming things are still on track for 2014, we won't rule out a possible debut in Geneva, though the Frankfurt expo in September makes even more sense.

BMW releases complete pricing info on M3 and M4

When BMW unveiled the M3 and M4 at the Detroit Auto Show back in January, we told you that the new sportsters were starting at $62,000 and $64,200, respectively. That leaked info, though, only told a small part of the story for the new M cars. Now, we have the complete pricing sheet on the new coupe and sedan, direct from BMW.
The pricing intel that we had at the time was correct - prices start at $62,000 for four doors and $64,200 for two. Those prices don't include the $925 destination charge. Potential customers should also plan on spending an extra $550, as seven of the eight paint options are of the metallic variety. BMW's trademark Alpine White is the only no-cost paint option.
As for the cabin, customers will, interestingly, have the choice of a cloth/leather combination as standard. That's in addition to the standard suite of leather options. There are also extended leather and full leather options, for $950 and $3,500, respectively. There are three option packages available, covering all the extra goodies for the M3 and M4.

The next-generation BMW M5 starts here

The next-generation BMW 5 Series hasn't even arrived yet, but BMW is hard at work testing the hottest version of the popular sedan – the sixth-generation M5. Now admittedly, these photos might not look much like an M5. The wheels are big, but not uncommonly so. There's no wild and crazy body kit, or hugely flared wheel arches. But what's that in the back? Are those four exhaust tips? Why yes, yes they are. And take a second look at those wheels. Notice the pizza-pan-sized brakes and huge calipers? Yet another M5 giveaway. But as our spies rightly point out, even though this does represent development work on the next M5, it's a very early prototype. That could also explain the charge port on the driver's side front fender, a feature that we've seen on other 5 Series prototypes. This does not mean the next M5 will be a plug-in hybrid, however. What the next M5 will likely be, though, is all-wheel drive. This isn't a huge surprise, considering that the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG has already gone AWD, while the Porsche Panamera Turbo and Audi RS6/7 have always had four driven wheels. BMW has even hinted at just such a development, with former M boss Dr. Friedrich Nitschke going as far as saying AWD could arrive on the next M5. "On our cars we are thinking of all-wheel drive, but it won't come before we get the successor of the M5 and M6," Nitschke said in an October 2013 report. "That's the timing and it's not practical to react in the current life cycles." At this point, it's simply too early to guess at when or where the next-generation M5 will debut. We're expecting the next-gen 5 Series at either the 2016 Geneva Motor Show or Auto China 2016 in Beijing. The next M5 could join it, although it's possible it'd get its very own debut at a later date.