1988 Bmw 5-series M5 on 2040-cars

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BMW says 80 percent of i3 plug-in EV buyers come from other brands

BMW is feeling continued good vibes from its recently launched i sub-brand of plug-in vehicles. The German automaker, which started selling its i3 battery-electric vehicle in Europe late last year, is finding better-than-expected demand for both the i3 and the i8 plug-in hybrid, Automotive News Europe says, citing an interview with BMW executive Ian Robertson. The i3 is attracting a lot of new blood, too. Robertson said about 80 percent of new i3 owners were not previously Ultimate Driving Machine loyalists, indicating the curiosity factor for the company's new plug-in models runs high, Robertson says. BMW has sold more than 3,000 i3 vehicles since debuting the model in Europe last November. In April, the company boosted daily production of the i3 from its German factory to about 100 units from 70. Read more from Robertson here. Europe's largest markets for the i3 are the UK, Germany and Norway. In the US, BMW sold 336 i3 vehicles in May, its first month of sales here. The i3 was recently rated to go 81 miles on a single charge when it has an electric engine only. When equipped with gas-powered range-extender, the car can go 72 miles on a single charge and another 78 on gas. Check here for our First Drive impressions of the i3.

Revised 2015 BMW 6 Series family shows its tweaked face to the world [w/video]

BMW is unwrapping refreshed versions of its luxurious 6 Series family for the 2015 model year, and the range features some styling tweaks inside and out, along with new standard tech. The biggest change for 2015 is a redesign at the front end to make the 6 look even sharper than before. Only BMW superfans might notice one of the reasons why, though. There are now nine slats in the kidney grille instead of 10 to create larger openings. In addition, all versions get standard Adaptive full-LED headlights with a slightly more angular shape. They're joined by new side mirrors with integrated indicators in thin strips of lights. Lower down, a revised front air dam boasts a tweaked design and LED foglights at each top edge. Updated side window surrounds are exclusive to the four-door model and feature the Gran Coupe name embossed into them near the rear doors. Buyers of any of the models can choose among a palette of new colors including: Jatoba metallic, Cashmere Silver metallic, Glacier Silver metallic, Mediterranean Blue metallic and Melbourne Red metallic. For 2015, the interior revisions are subtle. There's high-gloss black trim covering the center console, and LEDs are used for some lighting. Navigation, heated front seats, two-zone climate control, dynamic cruise control and heated exterior mirrors all come standard for all models, though. If the regular leather doesn't suit you, then there are now Ivory White/Black and Cognac/Black two-tone Nappa options. Mechanically, the 6 Series family carries over from last year. That gives the 640i a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six making 315 horsepower and the 650i a turbo 4.4-liter V8 with 445 hp. The M6 carries over its 560-hp version of the V8, too. Standard models get an eight-speed automatic with optional all-wheel drive, and the M has a seven-speed dual-clutch. If all this isn't enough for some buyers, there are also two new optional packs. The Black Accent Package adds high-gloss black parts for the grille, window surrounds and pipes, plus includes Cognac/Black leather inside with wood trim. The M Sport Edition brings an M body kit, steering wheel and 20-inch wheels, along with cabin additions like a leather dashboard, ventilated seats and soft-close doors. Read all the details about the latest crop of 6 Series models in BMW's verbose press release below, and while you're there, check out an official BMW video.

BMW V8-powered Ford Model A is the definition of Hot Rod

Today, hotrodding has a pretty staid definition. Take one classic American car, add one classic American V8, sprinkle with tire smoke and you pretty much have every hot rod to roll out of a shop in the last 40 years. Mike Borroughs knows it wasn't always this way. Once upon a time, getting your bucket to go faster meant grabbing whatever parts were lazing about the yard, bolting them together with a bit of ingenuity and laughing your way down the quarter mile. It's in that spirit that Burroughs built his 1928 Ford Model A.
Rather than turn to the tired flathead or the common Chevrolet small block, Burroughs plucked a 4.0-liter V8 from a 1995 BMW 7 Series. With 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque, the engine has no trouble shuffling the old A around town. He had to build a custom chassis to get everything to cooperate, but the result is a 1,500-pound heathen that looks built to harass dry lake beds. You can check it out in the video below. Be warned, the soundtrack by Hanni el Khatib may not be safe for work - awesomeness of this caliber rarely is.