1997 Bmw 540i Base Sedan 4-door 4.4l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW reclaims US luxury sales crown from Mercedes

The numbers, they are in: BMW has reclaimed the luxury-sales crown from Mercedes by a margin of 9,347 cars. Mercedes donned the king's headgear in 2013 after a strong final quarter of 2013 when the new CLA and S-Class poured out of dealerships. This year, led by the 3 Series/4 Series and X5, BMW sold 339,738 units – a 9.8-percent increase year-on-year. Mercedes, led by the C-Class and M-Class, saw its sales go up by 5.7 percent to 330,391 units. We'll have to wait a bit to see if there's another registrations-vs-sales challenge as in 2012, when BMW was anointed US luxury ruler. Behind them, a dark horse named Lexus nudged closer to the leading Teutons, selling 311,389 cars. The Japanese luxury automaker also had the biggest gain among the top three, its sales rising by 13.7 percent compared to 2013. Audi had the biggest sales of anyone among the top five, though, with a 15.2-percent gain to 182,011, which moved it a spot ahead of Cadillac; the Wreath-and-Crest brand dropped 6.5 percent to 170,750. Acura (167,843), Infiniti (117,300), and Lincoln (94,474) took the final positions. Speaking of Lincoln, sales at the once-mighty luxury marque stand as the mightiest jump of any on this list, up 15.6 percent. That's the power of Matthew McConaughey... and better cars and a new crossover, sure. So now that we're back to Round One of 2015, in case no one else has said it yet: "Ok, fight!"

BMW X2 spied looking swirly

Generally, automakers really hate spy photos. They go to great lengths to disguise their cars, while engineers will do their damnedest to get away from spy shooters (or, you know, they just give them the bird). BMW, though, just doesn't seem to care about spies. That's the only reason to explain why our spy photographers were able to capture yet another X2 crossover undergoing testing on the sunny, autumnal German roads. Judging by the number plates, this is a different vehicle than the last couple of X2s we've spied, although it's camouflaged almost identically to last month's X2. This car does appear to have larger, sportier wheels than that blue prototype, although the similar bumpers has us thinking it's merely an optional wheel rather than the an M Sport model. Beyond that, though, there's not a lot to differentiate this X2 from previous sightings. Our spies continue to report that the X2 will echo the powertrain/drivetrain arrangement of the upcoming X1. It'll ride on that car's front-drive architecture, although like the X1, all-wheel drive will be optional in Europe and standard here in the US. The engine lineup, meanwhile, should include turbocharged triples, fours, and sixes, in both gas and diesel varieties. Here in the US, we'd expect the 28i and its 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder, at the very least. Considering the lifestyle angle of the X2, a more powerful 35i model would likely be a natural here in the US, but that's just conjecture. Have a look at the spy shots up at the top of the page. Related Video:

The 2017 Alpina B7 xDrive isn't as cool as the BMW M760i

Steve Ewing is good people, but when it comes to big BMWs, he talks nonsense. He argues, incorrectly, that the new Alpina B7 is somehow cooler than the new M760i. Here's why he's wrong. No surprise, but the bulk of the pro-M760i argument comes from under the hood. Yes, both cars produce 600 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, but it's where the power comes from that really matters. The M760i's power is just much more accessible, with peak torque coming in at just 1,500 rpm, while the Alpina makes owners wait until 3,000 rpm for max twist (a fact Ewing glosses over). The V12 also offers up all 600 horsepower at 5,500 rpm, 250 rpm earlier. Sure, the Alpina is 0.3 seconds faster to 60 miles per hour – it does the deed in 3.6 seconds to the M760's 3.9 seconds – but it relies on a tweaked transmission setup to do it. Not only that, but big automakers like BMW are usually quite conservative about performance figures, so it's still a bit early to hand a medal to the aftermarket. Here's the other thing about the engines – Nigel Tufnel would prefer the M760i. See, the Alpina has a 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8, but the M760i has a 6.6-liter, twin-turbo V12. To paraphrase Tufnel, "This one has a V12." We rest our case. Other changes between the two cars are largely in the eye of the beholder – we can talk about the transmission, suspension, and xDrive changes until we're blue in the face, but we simply don't have enough information about the two setups to make substantive arguments – some people might prefer the subtler styling of the M760i. We're not going to blame anyone for liking the more aggressive look of the Alpina, with its big, quad-tipped exhaust, meaty front splitter, or aggressive side sills. And those 21-inch Alpina wheels? Easily the coolest styling detail. You can get a closer look at them, and the Alpina's other changes, in our live gallery from the floor of the Geneva Motor Show. Related Video: Power, Dynamics and Luxury combined for class-leading performance and a superior driving experience – the all-new 2017 BMW ALPINA B7 xDrive. - Unique combination of high-performance drivetrain with 600 bHP and xDrive all-wheel drive system provide a 0-60 mph acceleration time of just 3.6 seconds. - Most advanced suspension and chassis technology with ALPINA calibration including for the first time Integral Active Steering for ultimate dynamics and comfort.