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2014 BMW Z4 sDrive35is

The BMW Z3/Z4 roadster has never really had a widespread following because it has either been too humble and small a roadster (albeit with some fun and very low-volume M editions) or it has been - in this E89 generation - too casual an image leader with no racier aspirations. The current 480-hp Z4 GTEs don't count, since they are as stock a Z4 as today's Pamela Anderson is the same blonde actress we knew as Heidi on Home Improvement. You know, sort of like those ever-so-slightly modified Toyota Camry coupes competing in NASCAR.
The ultimate highpoint for the BMW Z roadster franchise was at the very start of its life in the mid-90s, in the James Bond film GoldenEye with Pierce Brosnan. The Stinger missiles that Q's team installed behind the Z3's headlights were never fired, and BMW never even offered this self-defense package as an option. Yet another case of the ol' bait and switch.
And in all these subsequent years of Z3s and Z4s strutting their long-hooded stuff, the little sporting Bimmer could really have used a live Stinger missile or two to spice things up. The current Z4 exists, it is pretty dang sexy, and BMW seems content to let it linger there. We just drove the new midlife version of the roadster near BMW headquarters in Munich, and it served to reinforce our feelings.

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.

New BMW M3 and M4 Competition Package to cost $5500

Can't decide between a standard BMW M4 or the bonkers new GTS? The Bavarian automaker has split the difference with the launch of the new Competition Package available for the M3 sedan, M4 coupe, or M4 convertible. Under the hood, BMW M GmbH upped the output from the 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six from 425 horsepower to 444 – neatly bridging the gap to the 493-hp M4 GTS, and not limited to just the coupe. The power boost nets an improvement in the 0-60 time of 0.1 seconds, so if you apply it to an M3 sedan or M4 coupe with the 7-speed DCT, you'll be rocketing to 60 in just 3.8 seconds. At the other end of the spectrum, an M4 convertible with the comp pack and the manual gearbox takes 4.1 seconds for the same sprint. The M division also fitted an active suspension and diff, 20-inch forged alloys, and staggered tires. Vehicles fitted with the package can be visually distinguished by their black chrome tailpipes and glossy black trim. Fixed-roof examples also benefit from new seats, which the convertible has to forgo. So while it'll cost $5,500 to fit the Competition Package to a sedan or coupe, the cost for the convertible falls to a nice, round $5,000. Related Video: New Competition Package Amps Up The BMW M3 And M4. Woodcliff Lake, N.J.: January 13, 2016 6:00 pm EST...The BMW M3 Sedan, M4 Coupe and M4 Convertible are already regarded as the perfect combination of high-performance sports car engineering with unrestricted everyday utility. From spring 2016, all three body styles will be available with a special Competition Package from BMW M GmbH that combines added sporty personality with enhanced dynamics. As well as extensive handling upgrades, the Competition Package also comes with additional equipment features and a hike in power that takes output to 444 hp. The extra power means improved performance. The BMW M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe with optional 7-speed M Double Clutch Transmission (M-DCT) sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds (without Competition Package: 3.9 sec.), while the BMW M4 Convertible reaches the same speed in 4.1 seconds (without Competition Package: 4.2 sec). The sprint time for models with the standard 6-speed manual transmission is likewise 0.1 seconds faster in all cases than without the package.