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2016 BMW 7 Series slims down, techs up

BMW is finally pulling the wraps off its sixth-generation 7 Series. The flagship boasts a ton of improvements for 2016, including a smattering of onboard tech and weight reduction of 190 pounds. The 7 Series uses a new internal structure called Carbon Core. Derived from the i sub-brand, Carbon Core uses a mix of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic and ultra-high-tensile steel for the 7's major structural components. It's largely responsible for the 190-pound weight reduction, along with the aluminum doors and trunk lid. The weight savings has allowed BMW to maintain a fifty-fifty weight distribution. That new structure underpins the largest sedan BMW has ever produced. At 206.6 inches in total, the long-wheelbase-only 7 Series is over an inch longer than its predecessor. Its 124.6-inch wheelbase and 74.9-inch width, though, remain unchanged. Even with such a modest increase in size, BMW is claiming best-in-class rear legroom, at 44.4 inches – a tenth of an inch more than the current 7. Unlike the old car, though, this new 7 Series gets with the times in terms of chauffeur equipment. The front passenger seat can be slid forward and folded, allowing a lucky rear passenger to take advantage of the new pop-out footrest and optional 42.5-degree seat incline, available as part of the Rear Executive Lounge Seating Package. iDrive now adds a number of 3D sensors that respond to pre-programed hand motions. The 7 Series will debut here in the United States with two engines, both of which should be familiar to BMW consumers. There's a 320-horsepower, 3.0-liter, turbocharged six-cylinder in the nose of the 740i, and a 4.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 with 445 hp on tap in the 750i xDrive. 60 miles per hour arrives in a relaxed 5.4 seconds for the 740i and 4.3 seconds in the V8 model. Once again, ZF provides the eight-speed automatic transmission used with both engines. Joining the 740i and 750i is the new 740e xDrive. The plug-in-hybrid sedan is motivated by a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder and an electric motor, and is capable of 23 miles per charge and speeds of up to 75 miles per hour in pure electric mode. Tthere's no shortage of tech on the latest 7 Series. While we're familiar with some items, like active grille shutters and BMW's Air Breather system, it's items like the gesture-control-equipped iDrive 5.0 that pique our interest. Alongside the new and standard touchscreen, iDrive now adds a number of 3D sensors that respond to pre-programed hand motions.

Jalopnik and Consumer Reports see who can pull off the best snow drift

The weather throughout much of the United States is pretty awful at the moment with some combination of extremely low temperatures, inches of snow and maybe some ice underneath it all. The folks at Jalopnik and Consumer Reports are making the absolute best out of a difficult situation by heading to CR's snow-covered test track and attempting to make the longest drift in a quartet of very different performance vehicles. Jalopnik brought along a Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S Wagon, a Subaru WRX STI, a BMW 228i and a 1973 Volkswagen Baja Bug (heck yeah!) for the challenge. Also, the track was perfect for this group, with a mix of packed snow in places and still a few inches of unsullied powder in spots too. Ostensibly the goal was to get the tail to step out through a particular corner, but in reality this was more about having hilarious fun in the snow with fast cars. The result just looks like the best time humanly possible in this weather.

BMW preparing 'optimized driveline' for i3, provides more range

Autocar reports that BMW is preparing upgrades for the all-electric i3 that will greatly extend its range. Company sources called it an "optimized driveline," powered by a new, 22-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery. That's the same capacity as the battery in the current hatchback but it will have a higher density. Combined with improved electronics and new software for battery cooling and the electric motor, Autocar's unnamed BMW source said the new internals will be good for "well over 124 miles in real-world use." The Environmental Protection Agency rates the present i3 as having 81 miles of range, meaning this tweaked version would be a 50-percent improvement if that range number applies to the US market (it's likely the more lenient European number, since Autocar is a UK publication). BMW said the update takes advantage of gains in battery efficiency over the past two years. The i3 with the range extending engine would also get the update, and current owners will reportedly (and surprisingly) be able to purchase the revised powertrain for retrofitting. The Autocar report appears to back up a recent article in German newspaper Die Zeit in which BMW CEO Harald Kruger said the the i3 will get more range next year, and "Another technology leap is going to come in three or four years." The i3 was designed for to make these kinds of upgrades easy to manage. We wait to find out when it will be available, whether it will increase the price of a new car, and how much it will cost current owners to retrofit. Featured Gallery BMW i3 Shadow Sport Edition: LA 2015 News Source: Autocar via World Car FansImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Green BMW Hatchback Electric Luxury range anxiety bmw i3 rex