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These BMW M6 GTLM racing liveries are great

This weekend we'll see a whole new crop of racing machinery line up for the start of the 24 Hours of Daytona, including the new BMW M6 GTLM. So far we've only seen it in flat black, but now the Bavarian automaker has revealed two special liveries for the two cars it will be fielding in the race this weekend. The number 25 car features a throwback livery that reinterprets BMW's classic racing stripes of red, dark blue, and light blue over white bodywork. It's designed to be reminiscent of – and even features images of – legendary racing machinery from the Roundel marque's history. Those include the 3.0 CSL that wore the same number when it took the company's first win in the US at Sebring in 1975, the M1 sports car from the early 1980s, the V12 LMR that scored BMW's only Le Mans victory to date in 1999, and the M3 GT that dominated the American Le Mans Series in 2011. The second car features a more futuristic livery, wearing the number 100 to mark the automaker's centenary and a multicolor lattice design applied with a luminescent 3D-effect reflective vinyl on a white body. They'll both be fielded by BMW Team RLL, a partnership between the manufacturer and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (of Indy fame), which took a class win at Laguna Seca last year. The new M6 GTLM replaces the previous Z4 GTLM and will proliferate across racing grids in motorsport series around the world following its race debut this weekend. But it won't be the only new piece of racing kit turning a wheel in anger for the first time at Daytona; the new Ford GT and Ferrari 488 GTE will be competing in the GT Le Mans class alongside proven competition machinery. BMW Team RLL reveals 100th anniversary livery for the BMW M6 GTLM race cars in Daytona. Daytona (US), 27th January 2016. BMW Team RLL today revealed two commemorative 100th anniversary liveries for the new BMW M6 GTLM race cars, with which Bobby Rahal's (US) team will compete in the 24 Hours of Daytona (US). The race forms the first round of the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship (IWSC). The number 25 car sports a look reminiscent of the iconic BMW 3.0 CSL, which contested its first season of racing in North America back in 1975 and claimed the first victory in Daytona 40 years ago. The second BMW M6 GTLM will race with the number 100. To mark BMW's 100th anniversary this year, its livery looks to the future.

Recharge Wrap-up: VW exec predicts EVs with 375-mile range

Volkswagen says EV ranges over 300 miles aren't too far in the future. Plug-in hybrids are merely a bridge to all-electric mobility becoming more practical for people who need to travel longer distances, according to Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neusser, Volkswagen's head of powertrain development. Energy density is increasing rapidly in new batteries. Speaking about the e-Golf, Neusser says, "I expect the next generation in 2015-17 will increase to around 300 km [186 miles] and the following step will be around 500-600 km [310-372 miles]." Neusser also says he believes that charging infrastructure will improve to catch up with these more advanced batteries. Read more at Motoring. BMW is offering higher incentives for the all-electric i3 than the range-extended version. More buyers are opting for the i3 REx, with its 78 extra miles of range. So, to move the standard i3 (which is already cheaper), BMW is offering $2,000 in incentives for October - double what is offered for the i3 REx. The added incentives help close the price gap between the BMW and other EVs with similar ranges. The deals won't last long, though. According to New Jersey BMW salesman Manny Antunes, BMW's current incentives are "as aggressive as they're going to get" for a while. Read more at Green Car Reports. Honda is changing its research and development process for all cars after a series of Fit Hybrid recalls. The hybrid version, which makes up more than half of all Fit sales in Japan, was the subject of four recalls within nine months. In response, Honda will change the way it develops cars worldwide, with one extra "gate" to pass in the process. Honda will do prototype testing earlier in the research process to see how separately developed components work together before moving onto the car's development phase. It will add time and cost to making cars, but Honda hopes it will help prevent problems - like those that come with a flurry of recalls - down the road. Read more at Automotive News. Featured Gallery 2015 Honda Fit Hybrid View 16 Photos Related Gallery 2014 Volkswagen e-Golf: Frankfurt 2013 View 15 Photos Related Gallery 2014 BMW i3: First Drive View 33 Photos News Source: Motoring, Green Car Reports, Automotive NewsImage Credit: Honda Green Plants/Manufacturing BMW Honda Volkswagen Electric Hybrid recharge wrapup

BMW recalling 140,000 electric Mini Cooper SEs for battery issue

BERLIN — German automaker BMW is recalling electric Mini Cooper SE vehicles due to problems in their batteries, which could potentially affect more than 140,000 autos worldwide.  Included in the recall are 12,535 Mini SEs sold in the United States. Around 39,000 vehicles could be affected in Germany, the company said in a statement on Monday, adding that there are no known accidents or injuries caused by the problem. Problems in the battery system can lead to overheating. "A vehicle fire, even when the vehicle is parked, cannot be ruled out," the statement said. There was such a "thermal event" in the U.S. in October 2023, then another in Germany in January 2024. Both have been under investigation. BMW will install a software update in the EVs. The update contains a diagnostic function that will recognize a malfunction of the battery and alerts the driver. The NHTSA recall statement says the software will then somehow discharge the battery to less than a 30% state of charge. Customers who received the message are asked to visit a Mini partner, the company said.