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BMW 8 Series coming in 2020

As good as the BMW 7 Series may be – and trust us when we say it is very good indeed – it just can't compete with the marketplace juggernaut that is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, at least not where global sales are concerned. And with sales come profits, especially at the six-digit price point many of these high-end luxury cars sell for. Put simply, Mercedes is cashing in on the S-Class, and BMW wants a bigger piece of that pie. It comes as little surprise, then, that Autocar reports BMW is currently considering two proposals for a new 8 Series that would slot just above its current 7 Series. One option is the currently-en-vogue four-door coupe. The other option is a more traditional two-door coupe, likely with a cabriolet option. The last time we heard such rumors, BMW was dismissing them back in 2013. Whichever way BMW decides to take its 8 Series plans, Autocar suggests that a concept vehicle ought to hit the show circuit in sometime in 2018, with a production model following in 2020. The car would be based on the underpinnings of the latest 7 Series, with a price considerably less than the Rolls-Royce Ghost (which also falls under the BMW umbrella). Considering BMW's penchant for multiple model variants, we won't be surprised if all three options get the green light, with a Gran Coupe version standing as the flagship. With the 6 Series Gran Coupe currently priced just below the 7 Series (and at a hefty premium to a comparable 5 Series four-door), an 8 Series would likely brush up against $100,000 for a base price. That might not take much out of S-Class sales, but it would make some tidy profits for BMW. Related Video:

BMW seeks partners for electric Mini, could make it an all-EV brand

LOS ANGELES — Germany's BMW is talking with other automakers "around the world" to try to find partners to lower the cost of electrifying its future Mini small cars, management board member Peter Schwarzenbauer told Reuters. "We are talking to many OEMs (manufacturers) around the world, not only in China, (about) how to electrify smaller cars," Schwarzenbauer said. "There's no final conclusion on it." Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor said last month it was discussing a possible venture to build Mini vehicles in China. BMW currently does not build Mini vehicles outside Europe. Schwarzenbauer declined to discuss the Great Wall situation, saying "this was speculation." However, he said building smaller electric cars was challenging, not only because of the financial costs, but also the engineering problem of fitting batteries with sufficient range into a smaller vehicle package. BMW has worked with rivals before to share the costs of clean vehicle technology. The automaker has a partnership with Toyota to develop fuel cell vehicles. BMW has said it plans to launch a new, electric Mini model in 2019. Eventually, Mini could become an entirely electric brand aimed at urban consumers, Schwarzenbauer said. Mini sales in the United States have fallen 10 percent through the first 10 months of this year, as demand for many smaller cars has waned in favor of sport-utility vehicles and trucks. "It's really only in the U.S. where we are facing this with Mini," Schwarzenbauer said. BMW will not try to reverse that trend by adding larger SUVs to the Mini lineup, Schwarzenbauer said. Instead, he said, "the way for Mini in the U.S. is ... building the Mini brand in the direction of the electric urban mobility company." On a separate issue, Schwarzenbauer said BMW intended to offer a self-driving car planned to debut in 2021 at a price that could be below $100,000. The iNEXT model, which BMW previewed earlier this year, will be offered to individuals, ride services fleets and put into service in BMW fleets, Schwarzenbauer said. "By 2021, you will have a lot of people who want to own this car," he said. "It will be a normal price. We are thinking of scaling this. To bring a $150,000 electric car is nice, but it will not really scale." When it launches, the iNEXT may not be offered with complete, so-called Level 5, autonomy because the regulatory and legal frameworks for such a vehicle likely won't be in place, Schwarzenbauer said.

Jay Leno puts focus on some retro-inspired BMW bikes

Jay Leno puts eight wheels on display this week for Jay Leno's Garage from a quartet of retro-inspired BMW motorcycles. They are the creations of husband and wife team Larry and Carol Romestant, who build each one in their home garage.
Larry is a former aerospace engineer who loves BMW bikes, especially the K models. Now, he's combining his passion with a real talent for fabrication to build his own cycles with his wife. With Larry and Carol the only ones working on these projects, it takes them six to nine months to build each one. In addition to the old-school looks, the motorcycles are supposed to be a bit more user friendly than stock. For example, one of them ditches the standard five-speed gearbox in favor of a six-speed unit to be a little more comfy when cruising at high speeds.
Since there isn't enough time to take all four of them for a ride, Jay picks his favorite to test out on the open road. Scroll down to see which one he chooses.