2024 Bmw X3 Xdrive30i on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Check out the trick way you access the tire valve on this BMW Alpina B6

The wheels are one of the first things you notice when checking out the 2015 BMW Alpina B6 xDrive Gran Coupe. The 20-inch aluminum alloy rollers have 21 spokes that spray out from their hubs, creating one of Alpina's signature design features. But there's also plenty of function to go along with the stylistic form of this hotted-up BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe.
By rotating the Alpina roundel and unlocking the center hub, you gain access to the tire valve and bolts, which are hidden inside. They're literally kept under lock and key, and they protect your Alpina's wheels from the elements and theft. This unique center-fill system employing a hollow spoke isn't a new setup for the favored BMW tuner, but since Autoblog had one in our offices this week, we thought we'd take the opportunity to show the unique mechanism in case you haven't seen it before. Check it out in our brief video below.

BMW confirms limited i3 Electronaut Edition, says i5* is in development [UPDATE]

Jacob Harb, head of electric vehicle operations and strategy for BMW, is excited these days. He's got a lot to sort out as the company's first large-scale production electric vehicle, the i3. Extending Electronaut leases, arranging tens of thousands of EV test drives and making sure there will be enough of the little city cars in the US when customer deliveries will start in May. Oh, and he's already working on the next BMW EV, which we think is likely to be the i5. During the Detroit Auto Show this week, Harb declined to name the model (surprise) but he did tell AutoblogGreen, "You can probably take an educated guess at the next thought process, something a little bigger, maybe a little more range, relative to the i3. We've got everything trademarked and we're exploring the best, next iteration. It is coming. It's in development now." [See update below.] An i5 has been rumored for years, but Harb said he's flying to Munich next week to "start the discussions further" on BMW's next-gen EVs. The Electronaut Edition i3 is "a thank you to them for being part of this broad journey with us" - BMW's Jacob Harb But there's much more to do, given the upcoming i3 launch. For one thing, leases for the first participants in BMW's Active E electronaut program - which started in January 20121 - will end in the next week or so, and those who want to get an i3 – and an "overwhelming majority" have said they are interested - may get their leases extended so they don't have to revert back to a gas car in the meantime. BMW dealers will be able to start ordering the i3 in "the next few days" and the Active E Electronauts will get the first of those cars off the production line, "as a thank you to them for being part of this broad journey with us," Harb said. There will also be a special Electronaut Edition of the i3, that will be upgraded from the standard i3 at not cost. Harb wouldn't say what's different, just that the "options and features" will serve to identify the car from the outside. It will be "as unique and compelling as possible," he said, with details coming in the next few weeks. The i3 is already on sale in Europe, the company won't start making US-bound vehicles until March. Since there are no official i3 orders in the system yet, Harb didn't know exactly what the split will be between pure EV and the range extender version, but that his estimate is 50/50. He also wouldn't talk about production numbers, but did say that.

2015 BMW M4 Convertible Quick Spin [w/video]

Quite a while ago, we ran a story where our editors disclosed their guilty pleasure cars. There, I admitted my love for the ultra-comfortable Acura RLX. But I have another automotive guilty pleasure, and it's the BMW M4 Convertible, and the droptop M3 that came before it, as well. Whether it's an E46, E93, or the new F83 M4 model, I just love the idea of a droptop M car. It kind of goes back to my Lexus RC F review, where I posit that most consumers buy a car like this solely for the image. To the point of this car, if you're opting for a convertible, you're boldly throwing out any pretense that you bought this car for its performance. It's a different and far grander indulgence than something like a droptop Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, or even a Corvette, and that's especially the case with the new M4, as I found out after a week at the wheel. Driving Notes Anyone that's listened to me on the Autoblog Podcast knows I've been none too kind about the state of BMW's turbocharged M cars. In effect, they're too easy to drive. In older models, the narrow power band meant you needed to always keep an eye on the tach, lest you fall into a weak zone. But because today's turbocharged M engines are so damn torquey, you can simply mash the throttle, regardless of engine speed or gear, and zoom forward. That's mostly the case here, although with a 7,500-rpm redline, the M4 at least maintains the illusion that you have to keep the revs up. Power delivery is fast and immediate, capable of catapulting the M4 towards the horizon at even half throttle. But more than the brutal power delivery, this latest M entertains with a strange but familiar singing voice. It's an almost feral, straight-six howl, particularly high in the rev range. But because of the single-scroll turbochargers and today's sound-tuning sorcery, the noise here is far richer and complex than what you'd get in a naturally aspirated M car, like the old E46. The turbos hiss and spit, and wide-open-throttle upshifts come with a cackling snap from the quad-tipped exhaust. Despite my belief that M cars' manual transmissions are generally pretty lousy these days, the M4's gearbox is far better than what you'll find in an M5. The clutch is more forgiving than in the larger sedan, too. With a broad catchpoint and a linear action, it feels natural and intuitive to work.