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BMW wheels out single-cylinder G 310 R motorcycle

BMW makes a lot of motorcycles, including cruisers, enduros, off-roaders, sport bikes, and scooters. The one thing it hasn't done is a single-cylinder motorcycle with less than half a liter of displacement. But that all changes with the arrival of the G 310 R. Previewed by the Concept Stunt G 310 revealed last month in Brazil, the new G 310 R is BMW Motorrad's first sport bike with an engine smaller than 500cc. Though developed in Germany, the G 310 R is built in India around a new liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine displacing just 313 cc. That tiny cylinder does boast four valves, along with dual overhead camshafts and electronic fuel injection. It makes 34 horsepower and 21 pound-feet of torque. The engine is nestled into a compact tubular steel frame. It features a single headlamp up front, a molded fuel tank, 17-inch wheels, disc brakes with ABS, and aggressive styling. It all weighs just 350 pounds, with a seat that's less than 31 inches off the ground. Along with the G 310 R, BMW also revealed an electric motorcycle concept based on the S 1000 RR. That one you can check out on Autoblog Green. For a closer look at the G 310 R, you'll want to peruse the extensive image gallery above, and for further details, the press release below. BMW Motorrad G 310 R The new BMW G 310 R – the first BMW roadster under 500 cc. One cylinder, low weight, powerful dynamic performance – the BMW G 310 R embodies the pure essence of a BMW roadster: it has neither too little nor too much of anything. Pragmatic in the best sense of the word, it offers precisely what is needed – for dynamic performance and comfort, both in town and out in the country. The BMW G 310 R takes these essential qualities into a capacity segment that is new to BMW Motorrad. As a genuine BMW roadster it masters a range of disciplines: it is just as happy winding its way nimbly and flexibly through the narrow streets of a city as it is travelling supremely and powerfully along country roads. And thanks to its exceptionally low level of fuel consumption and a relaxed, comfortable seating position, it offers the welcome capability of being able to cover a long distance at a time. At home on the roads of the world. Newly conceived from scratch, the G 310 R represents everything BMW Motorrad stands for: innovation, quality and of course many years of carefree partnership with its owner.

More automakers working to turn your smartphone into a shareable digital car key

The smartphone killed the phone book, audio player, the pocket digital camera, handheld GPS devices and voice recorders. Now that addictive, transistor-filled candy bar is coming for your car keys. The Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) announced that it's unveiled Digital Key Release 1.0 Specification for its member companies, which is the first step in standardizing protocols. As of now, the potential is there for drivers to download a digital key that can lock and unlock the car, start it, and transfer the key to another operator in order to share the car. The CCC's aim is to save development costs, stave off a glut of similar-yet-competing technologies, and create keys that reflect the expanded use cases for cars, i.e., car-sharing services and to-your-car delivery. Next year's Release 2.0 Specification will standardize an authentication protocol between the phone and the vehicle — how a digital key is generated on a secure server and transmitted to the car and the device — and "promise more interoperability between cars and mobile devices." The CCC says that "NFC distance bounding and a direct link to the secure element of the device" will assure security. We take that to mean the phone will need to be in direct contact with the vehicle, at least to open the door. Carmakers and suppliers have been working on digital keys for years now, and the ecosystem for individual owners to open individual cars is growing. Audi showed off its Mobile Key at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show, and now calls it Audi Connect Key, but we haven't seen much of it in the field. That same year, Volvo said it expected to sell cars with digital keys only by 2017, which clearly didn't happen. Last year, the head of sales at BMW asked, "Honestly, how many people really need [keys]? They never take it out of their pocket, so why do I need to carry it around?" Even though a digital key offers an owner more convenience and long-distance control over their vehicle, car sharing is the target — and that can even include traditional rental cars. In 2013, Continental began testing a digital key in France, aimed at integrating and simplifying the electric-car-sharing business; everything from finding a free vehicle to driving it and charging it could be done on a phone. A key could be programmed with the driver's information, so that any car the driver gets in will be automatically updated with that driver's preferences, say for audio or seating position.

BMW doubles i8 production to meet demand

They're not exactly Ford F-150 pickup truck numbers, but global sales of the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid are spurring the German automaker to step up the supercar's pace of production. As rumored, Bimmer, which has been pretty happy with sales of its i3 electric vehicle, is going to double the production pace of the i8. BMW's Germany factory will now put out about 20 i8 vehicles a day, Automotive News Europe says. That should cut down the wait time for the model, which started sales in both Europe last June and in the US two months later. Right now, buyers have to wait about four months to get their i8 plug-in vehicles, Automotive News Europe says, citing German outlet Automobil Produktion. Given that the cars retail for $135,000, we suspect these are people who probably aren't accustomed to wait for much. In January, BMW said that it sold almost 18,000 i3 and i8 plug-in vehicles last year globally, with about a third of those going to the US. Specifically, BMW moved 555 units of the i8 last year (and the vehicle was really only available for about five months) and another 198 through February. Through February, Bimmer also moved 1,759 units of the i3. Related Videos: Featured Gallery 2015 BMW i8: First Drive View 62 Photos News Source: Automotive News Europe - sub.req. via Automobil Produktion Green Plants/Manufacturing BMW Electric PHEV ev sales