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BMW prices M2 at $52,695, X4 M40i at $58,795

BMW announced pricing for both the M2 and X4 M40i during the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. The M2 will be the slightly more attainable of the two, priced at $52,695 (including the $995 destination charge). That's about the price of a base Porsche Cayman, and represents a $7,550 premium over the price of the next-step-down M235i ($45,145 delivered). For that much scratch, you get a 2 Series coupe amped up with a 3.0-liter turbo six good for 365 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque. With all that muscle on tap, the M2 will rocket to 60 in 4.2 seconds (in M DCT form) and tops out at a typically German electronically-limited top speed of 155 miles per hour. Deliveries start in April. If you need more than two doors (but not much more head room), BMW also rolled out the new X4 M40i at the Detroit Auto Show, and with delivery set to commence next month, it has now released pricing for that as well. The high-performance slant-back will command $58,795 (delivered) – or $8,100 more than the X4 xDrive35i. (That places it price-wise in between the base Macan S and GTS.) It packs a 355 hp turbocharged inline-six channeled to all four wheels, and is capable of reaching 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. THE 2016 NORTH AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW IN DETROIT: - BMW to announce pricing of the all-new 2016 BMW M2. - BMW to announce pricing of the all-new 2016 BMW X4 M40i. Woodcliff Lake, N.J.: January 11, 2016 10:30 am EST /7:30 am PDT ... Today, the all-new BMW M2 and all-new BMW X4 M40i made their world debut at the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The 2016 BMW M2. Making its highly anticipated world debut, the first ever BMW M2 features the renowned BMW M performance complimented by a sleek interior and exterior design. The new entry model of the BMW M GmbH is perfectly aligned with M tradition ensuring unbeatable driving dynamics on the roads and the track, embodying the true DNA of BMW M vehicles. A newly developed M TwinPower Turbo technology 3-liter, 6-cylinder engine produces 365 bHP and 343 lb-ft of torque between 1,400 and 5,560 with an overboost function raising this figure to 369 lb-ft between 1,450 and 4,750 catapulting the high performance vehicle from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds ( M DCT) with a top speed of 155 mph. Inspired by its motorsport roots, the BMW M2 sets the pace in its segment when it comes to agility, driving feeling, directional stability, steering precision and controllability at the limit, without any compromise in everyday use.

Will global automakers drop local JV partners if China's government says they can?

Chinese economic policies could be in for a big change, as President Xi Jinping pushes the communist country to open its domestic markets even further. That could mean big things for the auto industry, especially when it comes to the country's far-reaching joint-venture system.
According to Chinese law, foreign automakers may only maintain a fifty-fifty partnership with their domestic counterparts. But with Jinping's push for openness leading to potential free-trade deals, that policy could be relaxed (or eradicated all together) in short order. What's an automaker to do?
Well, in BMW's case, stay the course. Automotive News Europe reports that, despite the grumblings about the JV policy changes, the German manufacturer has resigned its agreement with Brilliance through 2028. This is made doubly remarkable by the fact that BMW signed the extension over three years before it was set to expire.

2017 BMW i3 rumored to get more electric range

BMW will reportedly give the 2017 i3 a jolt of extra range that will increase the EV's max driving distance to around 120 miles. If true, that would be quite a boost from the current EPA-estimated 81 miles. An upgraded lithium-ion battery will make this improvement possible, according to Automotive News. Ian Robertson, BMW's boss for sales and marketing, told AN the upgrade to the i3 "puts it into a much more usable range." The company has more tweaks in store for the 2017 model but doesn't want to discuss details about them yet. Rumors late last year hinted that the extra range for the i3 would come thanks to a higher-density battery, improved electronics, and new software. The changes could push range to over 124 miles on the European testing cycle. BMW would also offer the improvements on the i3 REx range-extended model, and the company would even allegedly allow current owners to purchase the upgrades. The German automaker wants to offer these updates every three years to keep the EV fresh. If BMW can achieve 120 miles of range, then the electric i3's driving distance would come significantly closer to the current REx's EPA-estimated 150 miles. Of course, the range-extended model can always be topped up with a tank of gas to keep its wheels spinning further. The i3's rumored boost would also still put it short of the roughly 200 miles that Chevrolet promises from the Bolt when that model arrives late this year. In any case, it's an exciting time for proponents of electric cars. Related Video: