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BMW X5 eDrive Concept is utilitarian plug-in hybrid

Bridging the gap between internal combustion engine-powered vehicles and electric vehicles are plug-in hybrids, and BMW has made one out of its biggest sports utility vehicle, even if it's just a concept car at this point. The plug-in hybrid X5 eDrive Concept debuted today at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and it sits attached to a charge port on the show floor.
As we reported in August, the X5 eDrive Concept combines a turbocharged four-cylinder engine of unknown output with a 95-horsepower electric motor, to achieve longer range and lower emissions. The X5 eDrive can drive up to 75 miles per hour and 19 miles on electric power alone, manage about 62 miles per gallon (3.8 liters per 100 kilometers) and accelerate from 0-62 mph in under seven seconds, according to BMW.
Three drive modes are offered: one that automatically operates the hybrid system, an all-electric mode and a Save Battery mode that operates the vehicle using the engine only.

2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e Review [w/video]

BMW is no stranger to electrification. The company put the world on notice with the launch of its innovative i sub-brand. But the lessons learned from the i3 and i8 aren't limited to these small-volume cars. The more mainstream X5 xDrive40e impresses with lessons learned from i, all without compromising the SUV's character. The combination of a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine with an electric motor is good for 308 overall horsepower and 302 pound-feet of torque. Sure, 240 hp and 260 lb-ft come from the four-cylinder engine alone, but the electric motor – integrated within the ZF eight-speed automatic transmission's housing – chips in a maximum of 111 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. The 9.2-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery can sock away enough electricity to drive up to 14 miles on a single charge and will recharge at your average 110-volt socket in about seven hours. Of course, the battery pack and electric motor are a big weight penalty. At 5,220 pounds, the xDrive40e is 430 pounds heavier than the standard xDrive35i. Still, the gas-electric powertrain hustles this husky X5 40e to 60 miles per hour in just 6.5 seconds, less than half a second slower than the 35i. The stopwatch figures are complemented by the best fuel economy of any gas-powered X5, at 56 miles per gallon equivalent and 24 mpg combined. Only the diesel X5 xDrive35d is more efficient, at 27 mpg. But achieving top fuel economy in the 40e isn't as simple as going easy on the throttle. Perhaps more than any vehicle we've tested recently, understanding how all the X5's systems work together is crucial to eking out the most mpgs. The xDrive40e's Drive Dynamics Control will be familiar to anyone that's driven a recent BMW. Eco Pro, Comfort (the default mode), and Sport make the same adjustments to the throttle response, steering weight, and dynamic damper firmness as they do in a standard X5. But in the xDrive40e, they also impact the way energy is recaptured. Comfort/Save offers the best blend of fuel efficiency while achieving maximum energy recapture. Sport mode's aggressive energy recovery is the fastest way to recharge the battery on the go. When it's working, there's a sensation similar to gently stepping on the brakes, though you actually aren't doing anything – this is a familiar experience to the way most EVs use regenerative braking. Comfort mode reduces this effect, and in turn how much energy is recaptured.

Porsche 911 Turbo and Nissan GT-R Nismo star in World's Greatest Drag Race 4

We love Motor Trend's annual World's Greatest Drag Race video. Now back for its fourth appearance, the idea of lining some of the world's fastest cars up for a ten-wide, straight-line, full-throttle run is, well... it's pretty freaking badass.
The lineup this year boasts some impressively fast cars to be sure. The group of ten includes the following darlings: Alfa Romeo 4C, BMW i8, BMW M4, Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Ford Fiesta ST, Jaguar F-Type R Coupe, Nissan GT-R Nismo, Porsche 911 Turbo S, Subaru WRX STI and, last but not least, the Volkswagen GTI. Give us any one of those for the weekend, and we're happy to take the keys.
It must be said though, that for a publication that draws as much water as Motor Trend does, there are some big cars that we might expect to be here instead. The Lamborghini Huracán or Ferrari 458 Speciale would have added some exotic flare to the list, and the omissions of the Chevy Corvette Stingray (for the second year in a row) and the Dodge Challenger Hellcat are real head-scratchers.