1995 Bmw M3 Base Coupe 2-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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BMW X7 to follow Volvo's lead with four-seat, $100k limo

That BMW is planning an X7 crossover is nothing new. The company needs a three-row model to cap its crossover range and take on the Mercedes GLS and Audi Q7, and the current X5 can only take it so far. But according to Automotive News, the Bavarian automaker is planning an even more luxurious version – with fewer seats. The ultra-luxe X7 variant is slated to arrive as the latest embodiment of a new trend emerging among upscale automakers. You make a seven-seat SUV, then rip out the second and third rows, replace them with a pair of first-class recliners, and presto! You have a high-riding limousine. Volvo recently took that approach with the introduction of the XC90 Excellence, and Mercedes may soon adopt a similar formula with the anticipated Maybach version of the GLS. Now BMW appears to be following suit as well. Like the XC90 Excellence, the X7 limousine would carry a price tag in excess of $100,000, and for all that scrap, buyers could expect all the luxury accoutrements that Munich has to offer. Look for reclining seats, acres of legroom, infotainment displays mounted to the front seatbacks, and a center console packed with temperature-controlled cupholders, folding tables, and maybe even a bottle cooler. Like the anticipated 9 Series sedan, the X7 limo would help BMW bridge the gap between its core range and its Rolls-Royce line, which is soon to launch a crossover of its own – albeit unrelated to the X7 – to compete in an even higher market segment. Though these rearward-focused luxury crossovers may be targeted especially at the Chinese market – where titans of industry are chauffeured through densely packed city streets – the X7 is anticipated to be built right here in the USA at the plant in Spartanburg, SC. It won't be the only new crossover joining the Roundel marque's lineup, though. A new X2 is anticipated to apply the same format we've seen on the X6 and X4 to the smaller X1. At this rate, we wouldn't be surprised to see a super-sized, slant-backed X8 to follow as luxury automakers make a growing share of their profits from crossovers. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2014 BMW X5 View 35 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: BMW BMW Crossover Luxury bmw x7

BMW working on 2 Series Active Hybrid Tourer

The cover may have officially been pulled off the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer at the Geneva Motor Show, but BMW has apparently continued working on other variants behind closed doors. While at first glance this prototype looks like any other Active Tourer, the "Hybrid Test Vehicle" stickers on the passenger door and rear bumper give it away as something a little different.
Details about the hybrid Active Tourer are somewhat sketchy at the moment, but BMW indicated its likely direction for the electrified hatchback in the earlier Concept Active Tourer. It used a hybridized 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine coupled with an electric motor with a total system output of 190 horsepower and 147 pound-feet of torque. The company claimed that it had a roughly 19-mile electric range and could hit 62 miles per hour in under 8 seconds. However, the Bavarian automaker hasn't said yet whether this powertrain would be used in the production version.
The internal combustion 2 Series Active Tourer is rumored to come to the US in 2015. Given the nearly complete look of the test car, the hybrid might not be too far behind.

Spirit Lake Cycles brings a new look to vintage BMW bikes

It doesn't take a lot of room to work on motorcycles. In fact, Spirit Lake Cycles, which gets the spotlight in the latest video from Petrolicious, started out of a kitchen. Now, this two-man operation has created a small business to bring a custom look to vintage BMWs. The company is best known for a bike that it calls the CBMW. Based on an R90/6, the name comes from the cycle's Honda-sourced fuel tank. The streamlined design and white pinstripes lend the look of one of the Bavarian brand's own early creations, but the chopped fenders and under-seat exhaust show a much more modern style. Spirit Lake Cycles doesn't always go for such a highly modified design, though. The other cycles that Petrolicous highlights, including a gorgeous BMW R90S, appear far closer to stock than the show bike. The company says its motorcycles are meant to be ridden, and you can see the proof of that in this video.