2004 Bmw M3 Base Convertible 2-door 3.2l on 2040-cars

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BMW i3 takes to the track, circles it in a way you don't expect

So, who wants to see a BMW i3 race around a track. That's what we thought. It's not a long video, but it is entertaining, and the way the urban EV does a 'loop' at second 25 certainly caught out eye. The i3 is scheduled to go on sale in the US later this year and will start at $41,350. The diminutive electric vehicle has a top speed of 93 miles per hour and can hit 62 mph in 7.2 seconds. We found it a hoot to drive, but we're not sure if hardcore BMW performance fans will totally 'get' this car's performance. The i3 is great at what it does, but it wasn't born to hit the race track. After seeing this video, though, we want a crack at it, skinny wheels and all. You can get a behind-the-scenes glimpse here, where Chris Neff writes, "The i3 basically turns in on itself. This is one sharp turning radius, take a look at 24 seconds into the video. We were actually trying to get the i3 to do doughnuts, but the computer would not let the rear brake loose, still, you can see how it held and how sharp we were turning....about 27 times in a row." Watch all 49 seconds below. And wonder with us if whatever aerial device was used to get the shot that ends at four seconds in was destroyed just after the video cuts away.

The 2016 BMW M4 GTS sounds so good

Critics and those hopelessly in love with the limited-edition, juiced-up 2016 BMW M4 GTS will both concede that water injection isn't a new technology, but it has also never been used on a production car with an intercooler before. It's traditionally been the realm of highly-tuned supercharged piston aircraft engines and some jets, although some pre-intercooler cars used the system as well. All that history sets the scene, but the M4 GTS steals it. Carfection takes a close, loving look at all the little details that set this BMW and its novel water-injection system apart from a typical M4, which it should be noted is no slouch at all. While it's DCT-only, it puts out 493 hp (a full 68 hp more than a normal M4). The example Carfection examines is painted in the available Frozen Dark Grey, with lovely 19- and 20-inch snowflake-style alloys set off in a color known as Acid Orange. Don't miss the startup and revving. The M4 GTS breathes through a titanium exhaust system, and it sounds monumental. As we mentioned in the reveal piece, this is a very limited-production vehicle. 700 will be built, and only 300 will make it to the States – and only 30 in the UK, where Carfection is based. Enjoy the video above.

BMW X4 tunes up its crossover game in Germany

Except for the fancy wheels and the overly expressive fascias, the production version of the BMW X4 looks like it will carry over practically untouched from what we saw in the X4 Concept several months back. With the same fastback roofline as the concept, these spy shots show that the X4 is taking shape to be a baby version of the BMW X6.
Sharing the same platform as the X3, the lower and wider X4 will be positioned slightly more upmarket - as is the case with the X5 and X6. We hear that this could mean that the X4 will ditch the X3's base engine to give an even sportier feel right out of the gate, but word has it that an M version will being showing up down the road as well.
BMW has already revealed what it plans to show off at the Frankfurt Motor Show (i3, 4 Series Coupe, next-gen X5, refreshed 5 Series, X5 Concept eDrive plug-in hybrid and Concept Active Tourer Outdoor), so barring any surprised we definitely won't be seeing the X4 there. At this point, with as close to production as these images would have us believe, our best guess would be that we'll see the X4's official unveiling happen either at LA or Detroit.