2011 Bmw M3 Convertible Jerez Black Convenience Pkg One Owner Certified 2012 on 2040-cars

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BMW considering M7 and luxurious 9 Series

BMW just recently rolled out its new flagship 7 Series sedan. It didn't take long for it to introduce not one, but two performance versions as well. But what we've seen until now could only be the start as the Bavarian automaker looks to close the gap between the 7 and the Rolls-Royce Ghost. What you're looking at above appears to be a prototype testing components for a potentially forthcoming M7 – which is something that BMW has never offered before. It's packing what look like enormous, cross-drilled brakes – just the kind of thing an M-fettled 7 would need to keep its mass and momentum in check. It was seen running around with an M5 and X6 M, suggesting that it's the performance division that's playing around with this big sedan for the first time. An M7 would have to pack some serious punch, considering what's already on offer. Both the Alpina B7 (4.4-liter V8) and M760Li (6.6-liter V12) each offer 600 twin-turbocharged horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque driving to all four wheels, capable of hitting 60 mph in the threes. The full M version, then, might need a good 650 hp or more, which would put it out in front of everything else – including the Audi S8 Plus (605 hp) and Mercedes-AMG S65 (621 hp). Even with all that performance and clout, however, the M7 might still not be enough for BMW to close that $200k gap to the bottom of the Rolls-Royce range. That's why it could roll out an even more luxurious and completely separate model, potentially called the 9 Series. The new uber-luxe sedan would take on the Mercedes-Maybach S600 that's proven particularly popular in China, where Automotive News notes that Benz sells half of all the S-Class models it makes. Since they're mostly chauffeur-driven through crowded streets, upscale customers there care less about BMW's traditional focus on handling dynamics and more about comfort. And with the government cracking down on corruption, they've also reportedly been eschewing overt symbols of wealth – like the Spirit of Ecstasy hood ornament, for example. We could expect the 9 Series, then, to offer even more rear-seat legroom than the 7, and be more oriented towards comfort than performance. Related Video:

2015 BMW M4 Convertible Quick Spin [w/video]

Quite a while ago, we ran a story where our editors disclosed their guilty pleasure cars. There, I admitted my love for the ultra-comfortable Acura RLX. But I have another automotive guilty pleasure, and it's the BMW M4 Convertible, and the droptop M3 that came before it, as well. Whether it's an E46, E93, or the new F83 M4 model, I just love the idea of a droptop M car. It kind of goes back to my Lexus RC F review, where I posit that most consumers buy a car like this solely for the image. To the point of this car, if you're opting for a convertible, you're boldly throwing out any pretense that you bought this car for its performance. It's a different and far grander indulgence than something like a droptop Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, or even a Corvette, and that's especially the case with the new M4, as I found out after a week at the wheel. Driving Notes Anyone that's listened to me on the Autoblog Podcast knows I've been none too kind about the state of BMW's turbocharged M cars. In effect, they're too easy to drive. In older models, the narrow power band meant you needed to always keep an eye on the tach, lest you fall into a weak zone. But because today's turbocharged M engines are so damn torquey, you can simply mash the throttle, regardless of engine speed or gear, and zoom forward. That's mostly the case here, although with a 7,500-rpm redline, the M4 at least maintains the illusion that you have to keep the revs up. Power delivery is fast and immediate, capable of catapulting the M4 towards the horizon at even half throttle. But more than the brutal power delivery, this latest M entertains with a strange but familiar singing voice. It's an almost feral, straight-six howl, particularly high in the rev range. But because of the single-scroll turbochargers and today's sound-tuning sorcery, the noise here is far richer and complex than what you'd get in a naturally aspirated M car, like the old E46. The turbos hiss and spit, and wide-open-throttle upshifts come with a cackling snap from the quad-tipped exhaust. Despite my belief that M cars' manual transmissions are generally pretty lousy these days, the M4's gearbox is far better than what you'll find in an M5. The clutch is more forgiving than in the larger sedan, too. With a broad catchpoint and a linear action, it feels natural and intuitive to work.

BMW ready to bring more i3, i8 plug-ins to US

BMW has found a receptive audience for its first batches of plug-in vehicles in the good 'ole USA. The German automaker, which started selling its first mass-produced i plug-ins in Europe late last year, will send a higher percentage of those vehicles to the US because of strong demand here, according to Automotive News, which talked with BMW executive Ian Robertson. And the Americans might cause Bimmer to speed up production, to boot. BMW makes the i3 electric vehicle and i8 plug-in hybrid in Germany, and has sold about 10,000 units of the former and 280 of the latter worldwide. Since August, BMW has been selling about 1,000 i3s a month in the US (it sold just 58 i8s in September). The bigger story, though, may be that Bimmer has sold out of its US allocation of i8s through the end of next year. Pretty heady stuff for a car that starts at around $137,000. Currently, BMW builds around 100 i-series vehicles a day in Germany, and may speed up production of the i8 for the aforementioned reason. As for the i3, which comes with an option of a gas-powered range extender, we'd reported earlier this year that the waitlist for that model had grown to about six months. Our i3 First Drive report is here if you'd like to know what all the fuss is about.