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BMW X1 spied in the snow, on the 'Ring

The next-generation BMW X1 is moving ever closer to production, and it reportedly launches in Europe in June. With just a few months left of development, the Bavarian brand is making sure to get in as much work in as possible – as the shots above show. According to our spies, all of these pictures were taken on the same day, but BMW was running two simultaneous evaluations of the crossover in Europe. At the sunny Nurburgring, the company was doing high-speed tests on the famous track. Meanwhile in chilly Sweden, cold-weather analysis was happening. Regardless of the location, these are some of the least camouflaged X1s photographed yet. Based on the shots, it appears that BMW is evolving the compact CUV's design rather than overhauling it, but there are a few dashes of styling from the 2 Series Gran Tourer in the grille and headlights, as well. The 'Ring shots also clearly show off a panoramic sunroof. While these examples wear a lot of obfuscation at the back, it's easy to make out BMW's LED taillights. The X1 shares its UKL platform with the Gran Tourer and the latest Minis, but possibly offers all-wheel drive. It's reportedly going to be offered with a similar range of turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder and 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines, as well. Related Video: Featured Gallery BMW X1 Spy Shots View 17 Photos Image Credit: CarPix Design/Style Spy Photos BMW Crossover Luxury bmw x1 ring

2014 BMW X5 configurator goes live

BMW won't begin selling the 2014 X5 for another few months, but the German manufacturer has brought the third-generation SAV's configurator online, allowing interested customers to poke around and look at the X5's optional goodies.
Like the 3 Series, the X5 is available in a number of lines that load up extras automatically. There's also a do-it-yourself truck that allows owners to pick and choose if they're not enamored with the styling or trim of one of the dedicated packages. As usual, the options list is quite vast, regardless of which line is chosen. We were able to easily take the new, rear-drive X5 sDrive35i, which started at $52,800, and bring the total price up past $80,000.
The new X5 carries over its 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 from the current model, as well as BMW's excellent 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six. The X5 xDrive35d, with the 3.0-liter turbodiesel will also be available on the third-generation SUV, but won't hit dealers until early 2014. BMW is stepping outside of the X5's usual bounds, offering a dedicated rear-drive model, available with all the same trimmings as the xDrive vehicles. Head over to BMW's US consumer page and have a go.

Couple arrested after carjacked Jaguar breaks down

A couple that played musical chairs with allegedly stolen luxury cars was arrested in suburban Salt Lake City following a carjacking and police pursuit after one of the cars drove over a “stop strip” tire deflater and the other was a Jaguar suffering from mechanical problems. Police arrested Brock Hansen, 33, and Brittney Price, 23, on Sunday in Taylorsville, Utah, following the incidents, which were reported by local media and spotted by Jalopnik. They began, police say, when an officer out on patrol spotted what he suspected was a stolen BMW. The officer began to trail the car to run the license plate numbers when the BMW came to a stop to pick up a man, later identified as Hansen, who was walking on the street. The officer then continued to follow the car, was able to confirm that the BMW was, in fact, stolen, and called for backup. Police at one point used a stop stick — a triangular tube filled with tire-puncturing nails — to try and stop the duo, but Price instead made a U-turn after driving over it and continued on with a deflated tire. She eventually pulled into a gas station, where surveillance footage shows Hansen exiting the vehicle, walking over to what appears to be a Jaguar X-Type sedan whose driver was standing at the pump, climbing nonchalantly into the drivers seat and taking off, following the stolen BMW. Price eventually stopped and exited the BMW to try and get into the Jaguar but was apprehended by police after a brief foot chase and scuffle that left an officer injured, KSL-TV reported. Hansen then took off and led police on a chase — “at relatively low speeds,” according to ABC4.com — before he stopped the car and surrendered to police without a fight. Both were taken to jail. “What we learned from the owner of that Jaguar is that heÂ’s been having some issues with that Jaguar and he believes that the Jaguar just wasnÂ’t going to go anymore and was bogging down Â… so may have picked the wrong vehicle to try and run from the police in today,” Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake Sgt. Melody Gray told ABC4.