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BMW could add all-electric Mini, X3 SUV

BMW's Mini sub-brand will add a battery-electric variant as the company looks to meet stricter emissions mandates around the world, according to an interview Bloomberg News conducted with CEO Harald Krueger. BMW is also planning an all-electric version of its X3 SUV and may start greening up models as large as its 7 Series sedan, though that prospect is far cloudier. The all-electric Mini will be available to the public as soon as 2019, while the battery-electric X3 SUV will likely start sales the following year. BMW didn't offer specifics about how much those models would cost or far they will be able to travel on a full electric charge, with Krueger only saying single-charge ranges would be "competitive" with other all-electric models. BMW this summer upgraded the battery in its i3 electric vehicle and boosted its single-charge range by about 40 percent to 114 miles. As for demand for BMW's i sub-brand vehicles, US sales of the i3 through September fell 27 percent to almost 5,800 vehicles, while sales of the i8 plug-in hybrid are down 19 percent to about 1,100 units, BMW said on Monday. Meanwhile, word got out earlier this year that BMW may dedicate the Rocketman concept hatchback as Mini's entrant to the electric-vehicle sector. BMW actually used a Mini as its first electric testing vehicle. The Mini E was produced in 2009 and 2010 before giving way to the BMW ActiveE, which was actually a converted 1-Series vehicle. Eventually, BMW started producing the i3. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mini Rocketman Concept View 25 Photos News Source: Bloomberg News Green BMW MINI SUV Electric

Protonic Red BMW i8 will bow in Geneva

BMW will unveil special edition versions of the i8 at the Geneva Motor Show, but we hope the rest of the company's offerings are more exciting than its first one – the new Protonic Red Edition. BMW bathes this limited edition i8 in the eponymous red and paints some the trim Frozen Grey metallic. The company finishes off the exterior improvements with 20-inch W-spoke wheels that it decorates Orbit Grey metallic with Aluminum matte hubs. The interior upgrades amount to red double-stitching around the cabin and the addition of some carbon fiber and ceramic trim. There are no mechanical changes. It's hard to get too excited about special paint and trim, but if you are in the market for a more colorful i8, then the Protonic Red Edition seems like a good opportunity. Production begins in Leipzig in July. Related Video: Comfortably exceeding expectations: BMW i8 is the world's highest-selling hybrid sports car. Exclusive BMW i8 special editions. Protonic Red Edition gets the ball rolling at the Geneva Motor Show. Munich. Last year, global sales of the BMW i8 exceeded the combined figure of all other hybrid sports cars produced by other manufacturers*; 5,456 units of the i8, which is powered by the combination of a three-cylinder turbocharged engine and an electric drive system, were sold worldwide in 2015. The car's innovative plug-in hybrid technology delivers system output of 266 kW/362 hp (fuel consumption combined: 2.1 l/100 km [134.5 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 49 g/km)**. "The success of the BMW i8 speaks for itself," said Ian Robertson, BMW AG Board Member for Sales and Marketing. "It is already the world's most successful hybrid sports car and has comfortably exceeded our own expectations. I can think of no better illustration of the relevance of our young BMW i brand." And the BMW i8 is about to add further lustre to its appeal with exclusive special-edition models poised to be unveiled for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show. The new arrivals present customers with even more ways to own a very individual car. BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition will be built in Leipzig from July. The first in this line of special-edition models is the BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition. Like those set to follow in its tyre tracks, it is only available for a limited period.

BMW recaps the glory days of M3 performance

Next in the BMW series chronicling the M3 come the second-generation E36 and third-generation E46 models. The E36 ran from 1992 to 2000, upping the game over its predecessor with a 3.0-liter inline-six that started out with 286 horsepower in Europe, or 240 hp when it came to the US in 1994. By the time it ended its run in 1999, it had vastly expanded the lineup and ushered in some key BMW firsts. Going beyond the coupe-only E30, the E36 added sedan and convertible bodystyles, and gave us BMW's Vanos variable cam timing system and the six-speed SMG sequential gearbox. The E46 that launched in 2000 would pare down the bodystyles to coupe and convertible yet go further with design and technical changes. The 3.2-liter inline-six shared only three minor components with the previous motor and put out 333 horsepower at 7,900 rpm. It introduced the power dome, fender vent, and inset exhaust tips as design trademarks. The special editions included the Euro-only M3 CSL, and the second-generation homologation special M3 GTR with a 493-hp, 4.0-liter V8, of which just ten were made. Having made the complete transition from racer for the street to comfortable, perfectly balanced sports car, BMW sold even more of the E46 with just two bodystyles than the E36 with three. Check out the video on the E36 above, then enjoy the look back at the E46 below. If you want to catch up on the latest BMW M3 and its M4 siblings, take a look at the video at the very bottom. Related Video: