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BMW, Nissan eye Formula E entry

BMW has been involved with the all-electric Formula E racing series since the beginning. It provides the safety car in the form of the eye-catching i8, with the i3 performing medical car duties. BMW's i division even sponsored the 2016 Berlin ePrix. Nissan has also been involved with Formula E – though more tangentially so – as its French partner Renault has provided the car each team used for the first season, and sponsors its own team as well (which won the Teams' Championship both seasons so far). Now that more automakers are joining the field (notably including Jaguar's return to open-wheel racing), BMW and Nissan are reportedly considering getting in the mix to try to win some races, too. Multiple sources tell Autosport that both automakers are looking into being on the grid as early as the 2016/2017 season. Since the series already has its ten teams confirmed for the third season, Nissan and BMW would have to join an existing team for the time being, which is what Autosport's sources are saying is being discussed. Nissan refers to its consideration as a "fact-finding" mission. BMW had said earlier that it wouldn't compete as long as mid-race car swaps were part of the practice. Formula E is looking to move toward a single car format as early as the 2018/2019 season, which could make BMW's direct involvement more palatable to the automaker. As for Nissan, it would have to garner approval from the Renault-Nissan Alliance to compete against its sister company in the same racing category. Either way, it's unlikely that either manufacturer would be able to provide powertrain technology should they join teams for the upcoming season. Still, both Nissan and BMW have made strong commitments to consumer electric vehicles. To be directly involved in the competition would not only be a great way to showcase their prowess in the world of electric motoring, it could also help to bring more attention to Formula E. Related Video: Related Gallery Jaguar Formula E News Source: Autosport via Inside EVsImage Credit: Formula E Green Motorsports BMW Nissan Green Automakers Electric Racing Vehicles Formula E electric racing

Mini fini: The Mini Clubman passes into British motoring history

Au revoir, Clubman. The veddy British Mini model that found a loyal following in the UK and elsewhere for more than a half-century has folded its spilt rear “barn doors” for the final time. The ultimate Clubman — assuming there wonÂ’t be another sequel, and Mini says there won't — rolled off the production line Monday at Mini Plant Oxford in England. The Mini “estate” version bows out after 17 years of build at Oxford and more than a half-million units churned out for deliveries to more than 50 countries. The heritage of the Clubman — and of most Minis — is worth recalling because the brand has spawned such affection among its fans. One has to deep-dive back to the early Sixties, when MiniÂ’s owner, British Motor Corporation (BMC), introduced two estate versions of the original Mini: the Austin Seven Countryman and Morris Mini Traveller. In 1967, the characteristics of existing Mini wagons were combined to form the first Clubman. lt was axed in 1982 — after it was once renamed as the 1000HL — and the Clubman wouldn't return until 2007, with the brand then under the auspices of BMW. Modern vehicle safety standards presented a challenge for those rear doors. “We needed to ensure that both doors would always open fully without obscuring the rear lights, which was a legal requirement,” said Guy Elliott, who was part of the development team for the doors at the time. The reborn Clubman was updated in 2015 for a second generation. It adopted Mini's signature circular daytime running lights, a feature still seen today, and ditched the unusual rear doors for a more conventional setup. Last year Mini launched the “Final Edition” of the car, with a special grille and alloys and limited it to a run of 1,969 units, paying homage to the launch year of the original. The BMW Group says it expects to invest about $750 million in the next few years in realigning the Oxford plant to accommodate assembly space for the upcoming electric Aceman crossover and new Cooper variations later this year.

2017 BMW i3 gets $1,200 price increase for new, bigger battery

The 2016 BMW i3 started at $43,395 (including the $995 destination fee). The all-electric 2017 BMW i3 with the new 94 Ah battery will start at $44,595 while the REx (Range Extender) version of the new car starts at $48,445. Both of those prices also include the destination fees. The good news is that you get a lot more electric vehicle for your EV bucks. As we learned in May, the 2017 i3 is getting a much larger battery pack than the 2016 model. Instead of a 22-kWh pack that offered 81 miles of range, the 2017 i3s have a 33-kWh pack that'll take you 114 official miles. In other words, if you only care about battery capacity, you're paying just over $100 per kWh of extra capacity for a new i3 now. Or you can look it as a 50-percent capacity increase for about a thousand dollars. Either way, the cost of more electric miles is not as expensive as it once was. Just as predicted. There will also be some new standard equipment that comes with the 2107 i3: Deka World – Interior Design Loft No Cost DC Fast ChargeNow available for 2 years Advanced Real Time Traffic Information Universal Garage Door Opener 19-inch wheels Comfort Access There are two new options as well, the Protonic Blue color and the Dark Oak Wood Trim. BMW is also offering the BMW Performance Center Driving Experience for both of its i vehicles, the i3 and the i8, to interested drivers. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2017 BMW i3 View 26 Photos News Source: BMW Green BMW Electric Hybrid