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Overheated dog rescued from BMW by concerned bystander

Dogs, cars, and summer heat do not mix. Hundreds of dogs fall ill and die each year from heat exhaustion when left in cars on hot days, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. In Grand Bend, ON, a passerby rescued a small dog from such a fate when he smashed out the rear window of a car and pulled the dog to safety. According to CTV, two unnamed individuals attended a festival on Saturday, June 11 celebrating the unveiling of a new band shell in Grand Bend. They allegedly left their small dog locked in their car in a parking lot. Temperatures across Ontario on June 11 approached 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and even with the windows cracked and the sunroof open, the dog was in obvious distress. Will Costa was also attending the festival when he heard an announcement over park loudspeakers calling for the owners to report to the parking lot to rescue their dog. "When I heard the announcer, I couldn't believe it," Costa told CTV. "It was so hot." Costa and a few other festival attendees moved to the parking lot to see what was happening, and saw a small crowd surrounding a man attacking a BMW with a large rock. After twenty minutes of work, the man with the rock finally shattered the BMW's passenger rear window and retrieved the suffering dog. The owners didn't show up for nearly another hour. "The dog was completely soaked," said Costa. "The owners didn't show up for another fifty minutes. I believe in another fifty minutes it could have been fatal." The crowd gave the dog water and called the police. Costa told CTV that the owners were confused and embarrassed when they finally arrived, and were told by responding officers to report to the local police station. There is no report yet of warnings issued or charges filed against the owners. Related Video: News Source: CTV, AMVA Auto News Weird Car News BMW Safety Videos heat

Two-box BMW X2 breaks from X4 and X6

Our first batch of BMW X2 spy photos has revealed something interesting about the German brand's newest compact CUV. Unlike the even-numbered X cars – the X4 and X6 – these shots show a traditional two-box CUV, rather than the plunging roofline of those lifted, four-door coupes. With a two-box design then, what is there to differentiate the X2 from the X1? For a start, while this is a similar to the X1 shots we've seen, the D-pillar and rear window are significantly more aggressive without compromising the traditional CUV design. That design backs up our spies, who claim the X2 will be a sportier version of the upcoming X1. But while the look will be similar, expect the two cars to share powerplants and drivetrains. That means the four-cylinder B48, used in both the Mini Cooper S and other BMW products, will be on offer at launch. That engine will be joined by turbocharged triples within the first 12 months on the market. An M Performance model will also be offered, boosting the B48's output from around 230 horsepower to an even 300 ponies. That'd put the X2 on a collision course with the Audi RS Q3, although it won't be quite as angry as the Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG. While the X2 could debut as early as the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, our spies claim the X2 won't hit dealerships until the second half of 2017. Check out our array of spy images up top, and pay particular attention to the D-pillar and rear window, to see the major differences between the X2 and X1.

These are the cars with the best and worst depreciation after 5 years

The average new vehicle sold in America loses nearly half of its initial value after five years of ownership. No surprise there; we all expect that shiny new car to start depreciating as soon as we drive it off the lot. But some vehicles lose value a lot faster than others. According to data provided by iSeeCars.com, trucks and truck-based sport utility vehicles generally hold their value better than other vehicle types, with the Jeep Wrangler — in both four-door Unlimited and standard two-door styles — and Toyota Tacoma sitting at the head of the pack. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited's average five-year depreciation of 30.9% equals a loss in value of $12,168. That makes Jeep's four-door off-roader the best overall pick for buyers looking to minimize depreciation. The Toyota Tacoma's 32.4% loss in initial value means it loses just $10,496. The smaller dollar amount — the least amount of money lost after five years — indicates that Tacoma buyers pay less than Wrangler Unlimited buyers, on average, when they initially buy the vehicle. The standard two-door Jeep Wrangler is third on the list, depreciating 32.8% after five years and losing $10,824. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the least depreciation over five years. On the other side of the depreciation coin, luxury sedans tend to plummet in value at a much faster rate than other vehicle types. The BMW 7 Series leads the losers with a 72.6% drop in value after five years, which equals an alarming $73,686. BMW's slightly smaller 5 Series is next, depreciating 70.1%, or $47,038, over the same period. Number three on the biggest losers list is the Nissan Leaf, the only electric vehicle to appear in the bottom 10. The electric hatchback matches the 5 Series with a 70.1% drop in value, but since it's a much cheaper vehicle, that percentage equals a much smaller $23,470 loss. Click here for a full list of the top 10 vehicles with the most depreciation over five years.