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BMW 8 Series revival not coming anytime soon

If you thought the BMW Gran Lusso Coupe concept that was shown at Villa d'Este a few months back was a preview of a new BMW 8 Series, prepare to be disappointed. According to a report from the UK's Autocar, BMW officials have "rejected suggestions" that a production model based on the concept was coming. To be fair, though, would you expect them to just acknowledge it?
The Brits seem to be thinking the same, as the story went on to quote BMW research and development chief, Herbert Diess, who claimed, "We're looking into the possibility of production, but a decision is still a way off." Diess also points out that it's far too early for anything to be confirmed, seeing as how the concept only debuted about 10 weeks ago.
The well-received Gran Lusso was penned by Pininfarina and motivated by a brawny, twelve-cylinder engine. If it were to enter production, it'd likely sit at the top of BMW's gas-powered offerings, and would compete against the Mercedes-Benz CL AMG and Bentley Continental GT.

BMW i5, i7 rumors surface again

When we first wrote about a rumored BMW i5 in January 2014, after speaking to the Munich-based head of electric vehicle operations and strategy, BMW USA wrote to tell us that the "suggestion of a BMW i model larger than the i3 is hypothetical at this point." After that note came a year of speculation from places like Car and Driver, Automobile and Autocar zeroing in on what this "hypothetical" EV would look like. Car has this year's first scoop, laying out a few more of the ideas behind the expansion of the i line. Said to be aimed straight at the Tesla Model S, it is based on the long-wheelbase, Chinese-market 5 Series but will be badged as either an i5 or an i7. Expected to arrive in time for the 2018 model year to join the next-generation 5 Series, it will be priced to compete with the Model S, but loading up on options can push that beyond $125,000, according to Car. Outside will be a sedan body, possibly with cues from the 6 Series Gran Coupe and the next 7 Series. The internals will be a mix of components like steering, brakes, and suspension from the next ICE 5 Series, with a plug-in hybrid, battery-extending powertrain derived from the i8. Car's info suggests a four-cylinder motor with around 245 horsepower up front, with a 204-hp e-motor also up front and a 90-hp e-motor in the back, as opposed to the i8's single motor. That arrangement provides about 544 total horsepower and will allow the sedan to run in purely electric front- or rear-wheel drive, or as a petrol-electric all-wheel drive. Electric range should be around 80 miles, and the ICE will be limited to operation above 40 miles per hour. There's reason to start putting weight behind these specs because they repeat, almost exactly, those written in the Automobile piece from December. That story said BMW wants to build 30,000 of them per year, and a concept could come in 2017. Featured Gallery 2014 BMW i3: First Drive View 33 Photos News Source: CarImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Green Rumormill BMW Hybrid Sedan bmw i bmw i5

BMW i3 starts near $35,000; NA first deliveries January 2014

While in Germany at the first early pre-production drives of the hotly anticipated BMW i3, BMW people finally hinted at a price ballpark. Numbers being tossed around by pundits have actually been pretty close to what BMW is discussing internally - between $35,000 and just over $40,000. We have been assured now that the base price, should one choose to buy and not lease in the Euro zone, is just over 35,000 euro, with some big taxes included in that price. In the US, the starting price for the fully EV plug-in version should be $34,500 or right thereabouts. In addition to new pricing, we've also gotten our best-yet look at the i3, with the freshly uncovered spy shots you see here.
European deliveries begin in November of this year for the fully electric version of the rear-wheel-drive i3 with 168-horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The e-motor mounted over the rear axle is supplied with energy by the 22-kWh lithium-ion battery pallet under the passenger compartment. Recharging happens in any of three ways: public or personal garage plug-in charge station (garage version not included in the price), the onboard system's Pro Eco mode that adds resistance to the drivetrain in a type of rolling brake energy recuperation, or through the normal brake energy and off-throttle coasting regeneration more common to EVs. Range on a full charge of this drivetrain is said to be upwards of 100 miles under hyper-miling conditions.
Perhaps the best bit of news is that the alternative, range-extending, two-cylinder 600cc engine supplied by BMW Motorrad for the hybrid version of the i3 - mounted in the rear together with the e-motor - will add only 2,000 euros in Europe and about $2,000 in the US. This is a range-doubling solution that could have brought a much higher price gouge, so thank you, BMW. The hybrid e-drive i3 version arrives a couple months after the full-EV launch version. Remember that, unlike the very similar system for the Chevrolet Volt, the system in the i3 supplies no mechanical torque to the driven axle and is only used as a generator (a system BMW first used last year in the 1 Series-based Active ). The US is seen as the clear number one market for the i3.