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BMW swaps 30i and 40i models into 2017 2, 3, and 4 Series

BMW will continue its staggered rollout of new engines to many (but not all) of its products in 2017. The new modular engine architecture is the basis for three-, four-, and six-cylinder engines, some of which are already stuck in new Minis and a handful of BMWs. With those new engines come new (or in some cases resurrected) badges meant to connote the added power. They have the added benefit of further separating the last two numbers of the models from the actual displacement of the engines, which is always fun. BMW calls its latest 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine B48, and the new single-turbo six is the B58. The B48 cars get 30i suffixes and the B58s say 40i on the back. And if you really want to get down into code numerology: the B48 replaces the N20 four and the B58 supersedes the N55. Here's where they're headed next year: 2 Series: 230i and M240i For the small Bimmer, the 228i and M235i names are replaced by 230i and M240i models. In these applications, the four-cylinder makes 248 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque and the M-ish six makes 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The 2 gets other updates for 2017 as well. 3 Series: 330i sedan/wagon/Gran Turismo and 340i Gran Turismo For 2016, BMW put the 335-hp B58 six in the 3 Series sedan only. That engine spreads to the 340i Gran Turismo for 2017, and the N20 in the 328i is replaced by the B48 for 330i models in all body styles. There's still no six-cylinder wagon, and the 320i sedan keeps its N20 engine. Diesel sedans and wagons keep both the 328d name and the 2.0-liter four they had before. Trivia: The 330i name is being recycled – it was used on the E90 most recently. 4 Series: 430i and 440i Every 4 Series – including coupe, Gran Coupe, and convertible models – gets a new engine for 2017. Woo! And both engines will again be available with or without xDrive all-wheel drive. Woo. And no, that's not an official BMW photo above. The rest? BMW hasn't shared information on its 2017 crossover lineup, but we expect the X1, X3, X4, X5, and X6 will get new engines where applicable. And then there are the 30i and 40i models that already existed and won't be getting these new engines. The 330e iPerformance plug-in hybrid sedan already has the B48 four-cylinder. And the 540i, 640i, and 740i continue with a version of BMW's last-gen six. Got that all straight? Yeah, neither do we. And expect updates once the details on the 2017 crossovers are shared.

BMW Group announces an armada of EVs that includes the full Mini range

BMW plans to significantly increase the number of electric cars in its range during the 2020s. It outlined plans to launch several battery-powered models, including M cars, and transform Mini into an EV-only brand by 2030. In the medium-term future, the firm's lineup will include electric variants of the 5 Series, the 7 Series, and the X1, though they will likely be based on the next-generation cars, not on the models currently found in showrooms. They'll join the i4 — a 3 Series-sized sedan with a fastback-like design — and the iX crossover in the lineup. BMW hopes to have at least one electric model representing it in about 90% of its current market segments by 2023, and it realistically expects that EVs will account for approximately 50% of its global sales by 2030. Beyond 2025, the Munich-based firm will align its range with a new strategy it calls Neue Klasse, a name borrowed from a series of enthusiast-friendly sedans and coupes sold during the 1960s and the 1970s; the 2002 is arguably the best-known Neue Klasse model. Fast-forward to the 2020s, and the designation will denote cars built with a new IT and software architecture, powered by new-generation electric technology, and designed to be sustainable. EVs shaped by the Neue Klasse approach to design will be positioned in many market segments, ranging from mass-produced cars (like the 1 Series hatchback sold in Europe) to high-performance M models. Most will be powered exclusively by batteries, but some will be available with a hydrogen-electric powertrain. Highly automated driving technology will be available, too, though BMW stressed its EVs will be enjoyable to drive. Crucially, the firm plans to increase its annual revenue by offering configurable and bookable features available during a car's entire life cycle; think of this system as an a la carte menu for cars. If you buy a used 2027 5 Series in 2031, for example, you'll theoretically have the ability to configure it with many of the options and features you want even if it wasn't ordered new with them. Some might even be enabled for a pre-determined amount of time. You might not need heated seats if you live in Tucson, but you might want them for a weekend if you're going skiing. What about Mini? Confirming a wave of recent rumors, BMW-owned Mini will exclusively sell electric cars in less than a decade.

Next-generation BMW 5 Series spied in Touring trim

It almost seems as if BMW just started selling the current-generation 5 Series, yet one of our spy photographers has already spotted a next-generation prototype in Touring form. Little is known about the luxury wagon in this early stage of testing, but it is expected to weigh much less than the current car, which, in 528i Touring guise with an automatic transmission, tips the scale at over 3,800 pounds. It is also expected to have the latest in driver-assistance technology. Despite the weight savings, and judging from the photos, it looks to have proportions similar to the current car, but don't expect the makeshift headlight and taillight clusters to make it onto the production model.
The crucial question for potential Touring customers in the United States is whether BMW will do the unexpected and import it here. The company's track record indicates that it will be sold in Rest of World markets only, but we're hoping that the next 5 Series will end the Touring's U.S. hiatus (and the 5 Series Gran Turismo's reign), which began in 2003 at the end of the E39 generation.