2002 Bmw 530i Base Sedan 4-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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BMW M235i Racing takes to the track

Last month, BMW showed off a motorsports version of its new 2 Series Coupe called the M235i Racing. While that single image was obviously a rendering or design model, BMW Motorsports has now released a video showing the real deal being tested.
From what we can tell from beneath the camouflage, the wide-body fenders ­- to accommodate a 3.5-inch track stretch - are slightly different than the image BMW previously released. Still, the body is noticeably different from the stock coupe. The video, which is posted below, shows glimpses of the race-prepped interior, including a full FIA roll cage, but more importantly we get to hear the 333-horsepower engine and its throaty exhaust in action.

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.

Check out the trick way you access the tire valve on this BMW Alpina B6

The wheels are one of the first things you notice when checking out the 2015 BMW Alpina B6 xDrive Gran Coupe. The 20-inch aluminum alloy rollers have 21 spokes that spray out from their hubs, creating one of Alpina's signature design features. But there's also plenty of function to go along with the stylistic form of this hotted-up BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe.
By rotating the Alpina roundel and unlocking the center hub, you gain access to the tire valve and bolts, which are hidden inside. They're literally kept under lock and key, and they protect your Alpina's wheels from the elements and theft. This unique center-fill system employing a hollow spoke isn't a new setup for the favored BMW tuner, but since Autoblog had one in our offices this week, we thought we'd take the opportunity to show the unique mechanism in case you haven't seen it before. Check it out in our brief video below.