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BMW makes X7 in Spartanburg official

BMW has made it official - there will be a flagship crossover called X7, and it will be built right here in the US of A. The announcement was made today, confirming rumors of the new model at the Spartanburg, SC factory that broke earlier this week.
"Plant Spartanburg was built to enhance and expand the BMW lineup, underscoring the BMW Group commitment to the United States" said Dr. Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the BMW board of management in a statement. "In addition to the X3, X5, X6, and the new X4, we are today announcing another all-new, larger X model to be manufactured exclusively at this plant for our world markets: the X7."
BMW will spend $1 billion by 2016 upgrading its South Carolina factory, which already produces the X3, X5 and X6. The plant is currently capable of producing 300,000 units per year, but with the big investment from BMW, capacity will climb to 450,000 units. 800 jobs will be added as a result of the investment and new and upcoming models.

BMW confirms X4 for next year, i3 preorders starting to add up

BMW has confirmed the long-anticipated X4 will bow next year. Norbert Reithofer, chairman of the automaker's board of management, made mention of the upcoming CUV during remarks at the company's annual accounts press conference. Reithofer said that BMW has sold more than 2.7 million X models since it began producing the machines, and that the company plans to expand those offerings with the new X4 next year. He declined to offer up any more details, though from what we've heard so far, the model will be more of a crossover than either the X3 or the X5.
Reithofer also made it clear that BMW is getting serious about electric vehicles, saying the i3 (pictured above, in prototype form) is "definitely coming to market" and that the runabout will be ready by late 2013. BMW reports it has had "Several hundred advance orders" for the EV. As you may recall, the i3 uses a special carbon fiber reinforced plastic passenger cell to save weight and boasts a standard range of 93 miles. You can read the full transcripts from the press conference below for more information.

Even 'Ring taxi drivers need to respect the Green Hell

The Nürburgring Nordschleife has the reputation as one of the most difficult tracks in the world to master - deservedly so. With 14 miles of roadway and about 160 corners over a massive amount of elevation change, the amount of grip can change from turn to turn. As the driver of the famous BMW Ring Taxi learned this weekend after a shunt into the barricades, the 'Ring can bite unsuspecting pros just as easily as amateurs.
The video of the incident below shows the M5 oversteering right into the wall as a phalanx of Porsche models arrive behind it. According to Bridge to Gantry, a website that specializes in news about the 'Ring, the taxi's passengers were picked up by another Ring Taxi and driven off with a fantastic story to tell their friends back home. "The accident happened at low speed, there were two passengers in the car, but no one had at any injuries," said BMW spokesperson Cypselus von Frankenberg to Autoblog via email.
The crash also closed track for over an hour to clean up and to haul the stricken BMW away. When a driver making a living from driving lap after lap at the Nordschleife has a crash even as seemingly minor as this one, it just goes to show why the course has the nickname 'The Green Hell.'