BMW

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2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe Review: Purists’ joy

For some BMW purists, the 8 Series sedan isn’t enough. Fine. How about the 2022 BMW Alpina B8 Gran Coupe? It’s quick, stunningly attractive and rare with about 2,000 manufactured for those with discriminating tastes, the need for more performance and possessing deep pockets. Founded in 1965, Alpina, the German customization specialty company, and BMW have maintained a long business relationship. The former works independently but it’s also permanently partnered with BMW. The collaboration morphs into vehicles greater than the sum of the two companies. Key Takeaways Powertrain: a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with 612 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, an Alpina-tuned eight-speed automatic and xDrive all-wheel drive. 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds, with a top speed of 201 mph.

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2022 BMW X4 M: It’s an SUV race car but why?

The 2022 BMW X4 M and the more powerful X4 M Competition are siblings among a handful of vehicles competing in the high-performance sport utility vehicle niche. It’s a difficult automotive segment to fathom. What’s the purpose of a family-oriented vehicle with 503 horsepower and acceleration from zero-to-60 miles per hour in 3.3 seconds? Key Takeaways Test car: 2022 BMW X4 M Competition, a 3.0-liter six-cylinder with 503 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic. $74,395 MSRP and $90,645 as tested, with the Competition Package, Malachite Green Metallic paint and the Executive Package. 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds. 15 mpg city, 20 highway. Highway: It’s a freeway beast, maneuvering through traffic with authority. Seating: Seating is satisfactory for four adults, tight for

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#209, Author Russell Hayes showcases tiny cars in big book

Veteran automotive author Russell Hayes is at it again. His latest book, “The Big Book of Tiny Cars” was recently published. It’s a definitive look at the global industry of the most famous and infamous microcars and subcompacts from 1901 to current models. Hayes, who lives and works in London, England, is a repeat guest on The Weekly Driver Podcast. He first joined co-host Bruce Aldrich and me on Episode #153 last October 2020 to discuss all things Volkswagen. All Shapes, Sizes During Episode #209, Hayes discusses his latest offering and his enjoyment of researching American brands and styles like the Crosley Super Sport to the German BMW Isetta. According to the book’s marketing information, more than 100 vehicles are

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2021 BMW M3 Competition Review: Worthy showoff, fat wallet needed

A guy in a gas station parking lot with a stern look that quickly turned to a big smile asked if we could switch cars. Another onlooker boasted he had the best BMW ever made but that mine looked pretty good. Unsolicited commenters hated the matted exterior color and split “kidney grilles.” Other onlookers couldn’t offer superlatives fast enough. Key Takeaways Powertrain: a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 503 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, an eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds in the review; BMW quotes 3.8 seconds for the M3 Competition. $73,795 base price and $104,245 as tested. 16 mpg city and 23 highway. Colors: Frozen Marina Bay Blue paint with a Kyalami Orange interior

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2021 BMW 530e Review: Masters driving tasks

The Grapevine technically extends on Interstate 5 only from Fort Tejon five miles north to the bottom of a six percent and 1,600-foot ascent. More realistically, the challenging driving stretch covers 40 miles from just north of Castaic over the Tehachapi Mountains from northern Los Angeles County to the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County. It’s an ideal location to test drive a car, notably a recent 850-mile trip in a 2021 BMW 530e. Key Takeaways Test car: 2.0-liter four-cylinder plus a single electric motor, 288 horsepower, eight-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive. $57,200 to start and $70,485 as tested, before a $5,836 federal tax credit. 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds. 26 mpg combined and 64 MPGe, with an untested EV

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The legacy of BMW includes 2 funky pickup trucks

BMW makes vehicles admired by many performance-car enthusiasts. The automaker’s reputation, like other German automakers’ pedigrees, is well-heeled and varied. The carmaker makes comfortable sedans that power along the open road like sports cars. What’s less known is BMW’s foray into pickup trucks. It made the E30 M3 and the E92 M3. The E30 M3 debut in 1986. It had a 2.3 liter engine with 200 horsepower and it was a soft top convertible. The pickup wasn’t a success but it lasted for 26 years — as a transport vehicle for the manufacturer. BMW pickup trucks didn’t sell well The carmaker also made a second M3 pickup, the E92. It included a 4.0-liter V8. It was short-lived and only was

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3 BMW sedans get worst depreciation honors

Consumers purchase BMW sedans for their well-documented performance qualities. But value is not part of the German manufacturer’s appeal. According to iSeeCars.com, the automotive research firm and data-driven car search engine, three of the German sedans are among the top-10 vehicles with the worst five-year depreciation averages. The website analyzed more than 8.2 million car sales to identify models with the lowest and highest loss in value after five years. BMW gets dubious honors The BMW 7 and 5 series hold the top two spots among the highest depreciating vehicles. The stablemate X3 has the 10th worst depreciation average after five years of ownership. Here’s the list of the highest depreciation cars: 1. BMW 7 Series, 72.6 percent. 2. BMW

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2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe Review: Lots of car, lots of money

Four-door coupe is among the automotive industry’s numerous contradictory terms. But since 2005 when the idea of a sloping roofline on a four-door sedan returned after a several-decade hiatus, it’s become a thing. Mercedes-Benz featured the idea in its C class; BMW is now participating with its 2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe. Key Takeaways 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 with 600 horsepower, or 617 in the competition trim, and 553 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic. 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds. $130,000 base MSRP; the car reviewed is priced at $154,295. 15 mpg city and 21 highway, with a 20.1-gallon tank and an estimated range of 342 miles. Seating: Two adults can sit in the back seat in relative comfort. Character:

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2020 BMW M850i Gran Coupe Review: BMW regains luxury clout

Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche all keep stealth watch on competitors’ next moves and then attempt to outdo them. Newcomer Genesis is now in on the fun, and it must be joyful for luxury sedan and gran coupe enthusiasts to observe the rivalry. Consider BMW. Hoping to regain the front-of-the-pack edge from Mercedes-Benz, it reintroduced its flagship 8 Series last year after a two-decade hiatus. Its 2020 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe debuts this year and continues the stoic brand’s efforts to regain premier honors. Key Takeaways 4.4-liter, 32-valve V8 with 523 horsepower, all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic. 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds. $108,900 MSRP; the options reviewed push it to $121,695. 17 mpg city, 25 highway. Rear

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2019 BMW 3 Series gets 330e

The 2019 BMW 3 Series, the perennially top-ranked sedan, recently had its global unveiling at the Paris Auto Show. It will be available to the public in the summer of 2019. The car’s seventh generation will feature a new plug-in hybrid 330e. The PHEV includes BMW’s latest eDrive Technology to enhance efficiency and performance. A vital component of the new BMW 330e plug-in is the addition of XtraBoost, a system that allows the sedan to increase system output temporary by up to 41 horsepower (30 kW). It will increase the 330e’s 252 horsepower (185 kW) output up to 293 hp (215 kW). The 330e also sees its all-electric driving range increased to up 50 percent, to 37 miles (60 km)

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BMW, electric start-ups set for big presence at LA Auto Show

Much like the unusual circumstance of new vehicles debuting throughout the calendar year, the global auto show circuit begins at the end of the year at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The show, preceded since 2016 by press and trade days and a connected car expo, AutoMobility LA, doesn’t bill itself by age. It’s had several hiatus years. But since its debut in 1907 when 99 vehicles were showcased on a skating rink, the LA Auto Show has become a go-to event for automakers to unveil new models and concept vehicles. The tradition will continue this year, beginning Nov. 26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, when established manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Toyota and BMW will have several models making

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2018 BMW X3 Review: Newly designed, eases highway burdens

Purchasing a BMW is often considered a sign of status. It’s ownership of a sedan, sports car or sport utility vehicle possessing superior qualities on the open road. The luxury carmaker offers vehicles, including the newly designed 2018 BMW X3, that uniquely ease the burdens of highway commutes and long hauls across state borders. It’s what Bavarian Motor Works has always done well. Key Takeaways 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 248 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic; all-wheel drive is standard. $42,450 starting price; the review vehicle reached $57,470 out the door. 22 mpg city and 29 highway. 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds in the review; BMW quotes 6.0 seconds. Cargo: 28.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 62.7 cubic feet

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Microlino mini-car channeling BMW Isetta debuts in Europe in 2019

More than 50 years before tiny houses, Smart cars and other mini things on wheels became recent crazes, the BMW Isetta was a trendsetter. It was known as a “bubble car.” It was stylish, got great gas mileage and zipped perfectly around narrow European streets. Now, its modern-day equivalent, the electronic vehicle (EV) Microlino, has been approved as street legal by the European Union. Designed by Wim Ouboter, production of the Microlino has started and its debut is expected in early 2019. The company already has several thousand pre-orders. The Microlino is ideally named. It’s 7 feet, 10 inches long and weighs 990 pounds. Depending on what battery is installed, the Microlino has a 50 or 134-mile range. It can

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2018 Kia Stinger Review: Debuts as strong rival for Audi, BMW

Years after Hyundai and Kia emerged from automotive doldrums to offer stylish, top-rated, economic and performance-oriented vehicles, non-believers still quibble. A standard refrain is that South Korean manufacturers don’t offer prestige. The argument isn’t valid, particularly with the introduction of the 2018 Kia Stinger. It joins a strong lineup from both manufacturers (Hyundai owns about one-third of Kia) challenging long-time standard bearers. Key Takeaways Stinger GT2 tested: twin-turbo 3.3-liter engine with 365 horsepower and an eight-speed automatic. $51,400 MSRP for the GT2, about $13,000 more than the base model. 0-60 mph in 4.6 seconds. 23.3 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 40.9 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. Warranty: a limited powertrain warranty of 10 years and 100,000

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2018 BMW 740e Review: Big green sedan, big green money

The luxury sedan market is flush with wondrous vehicles, including the 2018 BMW 740e. They’re machines whose craftsmanship and performance further define the pleasures of driving even to enthusiasts who don’t need persuading. With the addition of the new BMW, Germany manufacturers continue to expand their reign of the segment. Mercedes-Benz has the S-Class and there’s the Audi A8. The 740e xDrive iPerformance gives BMW its most extensive list of powertrains. Key Takeaways Powertrain: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with an electric motor, a combined 322 horsepower, an eight-speed transmission and all-wheel drive. 0-60 mph in 5.1 seconds for a sedan that weighs 4,970 pounds. 27 mpg in gas-only mode and 64 MPGe with electric and gas combined; electric-only range is

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BMW in which Tupac Skakur shot for sale, $1.5 million

The 1996 7 Series BMW in which rap legend Tupac Shakur was a passenger when he was murdered nearly 22 years ago is for sale. The asking price is $1.5 million. The BMW is on display for the first time at the Celebrity Cars Las Vegas showroom at 7770 Dean Martin Drive in Las Vegas. Musician and producer Marion Hugh “Suge” Knight Jr. was driving the car on Sept. 7, 1996, when, at the intersection of East Flamingo Road and Koval Lane when a gunman fired four .40-caliber rounds into the passenger side of the vehicle. Shakur was hit in the arm, thigh and twice in the chest. He died four days later. When Skakur was shot in the vehicle,

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