BMW

The 25th Auto Shanghai kicks off a fortnight from now, and in its capacity as one of the world's most important automotive showcases in the world's largest auto market, we'll be seeing quite a few important model introductions. Near the top of that list is a new twin turbo V8 BMW Concept M5. As with all previous M5s, it's a high-performance sports car that masquerades as a premium class business sedan. Also on show will be the new BMW 6 Series Coupe. Read More

With much of the traffic clogging city roads made up of vehicles that carry a single occupant to work, sit idle for the day (usually attracting inflated parking fees) and then return home, driving in urban areas is a headache that just keeps getting worse. While public transport is the answer for many, some still require the flexibility of a car. Recognizing this, BMW is positioning itself as not just an automobile manufacturer but rather a "mobility provider," and has partnered with car rental company Sixt for a car sharing venture called DriveNow that will offer premium BMW models that can be picked up and dropped off wherever the user needs them. Read More

While it might be better known for vehicles of the motorized variety, for over 60 years BMW has also been manufacturing a range of high-end bicycles. The company’s new 2011 range provides something for everyone – or at least everyone with a well stocked wallet – with a Cruise Bike, Touring Bike and a couple of mountain bikes. And for the first time BMW has extended its M Series branding to its two-wheeled vehicles, but despite the M standing for Motorsport it’s not for a motorbike, but rather the new 2011 BMW M Bike Carbon Racer bicycle. Read More

In a move designed to highlight the company's commitment to "sustainable mobility solutions," BMW has launched a new sub-brand – BMW i. Two models based on existing concept studies will start the ball rolling under the new label from 2013. The BMW i3 will be based on the all-electric Megacity urban vehicle concept, while the BMW i8 is the planned production version of the plug-in hybrid BMW Vision EfficientDynamics sportscar shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2009. Read More

Like every other object in the world, the car is about to become networked. A glimpse into the automotive benefits of our networked future will be on show at the Geneva Motor Show next month when BMW shows its Vision ConnectedDrive concept car. The concept study, in a two-seat roadster guise, presents the automobile as a fully integrated part of the networked world in both its design and technological innovations. It is with this concept that BMW presents the potential of current and future in-car technology for optimizing comfort, safety and infotainment. Read More

Twenty-eleven is rolling in and we'll be heading back to Detroit to check out the best of what the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) has to offer. We've already been teased with the prospect of an all-new Toyota Prius, concepts from Ford and MINI and a new Benz C-Class. So what else can we expect to see under lights at the COBO Center come mid-January? Read More

There's a new member of the racetrack-inspired BMW M club – the BMW 1 Series M Coupe. While the compact 2-door might be pitched at a broader "everyday use" market than its predecessors, fans who fear the diluting of the M series pedigree need not worry, as high-performance is still high-priority. The M Coupe packs a 250 kW/340 bhp punch from its in-line 6-cylinder TwinPower Turbo petrol engine (that's 25% more than the original M1 produced in the late 70's) and reaches 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standing start in 4.9 seconds. Read More

After a couple of months of teasing glimpses BMW has announced that its Vision EfficientDynamics concept vehicle will go into production. The plug-in hybrid vehicle that made its debut at IAA last year as a concept vehicle is a four-seater (2+2) sports car conceived to combine the performance of a BMW M Car with the fuel economy and emission management exceeding that of a small car. Read More

While the European motorcycle industry is in crisis due to dramatically falling sales, BMW is moving in the opposite direction thanks to its loftier perspective of the mobility (as opposed to motorcycle) industry. After years concentrating on larger capacity two wheelers, it is moving into the scooter field. Having already shown an electric version of its ultra-safe C1 scooter, plus several MINI scooter concepts in recent weeks, BMW Motorrad yesterday unveiled a maxi scooter concept. Two premium scooters will be derived from the concept vehicle in the near future and there’s also an electric version being investigated. Read More