BMW i Range Will Not Get SUV, Says Report
BMW’s i range currently consists of just two models: the city-oriented i3 and the much sportier profiled i8, and the manufacturer has trademarked all names from i1 to i9, with the stated intention to use all of them. However, as CarAdvice of Australia reports, none of those badges will adorn the tailgate of an SUV, as it has been deemed unfit for the profile of the green sub-brand, and thus one won't be made.
They recently spoke with the manager for the i3 project, Roland Kowalski, who explained that “the thing with the SUVs is nobody, more than 90 per cent, needs four-wheel drive for the city. The SUV trend is only a thing about the space or the roominess.”
He argued that the i3 offers just as much interior space as a 3-Series, while sitting on the same wheelbase as a 1-Series hatchback.
Another statement was made by BMW’s vice-president of functional integration and driving dynamics, Jos van As, who commented on the naming policy:
“If you start with i1, what do you do if you want to make a smaller car? A 0.5?” he said, completing the idea with “I think they did it to leave space for something if we want to do something different. And that’s something we’re developing. With the separate i [brand] we take a very deliberate step in one direction if the world is moving towards less emissions, [problems with] petrol availability, etc.”
Is this good or bad news? Would you have been intrigued by the prospect of (say) a purpose-built all-electric or range extender SUV with a BMW badge? I know I won’t miss it…
By Andrei Nedelea
DTM Driver Andy Priaulx Takes BMW M235i Around Thruxton Racetrack
BMW has managed to create a very attractive package, with its all-new M235i coupe, a car that reaches 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.8 seconds and promises to be an engaging drive.
Even DTM driver Andy Priaulx seems to have enjoyed his time behind the (racy looking) wheel of the new pinnacle of the 2-Series range, or at least that’s the impression he leaves us with after watching the official promo he was featured in.
The video posted below, will not change our perception of the M235i, for better or worse, because it is not an impartial view. We are pleased, however, to be seeing the car in action, and hearing it at work around the Thruxton racetrack in the UK, even though the engine note sounds a bit flat, and the eight-speed gearbox sometimes seems not to be sure which cog it’s supposed to go for (Priaulx could be using the paddles badly, but that’s next to impossible given his line of work).
As a package, the M235i should be on your radar if you’re looking for a very fast yet still compact coupe, but as with all BMWs, the one you actually want, with all of the goodies selected, will cost a lot of amount of money - it starts at $44,025 in the US.
By Andrei Nedelea
Super Low Mileage 1991 BMW M3 EVO, 1988 M5 and 1988 M6 for Sale at $158,500 a Piece!
Now here's what we'd call a BMW M trifecta: the three original icons that essentially created the myth around BMW's M performance models (okay, there's also the M1, but that's a different kind of beast and it was never replaced), which lives on until today.
Finding any of the first generation M3, M5 and M6 (M635CSi) separately with low miles and in good condition these days is a Herculean task that will only become more difficult as the years pile up, so you can understand our excitement when we found all three cars listed for sale from the same seller.
We'll begin with the M3 E30 that is a 1991 model. It is said to come with genuine BMW factory EVO upgrades", which we assume (since they're not detailed), include the Alcantara wrapped steering wheel, gearshift knob and handbrake lever. The coupe has only 22,478 "original miles" or about 36,167 km on the odometer, and at least from these pictures, looks to be in pristine condition cosmetically, with the only thing missing being the original spider-web style wheels, though, the seller said they're included.
Moving on to the four-door sedan model of the group, the E28 M5 with the much better looking European-spec bumpers, black exterior and beige leather interior is a 1988 model. It too looks exquisite in the pictures, and why shouldn't it with just 6,655 miles or 10,707 km. We'll mention that the stock stereo and wheels are absent, while the seller states that "the original owner was Mr. Gerber of Gerber Baby Foods" – no word if he also owned the other cars as well.
Last, but not least, is the 1988 M6 Coupe that does come with the original deep-dish spider-web style wheels and tires, and has travelled only 5,950 miles or a mere 9,573 km. The images are pretty much self-explanatory about the cosmetic condition of the car.
What isn't easy to explain, despite the rarity of such low-mileage examples, is the asking price set at $158,500 (€117,500 - or "Make offer") apiece on eBay, which is pretty high in our book for any negotiations. For instance, we've seen E30 M3's with the same mileage having a negotiable price tag of around $50,000, while we remember this E28 M5 with eight times the mileage at 51,000 miles, but only one-eighth of the price at $19k –spend another $10-20k and you could have it in brand new condition.
If you're serious about any of these cars, we'd advise you to go and check them out for yourself first, see if all numbers match BMW's records, and naturally, have a mechanic and/or a BMW service center take a good look at them.
By John Halas
