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Feds greenlight BMW X5 diesel sales for 2016 [UPDATE]

Update: The EPA also confirmed that the 2016 X5 diesel passed the tests in a statement: "EPA and the California Air Resources Board certified BMW's 2016 diesel X5. EPA is performing additional screening when it conducts confirmatory emissions tests before issuing a certificate. Our screening tests found no evidence of a defeat device in the 2016 BMW X5, concluding our certification review." The 2016 BMW X5 xDrive35d is the latest diesel model to pass rigorous emissions tests by the Environmental Protection Agency and prove that it doesn't circumvent regulations with a defeat device. The luxury SUV can now go on sale to customers, and BMW spokesman Hector Arellano-Belloc confirms to Autoblog the first of them should arrive at dealers around late January. The automaker previously delayed production of the new model at the Spartanburg plant until the EPA completed certification. Following Volkswagen's emissions cheating, the EPA, California Air Resources Board, and Environment Canada began stricter testing for diesel vehicles to ensure that they met regulations. The first models to get the additional scrutiny were the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon with the Duramax engine, and they passed with no problems. According to Reuters, the X5 diesel was the only other non-VW from the 2016 model year that the agencies needed to certify with this more rigorous evaluation. The 2016 X5 xDrive 35d starts at $58,695 after the $995 destination charge. A 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine sends 255 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic to the all-wheel drive system. BMW claims that the vehicle can reach 60 miles per hour in 6.5 seconds, and the 2015 model carries an EPA fuel economy rating of 24 miles per gallon city, 31 mpg highway, and 27 mpg combined. Related Video:

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo won't be a one-and-done model

The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo seems like a model without a real segment to fit into. It doesn't quite match the mold for the swoopy four-door coupe niche like the Porsche Panamera or the brand's own 6 Series Gran Coupe. However, the vehicle isn't really a station wagon to appeal to those utilitarian buyers, either. Despite this identity crisis, BMW is reportedly prepping another GT for the next-gen 5 Series platform. According to German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, the 5 Series GT somehow has been a big enough sales success in the US and China to warrant another model. The next one would allegedly arrive in 2016, which is the about the same size as the future 5 Series sedan. The magazine speculates the new GT could lose about 221 pounds in the transition and be offered with four- and six-cylinder powertrains, plus a plug-in hybrid with an electric driving range estimated at around 19 miles. Globally, China is actually the larger 5er GT market than the US. According to IHS senior analyst Stephanie Brinley to Autoblog, the variant sold 21,089 units worldwide in 2013 (2014 is still being tabulated), and that represented about 5.7 percent of the 370,930 total sales for the 5 Series. China bought 42 percent of the world's GTs, compared to about 10 percent of the mix from the US. Europe, meanwhile, took about 29 percent of them that year. While the GT's sales figures make up just a fraction of the overall 5 Series, the variant is still a moneymaker for BMW, and IHS forecasts a second generation, too. "The 5 Series range as a whole is stronger for having this product, and it's very likely that the company's profit margin is higher on the GT, even with the cost of some dedicated sheetmetal and tooling," said Brinley. Featured Gallery 2014 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo View 32 Photos News Source: Auto Motor und SportImage Credit: BMW Design/Style BMW Hatchback Wagon Luxury Sedan bmw 5 series gt bmw 5 series gran turismo

BMW working with Dainese to put airbags in motorcycle suits [w/video]

Addressing the safety concerns of its customers, BMW Motorrad is co-developing a rider suit with Dainese to feature something that's much more common in automobiles: airbags.
Starting with Dainese's D-air Protect System, which is made up of inflatable protectors that deploy in 15 milliseconds, the two companies will integrate the technology into a BMW Motorrad brand, one-piece racing suit, the DoubleR RaceAir. Later a different, street-oriented airbag system that can be retrofitted to bikes will be offered to Beemer riders.
The DoubleR RaceAir is expected to be presented at the EICMA motorcycle show in Milan in November, after all required crash testing has been completed.