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BMW is ready for our inevitable EV future  

Is "rolling lithium" a thing, yet? Because BMW is trying to make this — the opposite of " rolling coal" — happen at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show. The Bavarian vehicular group is showing five all-new electric-powered concepts or production models in L.A. These include the C-Evolution, a 99-mile range scooter from BMW Motorcycles; the 150-mile range, two-door hardtop Electric Concept from Mini; and three vehicles from its advanced i sub-brand: the i3S, a sportier and more potent version of the brand's electric commuter nodule; the i Vision Dynamics four-door coupe concept, featuring a sporty four-second 0-60 time and a professed 373 mile range; and the long-promised roadster version of the i8 supercar, with just two seats, a bikini top, and an enhanced power pack providing 18 miles of range. The unveiling of these vehicles in Los Angeles makes perfect sense to us. California is one of the world's largest markets for luxury automobiles. It is also America's biggest market for electric-powered vehicles. Studies show that the state's combination of fiscal incentives, trendsetting cultural positioning, legislative requirements and massive population contributed to the purchase of half of the country's EVs and hybrids this decade. "The customers for the brand are mainly on the West and East Coasts, and the California customer especially is interested in sustainability and environmental protection," said Robert Irlinger, head of BMW's advanced i sub-brand. The bigger question revolves around BMW's larger EV strategy. Given the current global regulatory environment, with its rightful pressures on increasing efficiency and decreasing emissions to help soothe our warming planet and save all life on it, luxury automakers seem to be making a push toward developing a range of battery-powered vehicles to be available around or after the start of the next decade. It seems BMW, with its varied subsidiaries — from lightweight scooters to ultra-luxury barges — is uniquely poised to provide an array of such vehicles. "In the first stage of i back in 2013, we brought what you could call 'bookmark' cars to the market — the i3 commuter and i8 sports car — to show the range of what an electric vehicle could be," said Irlinger. "Now, we are seeing growing interest from customers to bring electrification to the heart of the brand, even to a sport sedan like our i Vision Dynamics four-door coupe.

BMW restores classic Mini as it revives production in Netherlands

Mini will be kicking off production in the Netherlands, a country that hasn't built a Mini-badged machine since 1966. In honor of this event, BMW Group Classic, the team responsible for all the cars in the BMW Museum, as well as being a spare parts and restoration company in its own right, revived a classic 1959 Austin Seven. That particular car, number 983, was one of the first Minis to be built in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands' JJ Molenaar's Car Companies built 4,000 Austin Sevens and Morris Mini-Minors between 1959 and 1966, although we imagine Dutch Mini production will be much bigger when it starts up again in summer 2014. A five-person team from VDL Nedcar, the group handling production of new Minis, took to the job of restoring the diminutive British car from nose to tail.
The 34-horsepower engine and the transmission were both completely rebuilt, while the door panels were redone by hand. Help from the Mini community aided the VDL Nedcar team in finding authentic replicas or original parts where possible. All told, the new classic Mini is a striking example of what a good restoration can do to a car. The Seven was repainted in its original Farina Gray, adding to the car's sense of authenticity.

Rinspeed previews Budii concept ahead of Geneva show

Every year Frank Rinderknecht and his team at Rinspeed come to the Geneva Motor Show with another fantastical concept car, and next year's will be no exception. Though the show may still be several months away, the Swiss outfit is already giving us a glimpse of what to expect. Rinspeed's latest project is called the Budii, and it aims to "redefine the relationship between man and machine." As you might have guessed, that means driverless technology. Specific details at this point are limited, but the design calls for an electric vehicle with an adaptable cabin featuring drive-by-wire steering wheel. That wheel can swing out of the way to the center of the dashboard or to either side, should driver or passenger (as blurred as those rigid concepts become in this case) wish to take control. Beyond that we don't know much at this point, but the image above seems to indicate it'll be based on the BMW i3. Meanwhile the long list of partners and suppliers suggest it'll feature a design by Mansory, a Harman infotainment system and a Carl F. Bucherer analog clock embedded in the dynamic dashboard. 2015 Geneva Motor Show Rinspeed exhibits "Budii" at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show: "We need to redefine the relationship between man and machine" As far as Swiss automotive visionary Frank M. Rinderknecht is concerned, the breakneck speed of technical developments forces us to redefine our relationship with the automobile. The farsighted Swiss says: "Until now, what we have primarily associated with auto mobility was freedom and individuality. And - consciously or unconsciously - we are prepared to pay a high price in many regards for these privileges. We need only look at the accident statistics." Autonomous driving undoubtedly offers the opportunity to drastically diminish some of the drawbacks of private transport. For example, the number of traffic accidents could drop worldwide. But although it will be less prone to err than humans, even the best technology will not be perfect. "That is something we will have to accept," believes the boss of Rinspeed, the Swiss automotive powerhouse of ideas.