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2014 BMW 4 Series convertible spotted

We've seen a few spy shot packages featuring the upcoming BMW 4 Series Convertible already, but never with the car quite so naked as in this latest batch. Nabbed just outside the BMW Nürburgring workshop in Germany, this Melbourne Red 4 Series also shows the M Sport package for the first time.
With all of the cladding removed, we can see that the convertible shares the 4 Series coupe's great-looking nose and front end, though the resolution of that folding hard top into the rear bodywork remains a bit harsh.
With the 4 Series coupe now completely official, we have a pretty good idea of what the powertrain lineup for the 'vert will be. We'll be pretty surprised if a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbo aren't the go-to engines at launch. Production of the droptop is likely to begin at the end of the year, so start bugging your local BMW dealer.

BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is the world's first front-drive Bimmer [w/videos]

While BMW has been showing concepts for its Active Tourer for over a year, they never seemed entirely real. Why would BMW, a company that has built its image on sporty, rear-wheel drive sedans, move into the five-door, front-wheel-drive market? The answer is still not entirely clear, but the new BMW 2 Series Active Tourer is very real. It launches in Europe later this year and is rumored to come to the US in 2015.
To brand purists, a front-wheel drive BMW may seem anathema to everything the company has built, and the production Active Tourer has clearly been built to provide drivers with a luxurious but utilitarian package first and foremost. It is 170.9 inches long and rides on a 105.1-inch wheelbase, but despite its compact dimensions, its high roof allows for 16.53-cubic-feet of cargo space with the rear seats up or 53.33 cubic feet with them folded flat. Its general appearance is nearly identical to the previous concepts, except with a blunter nose and cleaner lines. The front end wears BMW's traditional dual circular headlights and naturally, while the profile incorporates the company's traditional Hofmeister kink into the greenhouse's rear pillar. The interior has been designed to be especially useful with a sliding rear seat, adjustable rear backrests, fold-flat backrests and optional features like an automatic tailgate and panoramic sunroof.
Unlike both previous concepts, none of the Active Tourer models at launch use hybrid power. For Europe, the hatchback is going on sale with three engine options. The basic version is the 218i Active Tourer with a 1.5-liter, turbocharged three-cylinder with 134 horsepower that we just previewed in the 2014 Mini Cooper - good enough for average fuel economy of 48 miles per gallon in the EU cycle when equipped with a six-speed manual. The next step up is the 225i Active Tourer with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 228 hp and offers 39-mpg average fuel economy. Finally, there is the there is the 218d Active Tourer with its 148-hp, 2.0-liter turbodiesel and 57 mpg average fuel economy on the EU cycle. A six-speed manual is standard on all of them, but there is a six-speed automatic option for the 218i and eight-speed automatics available for the 225i and 218d. All-wheel drive will be available on future models.

BMW rolls out new M4 safety car for DTM

Ever since revealing the M4 on nearly five months ago, BMW has been hard at work getting its new muscle coupe out on the track. It's made a touring-car version to compete in DTM and a safety car to set the pace at MotoGP races, and now it's combined both into a new safety car for DTM as well.
The ninth M4 on the DTM grid is based on the production version, but fitted with numerous upgrades over the course of a two-month conversion process. For starters, it's been equipped with nearly exterior component from the M Performance Parts catalog, including the quad-tipped exhaust, front splitter, rear spoiler and diffuser, blacked-out grille, special mirror caps, side sills... the works. But that's not the end of the story.
BMW M GmbH also gutted the interior, removing the rear bench and replacing it with a roll cage. It's got a pair of Recaro racing buckets with Schroth harnesses, plus special LED emergency lighting, radio communication system and, of course, special livery (albeit nowhere near as cool as the MotoGP one) to distinguish it as the official safety car when it makes its debut at the Nürburgring on August 17.