2007 Bmw 5 Series 550i Sedan 4-door 4.8l Loaded! No Reserve on 2040-cars

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BMW i8 pitted against M4 in sibling rivalry track battle

We recently watched Auto Bild challenge the BMW i8 against the M4 in a German drag race of decide the quicker of the inter-brand rivals. The hybrid took a commanding victory in that fight. However, Autocar now has a new battle for the two coupes. The siblings are together again on the Castle Combe Circuit to find out which of them offers the more enjoyable experience at the track. Unfortunately, we don't ever get a perfect point of comparison in the video because host Steve Sutcliffe never does a full lap in anger with either of them to set a time. Instead, he focuses more on how the BMWs feel behind the wheel. Sutcliffe also admits midway through the clip that the i8's electric motor is out of juice to power the front axle's electric motor. That only leaves the hybrid with its 228-horsepower and 236-pound-feet-of-torque turbocharged three-cylinder to spin the rear wheels. Still, Sutcliffe spends ample time explaining the benefits and downfalls of driving these coupes. See where his opinion falls between the M4 as the traditional German sports coupe and the i8 as the new-school hybrid in the video, above.

BMW names new chief for Mini

Mini is still transitioning models over to its new platform, and in the US market at least, the diminutive brand is dealing with a sales decrease of 15.6 percent in 2014. The low gas prices aren't helping either. But as of March 1, there's a new boss running the company across the world as Sebastian Mackensen (right) is promoted to the top spot from his current role as head of sales. Mackensen has been with Mini since October 2013, and according to Automotive News, before that he headed North and South American sales for Audi. Current brand boss, Jochen Goller is staying with BMW family and moving to China to take over as marketing chief for the BMW Brilliance joint venture. He had been the leader at Mini since 2013. Among several other personnel shifts, the BMW brand is also promoting Uwe Dreher to be its new head of marketing. He is currently in charge of those duties for the company in the Great Britain region. Personnel changes at MINI and BMW Group sales Munich . From 1 March 2015, Peter van Binsbergen will be Senior Vice-President, Sales and Marketing of BMW Group Germany. The 47-year-old mechanical engineer is currently Head of Sales and Marketing at the BMW Brilliance Joint Venture based in China. Mr van Binsbergen's career with the BMW Group began over 20 years ago when he assumed senior positions responsible for product planning, marketing and sales at BMW South Africa. He then moved to BMW Japan, where he was Director of Marketing, followed by a move to BMW Group headquarters in Munich, where he led the department responsible for sales channel development and the Group's "Future Retail" programme. Jochen Goller will move to China where he will take over an extended role with overall responsibility for Sales and Marketing at the BMW Brilliance Joint Venture in China. Mr Goller (48), who has headed up the MINI brand since 2013, already has experience when it comes to the Chinese market. During his 15-year career with the BMW Group, he was previously Head of Marketing at BMW China before returning to Europe, where he first took over responsibility for the MINI brand in Great Britain and Ireland ahead of moving to his current job. From 1 March 2015, Sebastian Mackensen will take on responsibility for the MINI brand. Mr Mackensen (43) joined the BMW Group in October 2013 as Head of MINI Sales.

Updated BMW X6 spied running the 'Ring in Germany

Following the debut of the X5 earlier this year, it shouldn't come as a shock that BMW is testing an updated X6 in its homeland. The Munich-based manufacturer trekked to the Nürburgring to test the lifted, four-door coupe it calls a Sports Activity Vehicle, while also giving us our first peak as to what the future holds for one of the weirder models in the brand's stable.
Mainly, we can safely expect the next X6 to get the same range of refinements made to its platform-mate, the X5, which debuted earlier this year. If we're lucky, that could mean an X6 sDrive35i, complete with rear-wheel drive with which to fling the big SAV about. Adding a rear-drive option could also broaden its admittedly limited appeal by lowering the cost of entry, which could serve the pricier X6 well. As a point of reference, the X5 sDrive35i is priced at $2,300 below an xDrive all-wheel-drive-equipped model.
The X6's top-flight xDrive50i model should get the same 45-horsepower bump as the X5 xDrive50i, thanks to refinements to its twin-turbocharged, 4.4-liter V8, while the 3.0-liter, turbocharged six-pot should remain unchanged. We wouldn't hold our breath for an X6 diesel to arrive, although weirder stuff has happened. Like the X5, though, this should be a pretty slim refit that improves an already competent package to go along with an expected increase in price.