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First BMW i8 in US sells for $825,000

Here are some numbers. The standard BMW i8 starts at starts at $135,700. The first i8 in the US was auctioned off at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this past weekend and the auctioneers, Gooding & Company, said before the gavel was lifted the fist time that they expected the i8 with unique Frozen Grey Metallic and other upgrades to raise between $150,000 and $200,000 for the Pebble Beach Company Foundation. Turns out, the car eventually sold for $825,000 to an unnamed buyer. Along with the honor of having the first i8 on these shores, the special plug-in hybrid comes with Dalbergia Brown leather upholstery, a set of Louis Vuitton luggage and something called a "professional edition" charging station along with laser headlights (subject to regulator approval). A number of other i8s were delivered to a few wealthy car shoppers who managed to make their way to Pebble Beach over the weekend, including automotive guru Roger Penske and Nest CEO Tony Fadell. The special edition was presented at the auction by Jay Leno and BMW North America president and CEO, Ludwig Willisch. You can't put a price on that. Just kidding. You can, and it's apparently $825,000.

Mini Countryman PHEV caught at electric watering hole

Our spy photographers have once again found the next generation Mini Countryman out testing in the wild. This time, they caught it replenishing its thirst for electrons. Although we knew some sort of hybrid Countryman was coming, this confirms its existence and plug-in capabilities beyond any reasonable doubt. Like the rest of the Mini lineup, this new Countryman will be noticeably larger than its predecessor. It also appears to feature a larger, more aggressive grille and lower intake vents. Other than that, the car appears to be quite evolutionary in design. Our spy photographers expect the plug-in hybrid Countryman to debut in 2019 powered by a combination of the 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder and an electric motor. We have also predicted that the gasoline engine could power the front wheels while the electric motor (or motors) powers the rear wheels, which together could provide all-wheel-drive and 240 horsepower. Related video:

Refreshed BMW 6 Series sports an understated redesign in Detroit [w/video]

BMW is keeping its refresh for the 2015 6 Series family very subtle. The tweaks amount to an understated nose job for the luxury models and some new standard tech, as well. The Bavarian brand is definitely not going too far with this redesign for the vehicles, and they even remain mechanically the same. The most obvious change for the latest 6 Series models is the sharpened front end. BMW explains that the grille now features nine slats, rather than ten. Clearly, this is a major change in design. The lower air dam is slightly reworked to accentuate the vehicles' width, and, in addition, the four-door benefits from a tweaked window surround with the Gran Coupe name embossed near the rear doors. All versions also get standard full-LED headlights. Inside, there's high-gloss black trim covering the center and LEDs illuminating portions of the interior. Beyond these minor alterations, BMW is offering two new options packs for the family that tweak the looks. While the company doesn't have any earth-shattering changes in store, they are there. Try to spot the changes in the refreshed 6 Series models as they sit on the floor of the 2015 Detroit Auto Show. The new BMW 6 Series: Three Body Styles Rejuvenated and Ready to Take on the Competition Woodcliff Lake, N.J. - December 10, 2014 6:00pm EST/3:00pm PST... Through three generations, the BMW 6 Series has defined that unique blend of style and elegance with the performance and handling that one would expect of The Ultimate Driving MachineTM. For the 2015 model year the third-generation of BMW 6 Series receives a range of enhancements that refine the character that is unique to the 6 Series. Now offered in three distinct body styles – traditional two-door Coupe, open-air Convertible and unique four-door Gran Coupe – all three are again offered with a choice of BMW TwinPower Turbo engines, the 315 horsepower inline-six in the 640i models and the 445 horsepower V8 in the 650i models. Sitting at the top of the 6 Series range, in terms power and performance, is the BMW M6 with its 560 horsepower M TwinPower Turbo V8, again available in all three body styles. The 2015 BMW 6 Series will make its world debut at the North American International Auto Show and arrives in US showrooms in the first quarter of 2015. Sports performance and luxury – a combination rich in tradition. The new BMW 6 Series model range follows in a BMW tradition of legendary dream cars which now stretches back more than 75 years.