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2015 BMW X3 arrives with tweaked styling, diesel option

The luxury crossover market has been a huge success for BMW, having sold over a million X3 models worldwide since the CUV first went on sale in 2003, not to mention all of the momentum its had with the larger X5. At the Chicago Auto Show, BMW is unveiling the refreshed 2015 X3, featuring an improved design, a new diesel engine option, and a rear-wheel drive variant.
The X3 is getting some handsome upgrades to the exterior. The twin, circular headlights now extend to touch the slightly widened, chrome kidney grille, to bring the styling in line with the 3 Series and 4 Series. (LED headlights are now optional, as well.) The front bumper gets reshaped brake cooling ducts, and the rear bumper gets a touch of additional metal trim at the bottom. BMW has also added standard LED turn signals in the side mirrors.
BMW has enhanced the interior with added chrome trim, high-gloss black trim around the center console, sliding covers for the cup holders and new interior upholstery designs. The X3 is also getting a major boost in optional technology - there's a new Parking Assistant, as well as an Active Driving Assistant with adaptive cruise control, Lane Departure Warning, Frontal Collision Warning, Pedestrian Warning, and City Collision Mitigation.

Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 priced at $48,855, AWD at $50,855

Infiniti's most powerful production model, the new Q50 Red Sport 400, now has a starting price. You'll need at least $48,855 for the rear-drive model or $50,855 for all-wheel drive. (Both figures include the $905 destination charge.) A fully loaded, rear-drive Q50 RS400 with Direct Adaptive Steering, navigation, adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, and Infiniti's entire alphabet soup of safety equipment, tops out at $57,045. (Again, add $2,000 for AWD). When it comes to rear-drive competition, the closest base price to the Q50 is the 320-hp BMW 340i. This German undercuts the Infiniti by two grand, $46,795 to $48,855. But the BMW outprices the Q50 as soon as you start selecting options. A 340i with similar equipment to a loaded Q50 Red Sport 400 costs just under $60,000. All-wheel-drive German competitors also lose out in the price war. Like with the rear-drive models, the BMW 340i xDrive undercuts the Q50 RS400 by around $2,000. Add the options, and the Infiniti becomes a better value. The other two big German rivals, the Audi S4 and Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG start at a higher price and only get more expensive. Technically the S4 starts cheaper than the Q50, but only with the standard manual transmission. Selecting the S-Tronic dual-clutch model kicks the price from $50,125 to $51,125, and going for the top-end Prestige trim will bump potential Audi owners up to $57,025. Throw on must-have S4 options, including adaptive cruise control, adaptive dampers, and a sport differential and you'll be shell out $64,425 for the Audi. The Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG is the priciest choice in this group, starting at $51,725, or roughly $900 more than a base Q50 RS400 with AWD. Options, again, are the downfall here. Building a C450 to match a loaded Infiniti will drive the Mercedes' price up to $64,315. While it occupies something of a weird space relative to these vehicles, it's also worth mentioning the Cadillac CTS VSport. It's the only car in this impromptu pricing comparo that can outgun the Q50, with its 3.6-liter, twin-turbo V6 good for 420 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. It also starts at $60,950, although that includes plenty of standard equipment. All this means that the Q50 Red Sport 400 represents a relative value. It packs more power than the Germans – 80 more than the 340i, 67 more than the S4, and 38 more than the C450 – and a more comprehensive list of options, too.

2015 BMW M3 is fast for the family man

BMW finally brought its four-door M3 into the public view, showing the new sedan off at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. The new M3 represents BMW's return to small, wildly fast four-door sedans after a several year absence following the discontinuation of the E90 M3 Sedan way back in 2011.
The M3 enjoys the same 425-horsepower, 3.0-liter six-cylinder used in the M4, with 406 pound-feet of torque and the owner's choice of either an old-fashioned six-speed manual or a seven-speed M dual-clutch transmission. All told, the new powertrain should scoot the four-door M to 60 in a mere 3.9 seconds (with the M DCT).
We've got a full gallery of live images of the all-new M3 up above, and we've included the original stock gallery down below. Feel free to peruse either, and then let us know what you think by sounding off down in Comments.