Bmw E28 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Here's why you don't want the 2016 BMW M4 Clubsport

BMW Spain recently announced a special-edition M4 Competition Sport. It's billed as a more comfortable version of the M4 GTS (including rear seats) and, with only 60 copies available, will be more rare than that hardcore M4. But hold on a second because the CS is not exactly the unicorn it appears to be. And the closest thing to a CS in the United States might be better. Here's why. The M4 Competition Sport comes with more power, 20-inch wheels, and adaptive M chassis. The twin-turbo six has been turned up to 444 horsepower, which is shy of the crazy 493-hp water-injection version from the GTS. In fact, it's the same power you get with the $5,500 Competition Package that BMW USA announced back in January. And our Competition Package also comes with the wheels and M chassis setup. View 38 Photos We concede one area where the M4 CS does earn our envy. The giant carbon wing on the back and various other carbon-fiber elements do look pretty great, although tacking them on likely does not reduce the vehicle's weight. They're also all available from the vast M Performance catalog, so you could buy an M4 and tack on whichever ones you like best. Lucky Spanish customers also get carbon-ceramic brakes, but we can order those as a standalone option for $8,150. And the M4 CS only comes with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Here in the States you can order all those goodies with a manual. Each of the 60 M4 Competition Sport coupes will sell for 132,900 euros in Spain, which works out to about a 45 percent markup compared to a standard-issue M4 coupe. So no, we don't get the numbered plaque on the center console or the neat seats. But we do get all the rest of it, with a manual, and at a much lower price than the Spanish M4 CS. And you can get the same stuff in the four-door M3. U-S-A! U-S-A! Related Video: Related Gallery 2016 BMW M4 GTS View 65 Photos BMW Coupe Performance bmw m4 bmw m4 gts

Recharge Wrap-up: BMW i3 carshare, Audi e-gas plant

Elix Wireless has announced its E10K Wireless Charging System. The system is designed for harsh conditions, delivers up to 10 kilowatts and features automatic detection and removal of foreign objects. Its low frequency makes it safe to operate near oil and gas, and in other hazardous environments. The system can charge personal vehicles, as well as electric buses, trucks, mining equipment and heavy duty machinery. Elix has "created an entirely new technology that meets customer demand for fast, safe and reliable charging," says, CEO David Smith. The E10K system uses Elix's Magneto-Dynamic Coupling technology, with rotating permanent magnets in the transmitter and receiver. Read more at Green Car Congress, or in the press release from Elix Wireless. FreeWire Technologies and Siemens are working together on a pilot program for the Mobi Charger. The mobile charging station, which uses second-life EV batteries to charge electric vehicles, will be deployed for a trial at LinkedIn's campus in Mountain View, CA. The Mobi is more flexible than stationary chargers in that it brings the charging to the car, regardless of where it is parked, rather than having to park the EV in a specific spot. It can charge up to five cars per day without putting stress on the grid during peak hours. Read more from Siemens. Audi's e-gas plant in Werlte, Germany helps stabilize the power grid. The plant, which produces synthetic methane using CO2, water and electricity, is able to draw six megawatts of power within five minutes, allowing it to become certified in the electricity balancing market. This helps the grid adapt to the larger load fluctuations that go hand-in-hand with generating renewable energy. It also allows the plant to achieve higher operating times and produce more e-gas each year. Read more in the press release from Audi. The BMW i3 is now available through the DriveNow carsharing service in Germany. DriveNow, which is a joint venture between BMW and car rental company Sixt, has put 100 i3s into service in Berlin, Hamburg and Munich. BMW also says that it supports a shift away from private car ownership in order to improve urban living and mobility, and sees electric carsharing as an important part of that. "We are witnessing the changes our customers and society as a whole are making and we are taking them on board," says BMW's Dr. Bernhard Blattel.

BMW M3 and M4 leak ahead of Detroit debut

Images of the overhauled BMW M3 sedan and M4 coupe have leaked ahead of a debut at next month's Detroit Auto Show, along with option sheets and some specs.
Both wear the standard hallmarks of BMW's M division. There's a subtle power dome in the hood, along with the requisite M3/4-branded strakes on the front fenders. The front and rear fascia are more aggressive than what we've seen in the 3/4 Series M Sport package, as well. Split-five-spoke wheels mean the neither car will stand out in the family portrait and those gold calipers, meanwhile, signify what has been rumored for some time - the M3 and M4 will be getting carbon-ceramic brakes.
The cabin is home to the standard suite of M accoutrements, including a new steering wheel and more heavily bolstered seats. Special trim, including carbon fiber, will be available to further set these cars apart from the standard models.