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BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer is a minivan by any other name

The Ultimate Driving Mini Minivan? Too early to say, considering that we've not yet driven it and so we don't know if it's the ultimate anything. But the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer definitely slots into place as a small MPV in the European market, hence the mini minivan designation, though it doesn't have sliding doors. We don't have any indication that this 2 Series variant will come to the United States, in case you were wondering. With the option of a third row, this seven-passenger, front-wheel-drive (or optionally, all-wheel-drive) machine from BMW is sure to ruffle a few enthusiast feathers, but it also has the potential to be a big seller for the German brand. Available with a range of three- and four-cylinder engines offering between 116 and 192 horsepower, the 2 Series Gran Tourer packs a lot of space into a very small platform. It may not be the prettiest vehicle to wear the Roundel, but it may be the most practical. See it for yourself from every angle in our high-res gallery of live images above, and feel free to read more in the press release below. The new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer. 11.02.2015 With the new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer, BMW has carved out yet another new vehicle segment. With its generous space, versatility and groundbreaking flexibility, the BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer is the world's first premium compact model to offer up to seven seats and fully meet the mobility requirements of young families. Compact yet capacious. Despite its compact dimensions – measuring just 4,556 millimetres long, 1,800 mm wide and 1,608 mm high – the new BMW 2 Series Gran Tourer offers ample space and a generous luggage compartment that can be extended in capacity from 645 to 805 litres. With the rear-seat backrests folded down, this rises to an impressive 1,905 litres of load space. Ensuring maximum variability is the standard-fitted fore-aft sliding rear seat bench – with a 40:20:40-split backrest that folds down at the press of a button – which allows three child seats to be fitted. Extending the possibilities even further is an optional third row of seats which can be completely lowered into the loading floor. Maximising the vehicle's everyday practicality is a range of storage options for all three rows of seats, as well as rails on the front-seat backrests with fold-out tables attached.

BMW M3 takes on Mercedes-AMG C63 S in track battle from Evo

Over the last few decades, BMW has firmly established an enviable reputation among automotive enthusiasts by making what many consider to be the very best sporty sedans and coupes in the world. Every few years, a new challenger appears from one of the German brand's long list of competitors, but the result always seems to be the same: Close, but no cigar. The latest challenger to BMW's on-track crown comes from Mercedes-AMG in the form of the C63 S sedan. The AMG has a lot more power, an excellent and balanced chassis and it looks beautiful. But is it good enough to outperform the latest BMW M3? We're not going to spoil it for you. Watch the latest Deadly Rivals video from Evo to find out which competitor comes out on top.

On Location in California with BMW and Mini

A mid-winter escape from frigid Michigan to drive a trio of new BMW and Mini products? It'd be a busy couple of days, but you can't argue with Southern California in February. The temperatures in LA, where we drove the Mini Cooper S Convertible, hovered in the mid-80s, and it was solidly in the 70s further north, at Monterey, where we drove the M2 and X4 M40i. The highlight of the trip was Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, which is a rewarding track to drive in a street car. The M2 was a blast there. The canyon roads above Malibu in the Mini were a close second, but even the lazy drive down the PCH to Big Sur was a blast. More important is the California state of mind we were in when driving all three of these cars. I've spent a lot of time in this state, and it has a complicated relationship with the car – and there's also a huge difference in attitude between the greater Bay Area and Southern California. Ample sun and twisty roads clash with image-consciousness, eco-consciousness, and brutal urban gridlock, and each BMW dealt with that paradox admirably, in its own way. Take a quick jaunt to California with me and check out the locations and experiences that helped form our impressions of these vehicles: the 2016 BMW M2 First Drive, the 2016 Mini Cooper S Convertible First Drive, and the 2016 BMW X4 M40i Quick Spin.