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Motorweek remembers the Bimmers that made us all fall in love

The enthusiast's tied-in-knots relationship with BMW makes the Bavarians one of those brands especially ripe for nostalgic flights. That's why as soon as we saw the opening shot of Motorweek's review of the 1986 BMW 325e and a 635Csi, we let out a long sigh and thought, "Ahhhhh, I remember those days..." The two red barons were the new entries for the year, the 325e offering a couple of extra doors for the first time, the 635CSi rounding up the powerplant's displacement compared to the 633CSi that preceded it. The inline six-cylinder in the current 335i sedan gets on with 300 horsepower; 28 years ago, the 325e made do with a 2.7-liter inline six offering 121 hp, taking 9.3 seconds to get to 60 miles per hour from a standstill. That's four seconds more than today. Those willing to pay $41,000 for the 635CSi got a 3.4-liter inline six with 182 hp, and Motorweek praised it as a "confident handling car that does feel big and clumsy at times." The more things change, you know... Check out the video for a reminder of how BMW got to be what it is, and to hear the most unusual use of the word "oriental" we've heard in a while. News Source: MotorWeek via YouTube BMW Coupe Luxury Classics Videos Sedan

BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo won't be a one-and-done model

The BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo seems like a model without a real segment to fit into. It doesn't quite match the mold for the swoopy four-door coupe niche like the Porsche Panamera or the brand's own 6 Series Gran Coupe. However, the vehicle isn't really a station wagon to appeal to those utilitarian buyers, either. Despite this identity crisis, BMW is reportedly prepping another GT for the next-gen 5 Series platform. According to German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, the 5 Series GT somehow has been a big enough sales success in the US and China to warrant another model. The next one would allegedly arrive in 2016, which is the about the same size as the future 5 Series sedan. The magazine speculates the new GT could lose about 221 pounds in the transition and be offered with four- and six-cylinder powertrains, plus a plug-in hybrid with an electric driving range estimated at around 19 miles. Globally, China is actually the larger 5er GT market than the US. According to IHS senior analyst Stephanie Brinley to Autoblog, the variant sold 21,089 units worldwide in 2013 (2014 is still being tabulated), and that represented about 5.7 percent of the 370,930 total sales for the 5 Series. China bought 42 percent of the world's GTs, compared to about 10 percent of the mix from the US. Europe, meanwhile, took about 29 percent of them that year. While the GT's sales figures make up just a fraction of the overall 5 Series, the variant is still a moneymaker for BMW, and IHS forecasts a second generation, too. "The 5 Series range as a whole is stronger for having this product, and it's very likely that the company's profit margin is higher on the GT, even with the cost of some dedicated sheetmetal and tooling," said Brinley. Featured Gallery 2014 BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo View 32 Photos News Source: Auto Motor und SportImage Credit: BMW Design/Style BMW Hatchback Wagon Luxury Sedan bmw 5 series gt bmw 5 series gran turismo

BMW offers xDrive on 2015 2 Series

BMW has released its mile-long list of model changes for 2015. It's mostly comprised of tiny tweaks to options packages, pricing or trim colors, but there are a few interesting new features in there too. One thing all buyers will notice is that as of July 1, the company's destination charge increases by $25, to $950 for all of its models.
The 2 Series gets two really useful upgrades for 2015. We already knew that BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive system would be offered on the M235i this summer. However, it won't be the only 2 capable of spinning all four wheels. The 228i model will also be available with the system for $34,850 (after destination), $1,800 more than the standard model.
The other big addition brings a sportier ride to the 228i (with or without xDrive) for those who don't want to spring for the M235i. BMW is adding a Track Handling Package (pictured above) that lowers the suspension 10mm and includes the Adaptive M Suspension, Variable Sport Steering, M Sport Brakes and 18-inch wheels with Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. It's available on manual or automatic models at $1,600 for cars ordered with the M Sport or Sport Line trims or $2,200 without it.