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Tailor-made BMW motorcycles presented by Petrolicious

Italy is known as a world hub of great design, whether from finally crafted suits and shoes or screaming V8s from Ferrari. In its latest video, Petrolicious transitions to two wheels to focus on a man bringing the country's sophisticated style to some quintessentially German cycles. Calling Franco Augello a motorcycle customizer is almost a slander against his work. Instead of wild paint, heavily modified frames and serious engine upgrades, Augello's creations look more like high-end models from the original factory. His bespoke BMW R65 for a close friend is a perfect example of that craftsmanship. At first glance, the bike, which he calls the Inge 09 for his buddy's nickname, looks like a vintage BMW, albeit one in great shape. Looking closer, you can start picking out little details like the minimalist touches around the fuel filler and leather-wrapped grips. There's nothing flashy about Augello's bikes. Instead, his designs look like well-restored cycles that are more concerned with tiny improvements in some places rather than absolute authenticity. They offer all of the beauty of a Ermenegildo Zegna tailored suit with the ability to fire up the engine and take a ride.

BMW working on X2 crossover

Like the rest of the auto industry, BMW is going wild for crossovers, and the company's North American boss is wishing for supply to sell even more vehicles in the segment. It looks like the Bavarian brand is ready to feed all of this demand because the X2 reportedly has the green light for production, according to unnamed insiders speaking to Autocar. As its name suggests in BMW parlance, the X2 would be a five-door, high-style, coupe-like CUV that would be a smaller take on the X4 and X6. While these models aren't necessarily paragons of aesthetic beauty in the brand's lineup, their development is partially subsidized by other vehicles. The X2 reportedly shares drivetrains, electrical systems, and a platform with the next-gen, front-wheel drive X1 (pictured above). Sales in the UK at least could begin as soon as the second half of 2017, according to Autocar, and an M Performance version boasting up to 300 horsepower might even join the lineup in 2018. "We're finalizing the first prototypes now," a source said to Autocar, and a concept should preview the design before release, possibly at next year's Geneva Motor Show. BMW trademarked the X2 name in 2012, and rumors have continued to arise about it since then, including a possible design sketch. Related Video:

The 2016 BMW M2 is a steroid-addled M235i [UPDATE]

UPDATE: As it turns out, BMW mixed up the weight specs in the official press materials. We spoke to BMW for confirmation, and the manual M2 weighs 3,450 pounds, the DCT car weighs 3,505. We've updated the text to reflect this. If you're looking for a featherweight M235i, you'll be disappointed. The extra power and goodies are offset by negligible weight savings. When we first got behind the wheel of the M235i early last year, BMW was quick to point out the spiritual link between the small quasi-M car and its ancestors, the 2002 Turbo and the E30 M3, but we couldn't help but think fondly of the more potent 1M Coupe. And while the M235i got a lot of things right, its weight and price took some of the shine off it. But more importantly, the intangibles that those older BMWs nailed was somewhat lacking in the M235i – while fun, it was somewhat distant, unlike the visceral 1M. Until we drive the 2016 BMW M2, those intangibles will remain intangible. But on paper, the M2 looks to be a super-M235i, buffed up with M goodies like an active rear differential and lightened suspension components. But if you're looking for a featherweight M235i, you'll be disappointed. The extra power and goodies are offset by negligible weight savings. With the manual it weighs 3,450 pounds, an 85-pound reduction. With the DCT, it's a wash at 3,505 pounds. At least the M2 looks like a proper M car. The side bodywork swells 2.1 inches up front and 3.1 inches in the rear to accommodate wide 19-inch forged wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. The front end takes the M235i theme (itself an adrenaline-injected version of lesser 2 Series cars) and adds steroidal menace, with the expected larger intakes to feed the extra engine radiator. Out back, there's a diffuser in the rear tray that the M235i lacks, and the scallops that incorporate the taillights plainly telegraph the extra rear width. It's the M4's handsome younger sibling. Like the M235i to which its clearly related, the heart of the M2 is a 3.0-liter inline-six that inhales through a TwinScroll exhaust manifold-integrated turbocharger. High-precision direct injection, Double-VANOS, and Valvetronic are all present and accounted for, with some M goodies like pistons and crank bearings trickling down from the M3 and M4. The result is 365 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 343 pound-feet of torque available from as low as 1,400 rpm.