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Company car offers in decline, but not at The Cheesecake Factory [w/poll]

As businesses look to keep high-level employees happy, it seems that use of company cars can still be an effective method, although fewer companies are employing it. According to Businessweek, only about 25 percent of companies offer company vehicles as a perk, while less than half give allowances for employees to use their personal vehicles for work purposes.
The report says that one business still in the practice of handing out company cars is The Cheesecake Factory, which offers the benefit to top managers. And we're not talking about some econobox, either. The article indicates the restaurant chain hands out BMWs on a three-year basis - although the company's own report says that the type of vehicle "varies with the executive's level."
Still, we mostly agree with the article's conclusion that money is the best way to keep employees or attract new ones, even if a corporate car is a big perk. What do you think? Let us know, in the poll below, whether a company car could sway you to work for a certain company (not just the Cheesecake factory, where the "Glamburgers" portion of the menu alone is enough to keep a guy hanging around).

BMW M4 Concept bows, takes handoff from M3 Coupe

Remember how, when the first BMW M4 Concept images leaked earlier today, we told you the official information would be coming later this evening? Well, scratch that. The whole kit and caboodle is now online, meaning all the official details are below, as well as a full gallery of high-res images above.
The replacement for the M3 Coupe, the Concept M4 Coupe shares a number of styling similarities with its dearly departed forbearer. To us, it's kind of like a mishmash of greatest hits from the new 4 Series and the old M3. The 4 Series headlights have grown on us, and the side grilles, which are part of BMW's Air Curtain and Air Breather system, are functional.
The power dome in the hood is smaller than on the M3, but is of a similar shape, while the rear diffuser and exhaust treatment look like they're lifted straight from the old car, aside from being finished in carbon fiber. Speaking of which, the carbon fiber roof sports a new touch, a cool BMW M tri-color that runs the length of the roof on the driver's side. The 20-inch M alloy wheels come in a twin five-spoke design, which has sort of become a calling card of BMW's M cars in recent years. Hiding behind those meaty wheels are M's carbon-ceramic brakes.

BMW X4 order guide sneaks onto the web

Much like we gave you an early look at the ordering guide for the BMW M3 and M4 (you can now configure those two, as well), yet another list of BMW options has leaked out. This time, the upcoming X4 is the target. We told you last month that prices for the X3-sized, X6-shaped vehicle started at $45,625, and now, we can confirm everything else for the newest Bimmer.
Only two trim lines will be available when the X4 arrives - M Sport and xLine. The former starts at $2,300 for the xDrive28i model and $1,900 for the xDrive35i, and includes as standard, 19-inch wheels (or optional 20s for $950), sport seats, an M steering wheel, a more aggressive body kit, a black headliner and the option of brushed aluminum interior trim. The xLine is $1,500 for the 28i and $1,000 for the 35i, and is made up exclusively of 19-inch Y-spoke wheels and dark copper interior trim.
Metallic colors dominate the pallet, with just a pair of gloss options available alongside the $550 metal-flake colors. BMW offers a pair of SensaTec leatherette options, along side a wide variety of $1,450 leather trims.