2012 Bmw M3 2dr Cpe on 2040-cars

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2015 BMW M3 and M4 configurator launched, no lunch hour safe

BMW has just made your lunch break a little more interesting by launching the configurators for the M3 and M4. Pricing and options for the new sports coupe and sedan was revealed just a few days ago, but it's always more fun to see the visual effect your personalizations have on the bottom line.
The M3 and M4 start at $62,000 and $64,200, respectively, without a $925 destination charge. However, as soon as the configurator is opened, both models default with metallic paint ($550) and the M Double-clutch Transmission ($2900), plus extended leather on the M3 ($950) and full leather on the M4 ($3,500). This is basically the way they were shown when displayed at auto shows. Of course, there's nothing preventing users from setting up these performance machines however they like.
So sit down at your desk with a cup of coffee or a sandwich and create your perfect German sport sedan or coupe. It's always fun to see how much money can be spent on a dream car.

BMW NA president says i3 beats Tesla EVs thanks to lighter all-around footprint

Those waiting for a full-out brawl between Tesla Motors head Elon Musk and BMW North America chief Ludwig Willisch will have to wait a bit. For the bloodthirsty, there are signs of some healthy competition and a little bit of green-car sniping between the two automakers. Willisch, speaking at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month and responding to questions about Tesla, noted (without mentioning that company by name) that the production process of the German automaker's i3 plug-in was "greener" than any other. According to Business Insider, Willisch highlighted the fully recyclable materials used to construct the i3 as well as the hydropower used at the carbon fiber plant in Moses Lake, WA. Willisch also noted that the Tesla Model S is "very heavy on the braking. Our car feels just like a normal car. That's a big difference when it comes to driving," Automotive News said in a separate report. The latter model weighs about a third less than the Tesla, though it also has an EV range about a third as big. The BMW executive did allow that the Tesla did make a good proverbial "snowplow," not for its driving characteristics but for its ability to get more people conformable with electric vehicle technology. Musk was asked about the i3 in an August conference call and laughed before noting that the i3 had "room to improve." No word on whether Musk and Willisch will be sending each other Valentine's Day cards next month.

Toyota, Mercedes, BMW top automakers included in List of Best Global Brands

Interbrand, a consultancy firm, has published its 13th annual list of the best global brands. Besides seeing some shakeups at the top - Apple and Google unseated Coca-Cola (a company that has dominated the survey since its birth), the 100-item list features 14 automakers, most of which enjoyed double-digit gains in brand value.
Toyota managed to retain its spot as the study's top automaker. It finished the survey in 10th position overall (the same as last year), despite a 17-percent improvement in its brand value, from $29.33 billion to $35.34 billion. Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Honda all made the top 20, at 11th, 12th and 20th place, respectively. Hopping a ways down the list, we come across Volkswagen in 34th place, up from 39th in last year's study, with a brand value of $11.12 billion, a 20-percent improvement over 2012. Ford and Hyundai round out the automakers in the top 50, at 42 and 43.
Porsche made the largest year-over-year gain of any automaker, with its brand value increasing 26 percent to $6.47 billion. Chevrolet meanwhile, cracks the list for the very first time at 89th place. As Interbrand notes, Chevy's inclusion is notable because of the sheer number of vehicles it moves for General Motors and its recent push in developing markets. The final interesting note on this survey is the position of an automaker that takes its name and logo more seriously than perhaps any other - Ferrari. The Italian exotic manufacturer finished 98th out of 100, with just $4.01 billion in brand value, a six-percent improvement over 2012.