2002 Bmw E39 M5 ((clean Title (in Hand) No Accidents, And Service Records)) on 2040-cars

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Upgraded BMW 230i and M240i get more power, new badges

A few months ago, we got our hands on a report that claimed that BMW would ditch the 28i and 35i monikers for both the 2 and 3 Series. BMW already dropped the 335i designation in favor of the 340i badge, but the 328i is still hanging around. In the 2017 2 Series, the old badges are out. Meet the new 2017 230i and M240i, in both coupe and convertible flavors. If you're already confused about all the badge changes, here's the important part: the 2.0-liter inline-four and the 3.0-liter inline-six, both turbocharged, get more power than the engines in their 2016 counterparts. The 230i will get 248 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, and be smoother than before. Those are increases of eight hp and three lb-ft of torque over the 2016 model. The M240i replaces the M235i. There's more power here, too: 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, available from 1,520 rpm to 4,500 rpm. Those are increases of 15 hp and 39 lb-ft of torque, by the way. All-wheel-drive models are eight-speed automatic-only; a six-speed manual is a no-cost option on the 230i, and available on the M240i. These models will launch later this summer, and pricing will be available closer to that time. We reached out to a BMW spokesperson for a better understanding of what hardware and software changes are responsible for the increased output, but this information isn't yet available. Related Video: BMW Convertible Coupe Luxury Performance 2 series bmw m240i bmw 230i

BMW i3 owners in California get $1,000 to delay charging

It's fairly rare to get paid for doing absolutely nothing, but that's exactly the case for a select group of BMW i3 owners in California. A hundred people are part of the ChargeForward pilot program in coordination with BMW and Pacific Gas & Electric Company, and each participant gets a $1,000 gift card to not plug in their cars – at least not whenever they want to. It's all part of an attempt to develop strategies to reduce the strain on the grid during peak usage. The trial runs from July 2015 to December 2016 in California's Bay Area. According to the automaker's website, when plugged in, BMW has the ability to delay the charging of the i3s by up to an hour. There are no necessary mechanical or software modifications necessary, either. Although, if drivers desperately need the juice, they can also opt out of the program for a day. At the end of the experiment, the people are eligible for a second gift card for up to another $540, depending on their involvement. According to Bloomberg, with 65,000 electric vehicles in Northern California, the power company estimates the area has among the highest concentrations of EVs in the country. While all of those emissions-free miles are great for the environment, plugging them all in once just adds to the load on the system. As a second part of the program, used Mini E batteries are being repurposed to create a solar-powered, stationary storage system that Pacific Gas can also use to supplement the grid.

BMW: Newfangled Idea

Former Today Show hosts Katie Couric and Bryant Gumbel joined the all-new BMW i3 for its 2015 Super Bowl spot. The 60-second spot harkens back to the pair's bewilderment over the Internet way back in 1994, before cutting to the revolutionary electric Bimmer, which elicits a similarly perplexed reaction. It's a clever spot for BMW, tying its perhaps misunderstood EV to another formerly unfamiliar piece of tech. We're no strangers to the i3, but if you are, check out our detailed review on the electric hatch.