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Are you the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe?

Thanks to Austrian website Autofilou (via Jalopnik), we now have our first look at what appears to be the upcoming BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe - the four-door version of the new 4 Series coupe, which itself is based on the 3 Series sedan. Makes total sense, right?
Nevertheless, in our First Drive of the 4 Series coupe, we found it to be a much more engaging experience than the 3 Series on which its based. And if this new 4GC follows in those footsteps, it could prove to be a better 3 Series sedan than, well, the 3 Series sedan.
Expect the 4 Series Gran Coupe to come in 428i and 435i flavors, with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four in the base car and a 3.0-liter turbo-six in the higher-end model. Of course, BMW will likely bring a range-topping M4 Gran Coupe to market not long thereafter.

BMW previews new M6 GT3 racing prototype [UPDATE]

UPDATE: A previous version of this post specified the incorrect weight target for the M6 GT3. The text below has been updated with the correct information. BMW may not compete at the top level at Le Mans or in the World Rally Championship, it may have withdrawn from Formula One and shuttered the Formula BMW series, but it's not without its racing programs. Aside from the Minis that dominate the Dakar Rally, BMW fields the M4 in DTM, the M235i Racing in the BMW Sports Trophy and the Z4 in GT3 competitions around the world. But now it's preparing to launch a new GT3 racer based on the M6. Currently undergoing development, BMW has presented its new M6 GT3 prototype at its factory in Dingolfing, Germany. Based on the road-going M6 coupe, the GT3 retains its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with dry-sump lubrication, producing over 500 horsepower – which is actually less than the road-going model you can buy, but has to be restricted to meet FIA certification. At less than 3,000 pounds, it is a fair bit lighter than the production version, and promises to deliver blistering performance figures to whichever privateer teams buy one to enter in racing series around the world. The M6 GT3 is slated to hit the circuits next year, when it will join the lineup alongside the M6 coupe, M6 convertible and M6 Gran Coupe, to say nothing of the M6 safety car used in MotoGP. In a related development, BMW Blog reports that the Bavarian automaker is probing potential interest in bringing the M235i Racing to North America. The entry-level model in the BMW Motorsports range, the M235i Racing sells in Europe for the equivalent of $68,000. The next milestone: the BMW M6 GT3 is rolled out at the BMW premises in Dingolfing. 05.02.2015 Munich (DE), 5th February 2015. BMW's new figurehead for the GT racing scene has been given its first run: last Saturday, the test track on the premises of the BMW factory in Dingolfing (DE) provided the stage for the roll-out of the BMW M6 GT3, with which BMW teams will compete in national and international series, as well as at iconic endurance races, from 2016 onwards. The car left the garage for the first time at precisely 14:00 with Jorg Muller (DE) at the wheel. This gave the BMW works driver the honour of creating the next milestone in the development of the BMW M6 GT3. "This is a big moment for everyone who has worked so intensely and passionately on the development of the BMW M6 GT3 in recent months," said BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt.

Mazda CX-5 named Japan's Car of The Year, Subaru BR-Z wins "Special Award"

The Mazda CX-5 stamped its Kodo design and SkyActiv technology authority all over the Japan Car of the Year awards, taking the top prize ahead of the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT 86. It is Mazda's second victory in the last ten years, the 2005 MX-5 claiming the same trophy, and the fourth time the Hiroshima company has won.
The award is decided by 60 local "automotive experts and journalists," and open to any passenger car released in Japan from November 1, 2011 to October 31, 2012 that has sold more than 500 units. Each judge gets 25 votes, his or her top vote getting 10 points, the rest of the points being spread among the judge's choice for the next best four cars.
The second-place getters were the Toyobaru twins with 318 votes, the surprise being they didn't beat or get any closer to the crossover. The Subaru BRZ did claw some mojo back, earning the Special Award given to cars that have made "an exceptional impact." The BMW 3 Series was third overall and won the Import Car of the Year award with plenty of room between it and the second place Range Rover Evoque.