2006 Bmw M5 Base Sedan 4-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Tesla in talks with BMW about batteries, charging collaborations

With Toyota and Daimler no longer holding Tesla shares, the electric vehicle company might be looking for a new partner – possibly a Bavarian one. In a new interview with Germany's Der Spiegel, CEO Elon Musk confirmed that he has had talks with BMW execs about future collaboration. "We are talking about whether we can collaborate in battery technology or charging stations," Musk said in the interview, according to Reuters. However, a Tesla spokesperson has tempered things by saying no formal agreements are in place at the moment. In the same interview, Musk reportedly praised BMW's use of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic in its i sub-brand offerings, and said he would like to have a battery factory in Germany in the next five or six years. The possibility of technological cooperation between Tesla and BMW has been a hot topic this year. In June, Musk reportedly met with BMW execs, and the two companies were also rumored to have met with Nissan to discuss charging technology. When Daimler sold off its shares, there was talk of it opening the way for possible collaboration between the two automakers, as well.

BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe gets Bang & Olufsen Individual edition [w/video]

Not content with a bit part on the options sheet, high-end sound gets a starring role on the BMW Individual 6 Series Gran Coupe Bang & Olufsen Edition. There's no technical difference between the 1,200-watt, 16-speaker High End Surround Sound System in this run of 6 Series Gran Coupes and the $3,700 system you can order as an option on the standard Gran Coupe, but the special edition gets brushed black aluminum finish speaker grilles, a first for the range.
The packages and colors are what set these apart, exteriors available in either Brilliant White Metallic or Dark Graphite II Metallic, interiors possible in either black or Opal White and black. You'll also get upgrades like the Cold Weather, M Sport Edition Packages on the non-M car, the Competition Package and Executive Package on the M, plus piano black wood trim, special floor mats and lots of B&O badging.
This isn't just a special edition, it's a limited edition, with BMW saying only 100 will be produced. Prices start at $116,240 for the 650i B&O Edition and top out at $152,423 for the M6 B&O Edition. There's a press release below with more details, and we've included a video on the stereo itself to help understand why it might deserve a car named after it.

Next BMW M5 could go all-wheel drive

Franciscus van Meel had been a part of Audi AG management since 1996, in positions including chassis development and vehicle project director. In 2012 he was named managing director of Quattro GmbH - headquarters for personal favorites like the RS6 Avant and R8 - but he lasted just two years before being sent to lead an R&D division in Beijing. He returned from exile just ten months later but wearing a blue and white roundel, after being named to the top spot at BMW M. So it shouldn't be a surprise that when Auto Express asked van Meel about all-wheel drive on the next M5, he replied, "If we continue the power increases in the future... then probably the next generation M5 and M6 will have so much torque and power that we need to think about those solutions." It would make sense from a competitive standpoint, too - once the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG went 4Matic, that put the two of the three cars in the segment in the AWD column. And there's no "if" about a power increase: a recent report put next generation's output at 600 hp - that's 40 hp more than today - to power a lighter car. That report said there'd be the option of four-wheel drive, but AE takes van Meel's words as a definite sign that we'll see a more complex drive arrangement under the next M5. If so, then truth be told, van Meel is reiterating the thoughts of his predecessor from two years ago. The new M boss doesn't like the phrase "four-wheel drive," however; in clarifying those "solutions" he mentioned, he said that the car would be rear-biased to remain emotional, with the front tires kicking in to aid traction. Related Video: News Source: Auto ExpressImage Credit: BMW BMW Luxury Performance Sedan bmw m