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BMW 4 Series spied with its future competition

BMW showed off its new 4 Series coupe in concept form at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, but it won't be long before we see the production model, evidenced by this modestly camouflaged prototype spotted testing. In case you forgot, the 4 Series serves as the replacement for the two-door versions of the BMW 3 Series, just as the upcoming 2 Series will effectively be the new version of the 1 Series coupe and convertible sold in our market.
This isn't our first glimpse of the 4 Series out testing, and we've even spied its droptop, Gran Coupe and too-hot M4 kin. We don't expect the final design to stray too much from the concept car seen in Detroit, albeit without the normal conceptual goodies like oversized wheels and with the overstyled front fascia toned down a bit. Our spy photographers even caught the 4 Series coupe hanging out with an Audi A5, giving us a good glimpse at how the two cars will stack up in terms of size and design.
It's still unknown exactly what engines will power the car when it comes to production, but since this thing is a derivative of the 3 Series, we expect the usual range of turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines to be available, likely in 428i ad 435i guise (though, to be fair, the larger 640i coupe uses a 3.0-liter turbo engine, so there's even the potential for 440i nomenclature to work its way into the mix). We'll have to wait until the car officially bows later this year to know for sure.

Recharge Wrap-up: DriveNow in Brussels, DOE funds H2 projects

The DriveNow carsharing service – a joint venture between BMW and Sixt – has expanded to Brussels, Belgium. In addition, 20 percent of the entire DriveNow fleet is now made up of electric vehicles, and more than 150,000 of the service's 600,000-plus customers have had their first EV driving experience through DriveNow. Users in most of the 10 cities in which the program operates have access to the BMW i3, which have been part of the fleet since 2013. Read more from Green Car Congress. The US Department of Energy (DOE) is providing more than $13 million in funding for the advancement of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. The DOE's Fuel Cell Consortium for Performance and Durability (FC-PAD) will help fund projects from General Motors, 3M, the United Technologies Research Center, and Vanderbilt University to reduce the use of platinum and increase the performance and durability of fuel cells. The DOE's Hydrogen Materials—Advanced Research Consortium (HyMARC) is funding hydrogen storage projects by Argonne National Laboratory, Penn State, University of Hawaii, Manoa, and University of Missouri, St. Louis. Read more from the DOE. The Advanced Diesel-Electric Powertrain (ADEPT) program's 48-volt lead-carbon battery will help next-generation cars meet future emissions requirements. ADEPT, of which Ricardo, Ford, and the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC) are partners, will present its results at the Cenex LCV2016 low-carbon vehicle conference at Millbrook on September 14 and 15. The "intelligent electrification" mild hybrid system will be showcased in a Ford Focus demonstration car. The system provides fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions benefits comparable to that of a full hybrid diesel powertrain, but at a lower cost. In addition to the lead-carbon battery (which is lithium-free and easily recyclable), the mild hybrid powertrain uses a Ford ECOnetic 1.5TDCi engine, advanced belt starter generator, and Turbine Integrated exhaust Gas Energy Recovery System (TIGERS). Read more in the press release below. Hybrid vehicle with 48V advanced lead carbon battery on path to meet future ultra-low emissions targets · ADEPT programme aims to demonstrate technology capable of providing near full-hybrid equivalent fuel economy at significantly lower cost · UltraBattery® advanced lead-carbon battery pack, provides a high power, high endurance, easily recyclable, lithium-free low-cost energy storage solution.

Alex Zanardi talks new challenge at 24 Hours of Spa with BMW

"I have overcome greater things in my life than driving at night." When considering Alex Zanardi's tumultuous life and racing career, the notion that he might be worried about racing for the first time at night seems patently absurd the moment I pose the question. But as I've discovered previously, ask Zanardi a question and his reply - even a brief one - will offer analysis. "I'm really looking forward to it," he says, before adding: "Also, it will be much cooler." Zanardi is talking about the latest installment in his racing career - the 24 Hours of Spa - where he will race a BMW Z4 GT3 alongside fellow ex-Formula 1 driver Timo Glock and DTM driver Bruno Spengler. For the second year, Zanardi is running with ROAL Motorsport, and the team has the full weight of BMW behind it as it prepares to go up against 57 other cars on the historic Belgian circuit this weekend. I first met Zanardi last year at Brands Hatch on a hot May afternoon after his one-hour Blancpain Sprint Series race. He was exhausted and downing can after can of cola but still happy to chat to fans as he cooled off. I ask why, if that was such a tough experience, he is prepared to do it for 24 hours. "It's a good question, why would I?" he ponders aloud before quickly adding: "I am confident I am as well-equipped as I can be to face such an enormous commitment." That confidence comes from three developments that have allowed him to be the first disabled driver to race the Spa 24H. Firstly, his athleticism; since Zanardi lost both his legs in the horrific CART accident at the Lausitzring in 2001, he has drawn admiration for his subsequent achievements as a racing driver and paracyclist; the Italian won two golds and a silver at the 2012 London Paralympics in handcycling. The man is seriously fit. The next major change is inside the Z4 cockpit, where he has worked with BMW engineers to adapt the braking system without hindering his able-bodied teammates; having two others sharing the car with him is a new challenge for both Zanardi and BMW. New controls, particularly the brake pedal, were designed with impressive results. "[The engineers] made my life easier quite dramatically via ergonomics, pushing the brake pedal and the footrest where I put my prosthetic feet to the side of the space that was available. "This makes everything better for me. The ratio of the brake pedal is changed.