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BMW i3 configurator is so advanced it's replaced trim levels

BMW's electric i3 is slowly marching its way to dealers. It might not be happening quite fast enough for customers, though. For you anxious individuals, head over to the BMW consumer website and build your ideal i3 in the new configurator.
Before we talk about all the stuff this build tool can do, we need to address the naming of BMW's trim levels for the EV hatchback. The 328i, for example, is available in Sport Line, M Sport Line and Luxury Line. That's good; it makes sense. The i3, though, has Giga World, Tera World and Mega World. Seriously. We've no idea what BMW was thinking when it came up with this (this is the same company that regularly uses the phrase "Sport Activity Vehicle," so...).
Silly names aside, let's try and translate where each trim fits in. The Mega World is the base trim. The Giga, at $1,700, adds stylish leather-and-wool seats in a clean two-tone color scheme, along with 19-inch wheels and a leather-covered IP. The Tera World demands $2,700, but makes up for it with its own 19-inch wheels and a full leather interior. Both lines (worlds?) add satellite radio and eucalyptus wood trim.

BMW unleashes new M4 racer on DTM

We may not get to enjoy the fruits of it all, but we're in the midst of a golden age in touring car racing around the world. In Northern Europe, rival local series have amalgamated into the Scandinavian Touring Car Championship. In the UK, the British Touring Car Championship is enjoying the largest and most diverse grid in its long history. In Australia, the V8 Supercars series has grown from a Holden vs. Ford battle to include challengers from Mercedes, Nissan and Volvo. And in Germany, the DTM championship has managed to lure BMW back onto the grid to open up the battle between Mercedes and Audi. All good things, in short.
Since returning to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters in 2012, BMW has won the drivers' title once and the constructors' title twice, proving the Bavarian manufacturer to be not only a suitable challenger to the two-horse race between its star- and ring-emblazoned rivals, but the dominant force in German tin-top racing. Now BMW is set to enter its third season since returning to the DTM, and this is the car with which it intends to do so.
Replacing the M3 DTM that has impressively won half of the DTM races it has contested over the past two years, BMW's latest racing car is made in the mold of the new M4 coupe. Only it's even meaner. While the production version has switched to a turbo six, the DTM version still uses a V8: a 4.0-liter unit with four-valve cylinder heads, mandatory air restrictors and a Bosch ECU to channel 480 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque to the rear set of Hankook racing slicks through a six-speed sequential gearbox. The lightweight chassis is rounded out with competition-level aerodynamics and all the mandatory safety equipment.

Recharge Wrap-up: GKN electric AWD, $8,500 for Tesla brake repair

A Tesla owner in Canada was quoted $8,500 to repair the brakes in his 2012 Model S. Tesla waived the labor costs, bringing the total price down to $5,824.75. Tesla said that since regenerative braking means the regular brakes get less use, occasional hard braking can help keep them working properly. Also, the salt on the roads in winter leads to corrosion of both the rotors and the calipers. Tesla suggests yearly brake service in harsh climates. Read more at Clean Technica. GKN is launching an electric all-wheel-drive system using its eAxle technology. BMW will be the first to use the system – which is optimized for compact vehicle platforms – in its 2 Series Active Tourer plug-in hybrid. On its own, the electric axle drive offers up to 70 kilowatts (94 horsepower) and 1,475 pound-feet of torque, enough to propel a vehicle up to almost 78 miles per hour under electric power alone. It can also disengage from the driveline when it's not needed in order to reduce rotating losses at higher speeds. Read more from Green Car Congress. The Orange County Transit Authority's (OCTA) first zero-emission, hydrogen powered bus uses a fuel cell from Ballard. The 40-foot ElDorado National Axess bus, powered by Ballard's FCveloCity fuel cell, was funded by the Federal Transit Administration's National Fuel Cell Bus Program. "Clean energy mass transit alternatives, such as this new fuel cell bus in Orange County, are a tremendous example of what can be done to help address clean air challenges," says Ballard Vice President Karim Kassam. "We are excited by the progress being made at OCTA and by others in California." Read more in the press release below. Ballard Module Powers First Zero-Emission Fuel Cell Bus for Orange County Transportation Authority VANCOUVER, CANADA and ORANGE COUNTY, USA – On May 23rd representatives from Ballard attended a ceremony to unveil the first zero-emission fuel cell bus to provide service for the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), one of the largest transit agencies in California. The OCTA bus is the 6th American Fuel Cell Bus (AFCB) configuration delivered in California. Karim Kassam, Ballard Vice President - Commercial said, "Clean energy mass transit alternatives, such as this new fuel cell bus in Orange County, are a tremendous example of what can be done to help address clean air challenges.