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BMW and Samsung team up with Galaxy Gear smartwatch that talks to your i3

Without a doubt, the most impressive thing that BMW showed at CES this year was a driverless M235i drifting flawlessly around a wet track at Las Vegas Speedway. However, that bit of robotic helmsmanship wasn't the only trick the German company had up its sleeve. Or, more to the point, on its wrist.
Taking a page from rival Mercedes-Benz, BMW demonstrated how a "smartwatch," in this case the Samsung Galaxy Gear, could be made to function usefully with a vehicle, in this case the BMW i3. Calling it a "research application," BMW showed off its BMW i Remote App on the Galaxy Gear; the app gives information about state of battery charge, available range and whether or not all the doors and windows are closed or open. Perhaps more useful still, the watch can be used to send a destination to the i3's navigation unit, adjust the climate control in preparation for a trip and can recognize voice commands. Nifty stuff, if not world-shaking, that could help tech-obsessed luxury buyers take a second look at the upcoming BMW EV.
Take a closer look at the watch in action below, or read thru the BMW press release.

The importance of Angel Eyes, Ventiports and four round taillights

Just the other day, we told you about how Lincoln isn't really a luxury brand, according to Ford's head design man, J Mays. His argument was that Lincoln lacked the unique DNA to differentiate it from the rest of the market, although the arrival of the MKZ is beginning to change that. Now, we have this video from Autoline Detroit, where Jim Hall, an analyst for 2953 Analytics who was quoted in yesterday's Lincoln story, explains the influence of certain styling cues and how they impact the brands.
Using BMW (Angel Eyes) and Buick (Ventiports) as examples for small, simple touches that serve to distinguish the brand's vehicles on the road, Hall then points out how changing trademark styling features, as Chevrolet has done on the new Corvette Stingray, can hurt the vehicle's public perception. Take a look at the full video below for an interesting dive into what these styling features mean to their individual brands.

BMW plugs in new X5 xDrive40e PHEV crossover

BMW broke with its own convention when it rolled out the original X5 back in 1999, and did it again when it launched the i3 and i8 plug-in hybrids in 2013. Now it's bringing the two together with the reveal of the new X5 xDrive40e. Based on the third-generation F15 model and previewed by the X5 eDrive concept at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, the X5 xDrive40e is the first PHEV from the core BMW brand. Its hybrid powertrain pairs a 2.0-liter turbo four (itself good for 245 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque) to an electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission (contributing another 113 hp and 184 lb-ft) for a total combined output of 313 hp and 332 lb-ft. That makes it more powerful by both counts than the six-cylinder X5 xDrive35i (though considerably less so than the V8-powered xDrive50i), giving it a quoted 0-62 time of 6.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 130 mph. But it can travel up to 19 miles on electric power alone, at which top speed is limited to 75 mph. BMW has mounted the 9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack underneath the luggage floor, limiting cargo capacity to between 17.65 and 60.7 cubic feet, depending on how you set up the rear seats. An adaptive suspension keeps it all on an even keel, with power transmitted to all four wheels through a permanent all-wheel-drive system. An M model it is not, but the Bavarian automaker will offer it with an M Sport package. Full details on pricing and availability have yet to be announced, but the X5 xDrive40e is set to hit European dealers in the fall. The BMW X5 xDrive40e The first plug-in hybrid production car from the BMW core brand is a Sports Activity Vehicle. Permanent all-wheel drive and the BMW EfficientDynamics eDrive technology endow the BMW X5 xDrive40e with sensational sportiness and supreme poise on the one hand and outstanding efficiency on the other. With a total system output of 230 kW/313 hp generated by a four-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology and a synchronous electric motor, the BMW X5 xDrive40e achieves a combined fuel consumption of 3.4 – 3.3 litres per 100 kilometres (83.1 – 85.6 mpg imp) and a combined electricity consumption of 15.4 – 15.3 kWh over the same distance. CO2 emissions come in at 78 – 77 grams per kilometre (figures according to EU test cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles, may vary depending on the tyre format specified).