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Next BMW M3 sedan to be plug-in hybrid?

BMW has a lot in mind for the next-generation 3 Series and 4 Series cars, and we're hearing about it now even though they're not expected for another three or four years. The sedan is expected to be lighter, wider, with a longer wheelbase and a lower center of gravity. Rumored tech updates include the water injection system debuted in production on the BMW 1 Series, and the 4 Series convertible might go back to a fabric top. Now The Detroit Bureau reports BMW insiders have revealed that the next M3 will get a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. We've heard about plug-in variants in the mix for the G20 3 Series using a small displacement four-cylinder, but not on the M3 and possibly M4. The goal is familiar, according to the "several senior company officials:" to improve the performance while reducing the emissions footprint. Apparently, the power unit being worked on uses a "similar engine" to the 425-horsepower, 3.0-liter inline six employed at the moment, with power sent to the rear wheels. Electric assistance would come from a KERS-like unit that would also - and only - send power to the rear wheels. Torque is said to go up at least 73 pound-feet from the 406 lb-ft available currently, and all-electric range might be as much as 20 miles. Plenty of carbon fiber will help offset the weight of the lithium-ion batteries. Despite company obfuscations, we know BMW is working on a hybrid powertrain for a vehicle rumored to be called either i5 or i7, and would use one or two electric motors to drive the front wheels while the traditional ICE drives the rear wheels. This potential M3 and M4 powertrain would be an offshoot of that engineering. Automobile speculates there will be electric turbochargers and a horsepower number around 500. Related Video:

BMW readying impressive track-focused M Power App

There are a lot of questionable automotive apps that people put on their smartphones these days, but BMW has created what could be one of the most useful and integrated car apps ever. The new M Power App, which will be available this summer only for Apple iPhones, allows BMW owners a whole new way to record their performance on the street or on a track. During the launch of the recent BMW M6 Gran Coupe, BimmerPost was able to get a full demonstration of how this new app works.
Far more involved than the current M Power Meter, the M Power App records data from in-car sensors and acts as a telemetry tool to allow drivers to see how they did on a particular track. Aside from an overlay on a track map showing acceleration and braking applications as well as head-to-head comparisons, the app also shows a line graph of everything from brake and throttle inputs to g-force, fuel mileage and engine speed. A small visual on the screen also shows steering angle, and lap times and speeds can all be stored as well. The data can even be shared with others, whether for bragging rights or instruction purposes.
This app works on any newer BMW equipped with the BMW Apps option, but the phone must be tethered to the car and the data understandably cannot be viewed while driving. Scroll down for the video demonstration recorded recently at Austin's Circuit of the Americas.

Zombie cars roundup: Dodge has sold 3 new Vipers this year

Car models come and go, but as revealed by monthly sales data, once a car is discontinued, it doesn't just disappear instantly. And in the case of some models, vanishing into obscurity can be a slow, tedious process. That's the case with the 12 cars we have here. All of them have been discontinued, but car companies keep racking up "new" sales with them. There are actually more discontinued cars that are still registering new sales than what we decided to include here. We kept this list to the oldest or otherwise most interesting vehicles still being sold as new, including a supercar. We'll run the list in alphabetical order, starting with *drumroll* ... BMW 6 Series: 55 total sales BMW quietly removed the 6 Series from the U.S. market during the 2019 model year. It had been available in three configurations, a hardtop coupe, a convertible and a sleek four-door coupe-like shape.   BMW i8: 18 total sales We've always had a soft spot for the BMW i8, despite the fact that it never quite fit into a particular category. It was sporty, but nowhere near as fast as similarly-priced competitors. It looked very high-tech and boasted a unique carbon fiber chassis design and a plug-in hybrid powertrain, but wasn't really designed for maximum efficiency or maximum performance. Still, the in-betweener was very cool to look at and drive, and 18 buyers took one home over the course of 2021.   Chevy Impala: 750 total sales The Impala represented classic American tastes at a time when American tastes were shifting away from soft-riding sedans with big interior room and trunk space and into higher-riding crossovers. A total of 750 sales were inked last year.   Chrysler 200: 15 total sales The Chrysler 200 was actually a pretty nice sedan, with good looks and decent driving dynamics let down by a lack of roominess, particularly in the back seat. Of course, as we said regarding the Chevy Impala, the number of Americans in the market for sedans is rapidly winding down, and other automakers are following Chrysler's footsteps in canceling their slow-selling four-doors. Even if Chrysler never really found its footing in the ultra-competitive midsize sedan segment, apparently dealerships have a few leftover 2017 200s floating around. And for some reason, 15 buyers decided to sign the dotted line to take one of these aging sedans home last year.