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2016 BMW X1 packs more into its little footprint

BMW is rolling out the second-generation of its X1 crossover, promising a roomier interior, greater efficiency and more technology in a compact form. The 2016 BMW X1 clearly embodies more dynamic styling than the model it replaces, with a more upright form punctuated by a higher seating position as compared to its low-slung predecessor. Inside you'll find a fully redesigned cabin space with more room for both people and cargo, and a long list of features. A 6.5-inch dashboard display comes standard along with a seven-speaker audio system and cloth seats, but buyers can upgrade to an 8.8-inch monitor, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon system, and a number of leather upholstery options. Upgrade to the Premium Package and you get a larger panoramic moonroof than that offered on the outgoing model, along with adaptive LED headlights and a head-up display. The Drive Assistance Plus package throws in features like lane departure, automatic high-beams, frontal collision warning, pedestrian detection, active cruise control, and park assist. There'll be an M Sport package available later as well, offering sports seats, paddle shifters, and a retuned suspension. Though BMW will surely be offering an array of engine options in other markets, for the US it's offering the new X1 exclusively in xDrive28i spec. Its 2.0-liter turbo four drives 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels for a 0-60 time of 6.3 seconds. That ought to help the Bavarian automaker move even more than the nearly 62,000 units of the X1 it's sold since its introduction here in 2012. Pricing for the new version of BMW's littlest crossover will be released closer to its arrival in showrooms in the Fall, but you don't need to wait that long to delve into the full details in the press release below and the high-resolution images in the gallery above. The All-New BMW X1: - Greatest interior roominess and versatility in its class - Highest power with reduced emissions - Commanding presence, robust proportions, dynamic lines - Innovative connectivity and groundbreaking BMW EfficientDynamics technology unparalleled in the segment Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – EMBARGO: June 2, 2015 – 6:00pm EDT/3:00pm PDT... Today, BMW announced the all-new BMW X1 Sports Activity Vehicle.

Recharge Wrap Up: VW's Last Mile Surfer, Apple's BMW i3

Volkswagen has unveiled its Last Mile Surfer. This little electric scooter – it folds up small enough to fit in the trunk and weighs just 24 pounds – will go on sale next year for around 1,000 euros ($1,100 US), according to VW chairman Martin Winterkorn, as reported by Autocar. Of course, we're wondering why you'd need to pay that much money to avoid walking a mile, but maybe we just haven't walked that far in an interested buyer's shoes. See more at Autocar. Did Apple want to use the BMW i3 as the basis for its own electric car? That's the word from the German magazine Manager, which says that Apple and BMW were talking about using the i3 shell for the plug-in iCar (or whatever) started last fall but are no longer actively taking place, but the two organizations have not totally closed off communication. Read more at Manager or at Green Car Reports. BMW is continuing its efforts to connect your car to your phone in interesting ways with the new EnLighten app. The idea here is to let your phone act as a bridge between alerts about traffic signals and the car, so that notifications can be displayed in the dash instead of on your phone. That should keep more eyes on the road and let drivers minimize those races to the next red light, which will save fuel. At least, it will do so in cities that broadcast that sort of signal information. Read more in the press release below. Traffic City Info Makes Driving in Cities Easier than Ever Woodcliff Lake, N.J. – July 27, 2015... The BMW Group announced today that it is the first manufacturer to bring the EnLighten App, by Connected Signals, into the car. Drivers of BMW Vehicles with iOS Devices will be able to see traffic signal data on the vehicle's display in real time. The EnLighten app makes driving in cities easier by helping the driver anticipate traffic signal changes, which can increase safety and help save fuel by avoiding unnecessary acceleration. The EnLighten app shows the current status of the traffic light in front of the car in real time as well as a countdown to when the signal will change. Based on the current vehicle position, as well as its speed, the EnLighten app offers a recommendation about whether or not to stop for the traffic light or proceed through. An audio alert notifies the driver about a pending change in the signal they are approaching.

BMW mulling potential 9 Series production

Nine months may be long enough to bring another human being into the world, but it may take BMW a bit longer to make up its mind on the production of a potential 9 Series model. The idea was first mooted when the Bavarian automaker presented the Vision Future Luxury concept at the Beijing Motor Show last year. Billed (not unlike rival Audi's Prologue concept) more as a design study than a pre-production concept, the Vision Future Luxury show car nevertheless took a larger form than the 7 Series, prompting speculation that a new flagship sedan could be in the works. The better part of a year later, such a decision has reportedly yet to be taken, but over at BMW Blog they're reporting that the automaker's incoming chief executive Harald Kruger is a fan of the idea and could give it the green light after he takes the helm in May. If approved, the model likely to be dubbed 9 Series would reportedly compete with the Mercedes-Maybach S600 – but then that model was earmarked to take on the Rolls-Royce Ghost. BMW has typically been careful not to overlap with its Rolls-Royce division, but considering how it's also been going downmarket with front-drive models to close the gap to the Mini brand, we wouldn't be all that surprised to see the 9 Series positioned maybe just below the next-generation Ghost and developed alongside it, taking a page out of rival VW's playbook. Volkswagen has, after all, made a brisk business out of sharing platforms and slicing market segments between the various brands under its umbrella. And while BMW is nowhere near as large, its new leadership could find new ways to increase its market share.