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BMW details cheaper, sub-M performance cars for young 'brand ambassadors'

BMW's M cars are undoubtedly some of the best sport sedans in the world. Unfortunately, their prices put them out of the reach of a huge segment of buyers, many of them young. However, that might change in the near future as BMW launches its M Performance Automobiles performance sub-brand, positioned between its standard cars and the full M models.
Traditionally, M car buyers have been male and in their early-40s, according to Oliver Ganser, product strategy manager for BMW North America, speaking to Automotive News. However with MPA, BMW hopes to find even younger buyers "who will be brand ambassadors and appeal to the real enthusiasts that we have," he said. These new MPA models will see a mild boost in power and handling from off-the-shelf parts, instead of the unique engines and cutting-edge tech from their bigger M brothers.
The M Performance Automobiles line was launched last March at the Geneva Motor Show with high-performance diesel models of the 5 Series, X5 and X6. The first of the MPA models coming Stateside, the M235i, launches in March. We liked it when we drove it in January, but the $44,000 base price is still a bit steep. If it proves to be a success, we will see more of them, and if not, then it'll go down as another failed experiment, like the 318ti hatchback.

BMW readying competition pack for M5, M6

According to Car and Driver, citing a report in BMW Blog, BMW will be offering performance upgrades - likely called the Competition package - for its M5 and M6 models (including the convertible and Gran Coupe versions of the M6). Both cars will continue to be offered with the normal 560-horsepower, 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engines, but this new performance pack is expected to add an additional 15 hp to the mix.
No need to worry, however - the upgrades won't simply be limited to a small boost in power. These M5 and M6 models will reportedly get new wheels, black exhaust tips, a more direct steering ratio and reworked suspension geometry which will provide better overall handling. Top speed is said to remain governed at 190 miles per hour, but that these extra improvements will shave one-tenth of a second off the cars' 0-60 times.
No pricing information has been revealed as of this writing, though we imagine it'll likely come at a substantial cost over the current starting prices of the M5 and M6 ($90,200 and $108,350, respectively).

Experience the 2016 Quail Motorsports Gathering in glorious technicolor beauty

If you want to properly experience all of the best that Monterey Car Week has to offer, you're going to want to head to the Quail Lodge and Golf Club on the Friday before The Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Showcasing everything from classic roadsters to modern hypercars and everything in between, The Quail has something to offer pretty much everyone. But The Quail is an extremely exclusive event, and it's not always easy to get tickets. Our high-res gallery of 54 images may be the next best thing. This year, the BMWs of all vintages were front and center in celebration of the German brand's 100-year anniversary. But that's not all. You'll see an impressive collection of Lamborghini Miura coupes in our gallery, all brought to The Quail to celebrate that car's 50th anniversary. Pre-war race cars, post-war sportscars, motorcycles old and new... there was a lot to take in at The Quail in 2016. We did our best to capture the event in images, and we hope you enjoy scrolling through. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Quail Motorsports Gathering View 54 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Design/Style Motorsports Misc. Auto Shows BMW Lamborghini Automotive History Convertible Coupe Wagon Concept Cars Luxury Racing Vehicles Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars Classics Sedan Pebble Beach