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2015 BMW M4 Convertible is here to put wind in your sails

Each generation of the BMW M3 has included a convertible model. Even the distant E30, the patriarch of the M3 line, had an ultra-rare (only 787 were built) droptop model. The convertible became more common on the successive generations, with the hardtop-convertible E93 being the most recent. Considering this history, there seemed very little doubt that as the M3 became the M4, a convertible would be in the cards. Now, the new droptop has arrived.
Set for its global debut at the 2014 New York Auto Show, the 2015 BMW M4 Convertible features, like its forbearers, everything that's great about the hardtop variant while adding an unlimited amount of head room. That means the same 3.0-liter, 425-horsepower, 406-pound-foot, twin-turbocharged straight six sits under its domed hood, while either a six-speed stick or a seven-speed M dual-clutch transmission dispatches power to the fat rear tires.
As for specific differences between the hardtop and the new convertible, obviously, the droptop is heavier. A lot heavier. Where an M4 with a six-speed manual tips the scales at 3,530 pounds, the M4 Convertible weighs in at 4,055 pounds. Believe it or not, BMW has actually trimmed 90 pounds from the last-generation M3 convertible, code-named E93. This marginal weight reduction from the third-generation convertible to the fourth is barely half of the 174 pounds BMW was able to subtract when transitioning from M3 Coupe to M4 Coupe.

BMW profit of $2.7B is down as automaker invests to keep luxury lead

Despite selling 6.6-percent more vehicles - a record by volume - and posting higher revenues in the second quarter of 2013, BMW Group's profit of 2.07 million euros ($2.75 billion) is down 8.8 percent from last year. Investments in new technology (e.g. the new i3) and personnel, in addition to a competitive market, are to blame, BMW states. But the automaker remains committed to its fiscal targets for 2013, which, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Norbert Reithofer, says will be "on a similar scale to 2012."
The BMW brand's sales performance in the first half of the year, which increased by 7.7 percent to 804,258 vehicles delivered, was good enough for it to maintain its lead in the luxury market, narrowly beating Audi, which delivered 780,510 vehicles, Automotive News reports. Mercedes-Benz delivered 694,433 vehicles to cement third place.

Recharge Wrap-up: Reverse graffiti powered by Nissan Leaf; BMW introduces Wallbox Pro

BMW has a new, faster version of the Wallbox home EV charger. The Wallbox Pro offers 7.4 kilowatts, and can charge the BMW i3 to 80 percent in under three hours. It features a seven-inch touchscreen and proximity sensor, plus an 11.5-foot cord. The Wallbox Pro can also be used with smart home systems such as lighting and heating. The Wallbox Pro is available in Europe, and will come to the US later in the year. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Nissan is using the Leaf to power the creation of "reverse graffiti" in London. The company has commissioned artist Moose to selectively wash dirt off of a wall outside of a subway station, leaving behind a mural of London landmarks. Moose used a jet washer powered by the Leaf's battery to create the piece. The goal is to highlight the amount of pollution in London and other large cities, which is not a new idea. "It is a reminder that electric vehicles don't have an exhaust to emit the kind of air pollution which has stained the wall Moose has created his piece on," says Nissan's Jean-Pierre Diernaz. See the artwork in the gallery, and read more in the press release below. Local Motors used a 3D printer to make the Strati electric car in 44 hours. The car was printed with 212 layers of carbon-reinforced ABS thermoplastic. After printing, the team then spent two days finishing the car to make it run. It is powered by the drivetrain from a Renault Twizy, and is capable of 40 miles per hour. Now the question is if this sort of small-scale car manufacturing using 3D printing technology will catch on. See how a car gets printed in the time-lapse video below, and read more over at Treehugger. Nissan cleans up London with the world's first car-powered graffiti - Nissan LEAF powers "Reverse Graffiti" street art in Waterloo - Mass-scale mural imagines a cleaner London, without car fumes - The artwork is on show in Waterloo, London near popular Southbank LONDON – Nissan is highlighting London's battle with air quality in the UK by using the 100% electric Nissan LEAF – the world's best-selling electric vehicle (EV) – to power a striking piece of street art in Waterloo, London that depicts the capital's iconic skyline. Nissan commissioned Reverse Graffiti artist Moose – the founder of his field – to create the mass-scale mural, which was unveiled today. Unlike traditional graffiti, Moose creates his art by cleaning dirt off surfaces using a jet washer or wire brush, leaving a striking design in negative on the wall.