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BMW adds new entry-level 320i model, priced from $33,445*

Fans of the new BMW 3 Series here in the US have likely been waiting for one of two models to arrive: the new M3 or the diesel-powered 335d. Well... keep waiting just a little bit longer. Here at the Detroit Auto Show, BMW is showing off the new entry-level 320i that will join the 3 Series lineup this spring, and rather than bringing added performance or efficiency, this car is boasting affordability above all. The 320i has been on sale in other markets since the current-generation 3 Series was introduced, but it goes on sale in the US with a starting price of $33,445 (*)including $895 for destination, which is $3,405 less than the current starting price of BMW's well-liked sedan.
In other countries, the 320i uses either a 1.5- or a 2.0-liter inline-four (both turbocharged), and the US version of the car will be getting the latter engine producing 180 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque. For comparison, the current 328i, which uses this same engine, produces 240 hp and 255 lb-ft of torque. As expected, performance of the 320i will suffer with BMW estimating a 0-60 mile-per-hour time of 7.1 seconds, but it still has the same 130 mph top speed as the 328i. Oddly enough, despite the lower output, BMW's expected fuel economy for the 320i equipped with rear-wheel-drive and the eight-speed automatic transmission actually matches that of the current 328i with 23 miles per gallon city and 33 mpg highway, and those numbers are actually lower than the 328i with the manual gearbox.
It sounds like most of the usual 3 Series options will be available on the budget-minded 320i, including the choice of xDrive all-wheel drive, BMW Assist and numerous packages including a Sport pack and Premium pack. For a lot more information on the 320i, most of it general information on the F30 3 Series, scroll down for BMW's press release.

BMW builds its 2 millionth 1 Series on eve of new model's launch

Hard as it may be to believe, it's been over ten years since BMW launched the first 1 Series, taking the Bavarian automaker into more accessible territory for the first time. Later this month, the first examples of the new model will arrive at dealers, but before it does, the littlest BMW has another reason to celebrate as the 2 millionth unit has rolled off the line. The landmark example is a 120i five-door equipped with the M Sport package and painted in Estoril Blue, bound for a customer in Japan. The achievement is even more noteworthy when you consider that what started out as the 1 Series has since been split into two lines. The three- and five-door hatchbacks remain part of the 1 Series, while the coupe and convertible we get in the US that were once part of the 1 Series as well have since been spun off as the separate 2 Series. Production of the three-door takes place exclusively at BMW's plant in Regensburg, while the five-door is split between Regensburg and a second plant in Leipzig. Buyers are further able to specify between diesel and gasoline engines ranging from three cylinders all the way up to six. Show full PR text Two reasons to celebrate: BMW 1 Series production hits the two-million mark – New edition writes a fresh chapter in the compact model's success story. Munich. 28 March 2015 sees the curtain raised on the market launch of the new BMW 1 Series. Fans of compact driving pleasure can look forward to an even more striking design, a further refined premium ambiance for the interior, engines that are extremely powerful and even more efficient, and innovative equipment features. Ahead of the launch, news filtered through from BMW Plant Regensburg of another reason to smile as the two-millionth BMW 1 Series rolled off the production line. The landmark car was built just a few days after the start of production for the new version of the compact model and is one of the first examples of the new BMW 1 Series range earmarked for export to Asia. The BMW 120i 5-door, painted in Estoril Blue metallic and equipped with an M Sport package, will be delivered to a customer in Japan. This production landmark at BMW Plant Regensburg represents another milestone in the international success story of the BMW 1 Series. In late summer 2014 the company celebrated the model series' tenth birthday.

Recharge Wrap-up: Grimsel electric car breaks acceleration world record, electric Ford Raptor ATV debuts

An all-electric version of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is now available... as an ATV. Made by Caddyshack Golf Cars, it features officially licensed Ford badging borrowed from the super-macho pickup. It has a lifted chassis with leaf springs in the front and rear, hydraulic shocks and off-road tires. Powered by a 48-volt motor, it can do 0-25 mph in 2.9 seconds. Range is an estimated 30 miles - plenty to get you through 18 of the most rugged holes of golf you've ever played. Caddyshack also offers other miniature electric Fords, including a Shelby GT500, Shelby Cobra and 50th Anniversary Mustang. Read more at Green Car Reports. Lexus takes a crack at the BMW i3 in a new video from Funny or Die. In the decidedly anti-EV film, a group of guys drives to Las Vegas for a "dad-chelor party" in a Lexus CT 200h and a BMW i3. The Lexus hybrid makes it to Sin City without any problems, while the BMW's occupants need to make several lengthy stops to charge along the way, missing much of the fun. The video lampoons the inherent range limitations of the EV (the BMW group ends up driving slowly through the desert with no AC or radio to save energy), all in a well produced, if somewhat misguided, short comedy film. Perhaps they should have considered the i3 with a range extender? See the video below, or read more at Green Car Reports. Students from ETH Zurich and Lucerne University have set a new EV acceleration world record. Their "Grimsel" racing car was able to zoom from 0-100 kph (0-62.137 mph) in just 1.785 seconds in less than 30 meters (98.425 feet), crushing the previous record of 2.134 seconds. Even more impressive is that the Grimsel was built by the students themselves, as part of the Formula Student team at the Academic Motorsports Club Zurich. The car weighs just 370 pounds and provides 200 horsepower and 1,202 pound feet of torque from the four hub motors. The Grimsel uses traction control to manage torque for maximum acceleration. See the record acceleration run in the videos below or read more at Gizmag, at Electric Autosport or in the press release from ETH Zurich below. 'grimsel' breaks world record The 'grimsel' electric racing car today broke the previous world record for acceleration in electric cars. The vehicle accelerated from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.785 seconds in under 30 metres. The new record was set by students from ETH Zurich and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, who also designed and built the vehicle.