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Rinspeed previews Budii concept ahead of Geneva show

Every year Frank Rinderknecht and his team at Rinspeed come to the Geneva Motor Show with another fantastical concept car, and next year's will be no exception. Though the show may still be several months away, the Swiss outfit is already giving us a glimpse of what to expect. Rinspeed's latest project is called the Budii, and it aims to "redefine the relationship between man and machine." As you might have guessed, that means driverless technology. Specific details at this point are limited, but the design calls for an electric vehicle with an adaptable cabin featuring drive-by-wire steering wheel. That wheel can swing out of the way to the center of the dashboard or to either side, should driver or passenger (as blurred as those rigid concepts become in this case) wish to take control. Beyond that we don't know much at this point, but the image above seems to indicate it'll be based on the BMW i3. Meanwhile the long list of partners and suppliers suggest it'll feature a design by Mansory, a Harman infotainment system and a Carl F. Bucherer analog clock embedded in the dynamic dashboard. 2015 Geneva Motor Show Rinspeed exhibits "Budii" at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show: "We need to redefine the relationship between man and machine" As far as Swiss automotive visionary Frank M. Rinderknecht is concerned, the breakneck speed of technical developments forces us to redefine our relationship with the automobile. The farsighted Swiss says: "Until now, what we have primarily associated with auto mobility was freedom and individuality. And - consciously or unconsciously - we are prepared to pay a high price in many regards for these privileges. We need only look at the accident statistics." Autonomous driving undoubtedly offers the opportunity to drastically diminish some of the drawbacks of private transport. For example, the number of traffic accidents could drop worldwide. But although it will be less prone to err than humans, even the best technology will not be perfect. "That is something we will have to accept," believes the boss of Rinspeed, the Swiss automotive powerhouse of ideas.

BMW mulled ten, eight, and six-cylinder engines for i8 before going hybrid

There's little doubt that the 2015 BMW i8 is one of the most radical and groundbreaking performance cars this industry has seen in a long time. From its unique carbon-intensive construction to its 1.5-liter, three-cylinder and electric motor plug-in powertrain to its concept-car appearance, the flagbearer for BMW's new i venture challenges the very notion of what it takes to be a supercar.
Yet apparently the i8 almost didn't do that at all. Yes, it probably still would've had innovative assembly techniques, serious performance and come-hither bodywork, but according to a new report in the Telegraaf, it was very nearly a much more conventional beast, drawing its power from a V10 engine. According to the report, that line of development never got much beyond the drawing board, but BMW engineers then shifted their focus to both V8 and six-cylinder motivation, going so far as to build prototype cars. The higher cylinder-count engines were eventually dropped altogether after BMW decided to turn the i8 into a hybrid, with the six-cylinder reportedly nixed due to heat management and weight issues. In the end, of course, BMW went with the PHEV powertrain that offers a total system output of 362 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque - plenty of thrust for this lightweight, all-wheel drive coupe while still enabling an incredible 94 miles to the gallon on the EU cycle. Regardless of how it turned out, it's still fascinating to think that BMW didn't have a much firmer conceptual idea of what it was after when it started the i8's development.
Here at Autoblog, we're genuinely thrilled about this new generation of greener hybrid super- and hypercars, a movement spearheaded by the i8, Porsche 918 Spyder, Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1. But even so, our inner-gearheads can't help but wonder what might have been had BMW pursued a more conventional i8, either in place of, or in addition to, the car they did build. What do you think? Have your say in Comments.

BMW GoPro integration now works with your iPhone

Coming this summer an upgrade to BMW's GoPro integration will combine the camera's feed with the M Laptimer app. This will let Bimmer drivers get a look at both lap telemetry and video replay at the same time. Despite the upgrades, BMW's setup lacks some of the features of the impressive Performance Data Recorder found on the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro. BMW already let drivers control a GoPro through iDrive, but this improvement makes the functionality a lot more for track use. As soon as someone activates the M Laptimer app, the GoPro automatically starts recording. The video still saves in the camera's memory, but a low-res version also goes to the connected iPhone to sync with the app's data. Drivers can then see driving data on top of the phone's screen and the clip on the bottom (right). The M Laptimer monitors details like throttle input, speed, braking, steering angle, engine revs, fuel level, and g-force. Plus, the system records top speed, number of laps, best lap time, and the ambient temperature. We wish this system were as neatly integrated as the GM's Performance Data Recorder. For this system to work, a driver needs a GoPro HERO3 or later camera, the BMW M Laptimer app on their iPhone (4S or newer), a BMW model capable of running BMW Apps, and the phone must be connected to the infotainment system. Anything that can help shave a few tenths off a lap and then share the video of that accomplishment with buddies is a welcome improvement, though. Related Video: GOPRO INTEGRATION FOR BMW M LAPTIMER APP Two of BMW enthusiasts' favorite app integrations team up to offer an unparalleled way to capture and share their on-track experience Mountain View, CA/Woodcliff Lake, NJ – April 14, 2016 The BMW Group Technology Office USA and GoPro announced today that beginning summer 2016 the BMW M Laptimer app, a favorite app integration among driving enthusiasts, will include the ability to control a GoPro camera on iOS devices, using BMW's state-of-the-art iDrive controller and high-resolution screen. With this enhancement, when BMW drivers start and stop the BMW M Laptimer they simultaneously start and stop the recording of the connected GoPro camera. In addition to the video stored on the GoPro camera, a low-res version is saved on the phone so that it can be played back next to the map view on the BMW M Laptimer app. "The BMW M Laptimer and GoPro integrations have both proven to be incredibly popular with driving enthusiasts.