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BMW shows 670-hp plug-in 5 Series GT concept

BMW quietly revealed a 5 Series GT concept earlier this week at an event in France, and it sports a plug-in hybrid powertrain capable of a whopping 670 horsepower. Think the upcoming Model X crossover from Tesla sounds good? BMW has something that might be just as enticing for eco enthusiasts who like their cars to be green and mean. BMW quietly revealed a 5 Series GT concept earlier this week at an event in France, and it sports a plug-in hybrid powertrain capable of a whopping 670 horsepower. That's right, a hybrid BMW hatch-crossover with more estimated power than the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. BMW's setup is called "Power eDrive," and it uses a 20-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack that provides juice for two electric motors; they work with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This 5 Series GT would be able to travel for 62 miles under electric power. The prototype shows the high-performance potential of the system, but the 5 Series GT is "purely a concept," BMW spokesman Julian Arguelles told Autoblog. The GT made its global debut alongside plug-in versions of the 3 Series and X5. They used more basic eDrive systems with one electric motor teamed with a turbo four cylinder. BMW revealed the prototypes to illustrate its plans to increase production of plug-in hybrids. Its goal is to add plug-in variants to all of its "core-brand models," though specifics and timing are unclear. BMW Group Media information 1. BMW Group Innovation Days 2014: New drive technologies. (Introduction) The recently launched BMW i3 and BMW i8 are the first zero-emission vehicles in the premium segment, being designed respectively as dedicated all-electric and plug-in hybrid models. Their BMW eDrive technology promotes hallmark brand driving pleasure, while at the same time delivering major reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions – all the way to zero tailpipe emissions when operating in all-electric mode. This is BMW Efficient Dynamics taken to its logical conclusion. For more than 15 years, the Efficient Dynamics strategy has inspired and shaped the development of new models across all the BMW Group brands, resulting in the development of highly efficient vehicles that combine dynamic performance with intelligent energy management. Today, thanks to Efficient Dynamics, the BMW and MINI brands offer premium models that set benchmarks in their respective segments in terms of their exceptional balance of performance and fuel economy.

BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept is bold and beautiful in Beijing

BMW officially unveiled the Vision Future Luxury Concept today (or is it tomorrow?) at the 2014 Beijing Motor Show, giving the world's media an in-the-flesh look at not only a future design theme for the brand, but a rumored flagship model.
This is a looker in person, thanks to its Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe-inspired design, and it's not too difficult to imagine it in production car form, with smaller wheels, larger mirrors and the other minor transformations that take place from drawing board, to auto show and, finally, to assembly line. In general, it seems like there are more than a few parts of this vehicle that are ready for production.
We didn't talk about it in our initial post, but it bears mentioning that this particular concept is wearing an eDrive badge on its backside, indicating that under the Vision Future Luxury's long hood is some form of plug-in-hybrid propulsion. It's anyone's guess as to what engine, battery and motor combinations BMW is playing with, although it does seem questionable whether BMW would launch a PHEV flagship to do battle with a top-rung variant of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class (which will likely use V12 power).

BMW calling in 76k vehicles over airbag issues

Vehicles these days are typically fitted with a mat in the front passenger seat that determines whether that airbag needs to be activated in the event of a collision and how it should deploy. But that system doesn't always work, as Mercedes recently found in its SL-Class roadster and as Suzuki did before it with the Grand Vitara and SX4 crossovers. Now a crop of BMW vehicles have befallen the same issue, prompting the Bavarian automaker to cooperate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to issue a recall for the vehicles in question.
The problem affects precisely 76,565 vehicles, including certain the 3 Series (sedan and wagon), 5 Series, 7 Series and X5 crossover families spanning the 2006 and 2007 model years and fitted with a certain type of seat. However, since the parts to repair the problematic components are not currently available, as you can see from the recall notice below, it won't be until March 2014 when local dealers will be able to resolve the issue.