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BMW reveals new X5 Security Plus in Moscow

A major player in the Russian market, BMW is heading to the Moscow Motor Show this month with a slew of local debuts... most of which we've already seen. But among all the new models making the trek from Bavaria to Moscow will be the new X5 Security Plus.
In a new-model launch that will surprise exactly no one, BMW's latest armored vehicle upgrades the X5 with enhanced protection for oligarchs against Chechen rebels, AK47-touting gangsters and missiles randomly falling on Crimean highways. Now meeting the VR6 standard of ballistic protection, the new X5 Security Plus incorporates reinforced bodywork, seats and joints, along with bulletproof glass.
Of course all that reinforcement (not to mention the jars of beluga caviar and bottles of Stoli in the glovebox) will come with a weight penalty, but the 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 ought to do the trick, driving 450 horsepower through BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system to get the vehicle's occupants out of a war zone in a hurry.

2015 Morgan Aero 8 shows a host of upgrades to the Swiss crowds [w/video]

With over 1,250 units made, the Morgan Aero model line has been in production for 15 years – just a blink of an eye for the Morgan Motor Company. The automaker has been in business for over a century and has had a tendency to keep its vehicles in production for decades with frequent upgrades keeping them modern. At the Geneva Motor Show, the company is shaking up the range with a thorough revision for the 2015 Aero 8. Hidden beneath the vintage styling is an improved aluminum chassis with better torsional rigidity and an improved suspension setup. Power comes exclusively from a 4.8-liter V8 from BMW making 367 horsepower, and the Bavarian brand also supplies a new limited-slip differential to get power down at the rear. Buyers can choose between a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic gearbox. At first glance, the latest Aero 8 bares all the hallmarks of Morgan's classic style with a long hood, prominent shoulders and short rear. The new version is exclusively available as a convertible, although, as these photos show, an optional hardtop is available. The aluminum body is also slightly altered with better aerodynamics up front, and the most obvious change comes at the rear where there's now a clamshell design. The interior also received a new, though still retro-looking dashboard design, and Morgan is touting its improved air conditioning system that reportedly works better in hot weather. Buyers wanting to eschew some of the supple leather inside can opt for a set of carbon seats, instead. With the introduction of the latest Aero 8, Morgan is ending production of both the Aero SuperSports and Coupe in April. Production of the new model then commences in the fourth quarter. Check it out on the Swiss show floor in the gallery above, and see the convertible in motion on some snowy British roads below. Introducing the new Morgan Aero 8 Over 1250 Aero platform cars delivered since 1st generation launch in 2000. New Aero 8 signifies return to soft top motoring within the current Aero range. Significant changes to the aluminium chassis, suspension and vehicle aerodynamics. Powered by a 4.8 litre V8 BMW engine producing 367bhp. Available with 6 speed manual or automatic transmission (with paddle shift). New Hand sculpted aluminium body and revised interior styling. Largest options list of any Morgan sports car to date. The Aero SuperSports and Coupe cease production in April 2015. Production begins during quarter 4 of this year.

Weekly Recap: Toyota wants cars to be your 'close friends' around 2020

Toyota confirmed plans this week to launch autonomous technology in its production cars around 2020. The automaker's version is called Highway Teammate, and it's one element of a broader mobility strategy that includes vehicles communicating with each other and the grid. "Toyota believes that interactions between drivers and cars should mirror those between close friends who share a common purpose, sometimes watching over each other and sometimes helping each other out," the company said in a statement. That sounds utopian, and perhaps a bit cheesy, but it's an acknowledgment that autonomous driving requires more than technology developed in a vacuum. Toyota is looking at its research in a broader context, and dubs its overall strategy the Mobility Teammate Concept. Highway Teammate is the first step. Its test vehicle is a modified Lexus GS, which uses road-mapping data and external sensors to merge or exit highways, change lanes, and maintain safe distances during driving. It's operated on the Shuto Expressway in Tokyo. Toyota has been working on autonomous tech since the 1990s, with the goal of providing mobility for older people and the disabled, as well as lowering the frequency of traffic accidents. Toyota's push comes as an early adopter, Nissan, is hedging on its own deadline to implement the autonomous tech by 2020 due to a lack of firm laws governing self-driving cars around the world. Conversely, Volvo took the landmark step of being the first automaker to accept liability for when its cars will operate in autonomous mode, and urged the US government to set federal guidelines to regulate the technology. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 BMW M4 GTS: Your water-injected, turbo-boosted demon BMW is unleashing its most powerful M4 ever, a 493-horsepower special edition that's road legal yet bred for the track. The company is making 700 copies for sale around the world, and 300 of them will come to the United States. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder revs to 7,600 rpm and uses a water-injection technology to cool the intake air and lower the compression temperature. BMW says this allows it to wring more power out of the inline six. The car also uses carbon-fiber reinforced plastic for the roof, hood, engine compartment strut brace, drive shaft, and rear spoiler to reduce weight. The M4 features BMW's organic light-emitting diode taillights, which are said to be an industry first.