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BMW M3 takes on Mercedes-AMG C63 S in track battle from Evo

Over the last few decades, BMW has firmly established an enviable reputation among automotive enthusiasts by making what many consider to be the very best sporty sedans and coupes in the world. Every few years, a new challenger appears from one of the German brand's long list of competitors, but the result always seems to be the same: Close, but no cigar. The latest challenger to BMW's on-track crown comes from Mercedes-AMG in the form of the C63 S sedan. The AMG has a lot more power, an excellent and balanced chassis and it looks beautiful. But is it good enough to outperform the latest BMW M3? We're not going to spoil it for you. Watch the latest Deadly Rivals video from Evo to find out which competitor comes out on top.

BMW i3s traction control tech going in all BMW, Mini cars

The BMW i3s is essentially a warmed-up version of the i3 electric car we all know and love. The performance boost isn't huge — just 14 horsepower and 15 pound-feet of torque — but it also gets a new suspension, wheels and tires as well as an improved traction control system. We found the car to benefit from all the updates when we drove it for our First Drive Review, but now BMW has offered up more details on just how the traction control system of the i3s helps make it better to drive. The company says it'll expand the technology to all future BMW and Mini models as well. The i3s's system is calibrated to help it to pull away quickly from a stop, making full use of the instantaneous torque offered by the electric motor. It also improves stability when accelerating out of corners, when using regenerative braking and, of course, when the road conditions are less than ideal. The results are palpable, and with the other improvements the i3s definitely feels stronger off the line, as we found on our drive. It's also about a half-second quicker to 60 miles per hour, at 6.8 seconds. The secret is in the response time of the stability control, which BMW claims is 50 times faster than the conventional system. This is made possible by moving the control process into the powertrain itself, rather than a remote unit. This reduces the signal path and, thus, the response time of the traction control system. BMW's Head of Chassis Development, Peter Langen, said of it, "With their high levels of torque and instantaneous responses to every movement of the accelerator, electric motors already make significantly higher demands on driving stability systems than conventional power units." While engineered to make the most of the electric motor, BMW says the shorter cycles of this traction control system show promise for internal combustion vehicles as well. As such, we'll begin to see the improved technology applied across the BMW and Mini lineups going forward. Related Video:

BMW working on X2 crossover

Like the rest of the auto industry, BMW is going wild for crossovers, and the company's North American boss is wishing for supply to sell even more vehicles in the segment. It looks like the Bavarian brand is ready to feed all of this demand because the X2 reportedly has the green light for production, according to unnamed insiders speaking to Autocar. As its name suggests in BMW parlance, the X2 would be a five-door, high-style, coupe-like CUV that would be a smaller take on the X4 and X6. While these models aren't necessarily paragons of aesthetic beauty in the brand's lineup, their development is partially subsidized by other vehicles. The X2 reportedly shares drivetrains, electrical systems, and a platform with the next-gen, front-wheel drive X1 (pictured above). Sales in the UK at least could begin as soon as the second half of 2017, according to Autocar, and an M Performance version boasting up to 300 horsepower might even join the lineup in 2018. "We're finalizing the first prototypes now," a source said to Autocar, and a concept should preview the design before release, possibly at next year's Geneva Motor Show. BMW trademarked the X2 name in 2012, and rumors have continued to arise about it since then, including a possible design sketch. Related Video: