2010 Bmw 5 Series Gran Turismo 550i on 2040-cars

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BMW pondering hardcore M4 to celebrate 100 years?

2013 is the year for Lamborghini, Aston Martin and the Porsche 911, but 2016 will be the year for BMW. That's when the Munich-based maker of the Ultimate Driving Machine will celebrate its 100th birthday, with what will probably be a year-long celebration. Part of that 365-day party will, reportedly, be an even hotter version of the new BMW M4, which is set to debut in January at the Detroit Auto Show.
Yes, according to Australia's Car Sales, the über-M4 has been hinted at by higher-ups at BMW's M division, who claim the rear seats will be removed, much like the M3 GTS, while other weight-saving measures will be used to try and bring the M4's weight below 3,000 pounds. There's no mention of engine mods, but if the M4's biturbocharged six is as good as we think it'll be, that's not a deal-breaker for us.
The lightening process on the so-called M4 GTS would involve replacing the hood and front fenders with parts made of carbon fiber, while the doors would switch from steel to aluminum. Besides the deletion of the rear seats, Car Sales is predicting lightweight racing buckets, with a carbon-fiber shell and a minimal amount of padding. Expect lots and lots of Alcantara, in place of leather.

BMW 4 Series spied with its future competition

BMW showed off its new 4 Series coupe in concept form at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, but it won't be long before we see the production model, evidenced by this modestly camouflaged prototype spotted testing. In case you forgot, the 4 Series serves as the replacement for the two-door versions of the BMW 3 Series, just as the upcoming 2 Series will effectively be the new version of the 1 Series coupe and convertible sold in our market.
This isn't our first glimpse of the 4 Series out testing, and we've even spied its droptop, Gran Coupe and too-hot M4 kin. We don't expect the final design to stray too much from the concept car seen in Detroit, albeit without the normal conceptual goodies like oversized wheels and with the overstyled front fascia toned down a bit. Our spy photographers even caught the 4 Series coupe hanging out with an Audi A5, giving us a good glimpse at how the two cars will stack up in terms of size and design.
It's still unknown exactly what engines will power the car when it comes to production, but since this thing is a derivative of the 3 Series, we expect the usual range of turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines to be available, likely in 428i ad 435i guise (though, to be fair, the larger 640i coupe uses a 3.0-liter turbo engine, so there's even the potential for 440i nomenclature to work its way into the mix). We'll have to wait until the car officially bows later this year to know for sure.

Best Convertibles for 2022

The past decade has not been kind to the drop-top enthusiast. No matter which dealer you walk into, convertible models have been biting the dust left and right. Nissan Z? Audi TT? Buick Cascada? Volkswagen Eos? All gone. Remember the humble Chrysler Sebring/200? Well, you do now. Fortunately, though, the news isn't all bad. There are still plenty of options out there for those who absolutely must have a convertible. Whether you need something to haul behind your retirement cruiser, a performance car that can go toe-to-toe with the best in the world or just something that allows you to sling the roof back after a long day of on-location business meetings before catching the flight back to your everyday hustle and bustle, there's at least one cabriolet out there to suit your needs. Here are our picks and starting prices for the top convertibles in several categories for 2022.  For the frugal open-top lover: 2022 Mini Convertible ($34,650) Let's face it; gas ain't cheap. But open-top motoring doesn't need to be a wallet killer. The Mini is cheap (at least by 2022 standards) and an absolute joy to drive, so there's really no downside here ... except for the roof. Get it?    For the hardtop lover: 2022 Mazda MX-5 RF ($37,260) / 2022 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible ($69,695) The number of hardtop convertibles has seriously dwindled due to weight concerns and the fact that fabric roofs have gotten so quiet, but there are still some options for those who prefer a more coupe-like look with the roof up. Our picks here are the delightfully Targa-like MX-5 Miata RF and literally any Corvette Stingray — even the hardtop has a removable roof!    For long road trips: 2022 Ford Mustang Convertible ($34,100) The first image that comes to mind for many who are told to visualize an American convertible is the classic Ford Mustang. It's not the only drop-top pony car out there, but thanks to the Camaro's tiny trunk, it's much harder to see the USA in a Chevrolet when a drop-top enters the equation. The Mustang has much more cargo space and a much larger opening, which is likely the difference between keeping your bags under lock and key or leaving them exposed in the back seat.    For towing behind an RV: 2022 Jeep Wrangler ($31,590) While many small runabouts make sense for towing behind a motor home (or nestled up inside a fancier one), the Wrangler has a serious advantage when it comes to RVing: it can easily be flat-towed.