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BMW 328d confirmed for New York debut

Late last year, some of BMW's future diesel plans for the US market were leaked, and we learned that a diesel-powered version of the 3 Series sedan (pictured above in 335i guise) would be coming in the first quarter of 2013. That report appears to be holding true, as BMW has just confirmed the debut of the oil-burning 328d sedan as part of the company's New York Auto Show plans.
The 328d will be powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine good for 180 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The rear-wheel-drive sedan will hit 60 miles per hour in 7.2 seconds and fuel economy numbers could "well exceed" 40 miles per gallon. (Official EPA numbers will be released closer to the car's launch.)
Elsewhere on BMW's New York stand, the company will show off the 3 Series Gran Turismo that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, as well as the Concept Active Tourer that we first saw in Paris last fall. Scroll down for the official press blast.

2013 BMW X1

A Tasty Bit Of Old School For The New School
Against the backdrop of fervent hand-wringing from brand purists, BMW is on the cusp of finally offering front-wheel-drive vehicles. While that's a shock to the constitution, many are pointing to the company's fine-handling Mini offerings as an article of faith that it can get this drivetrain paradigm shift right. That may be true, but there's an even more important lesson that Mini has taught the decision-makers in Munich: how to make real money on small cars.
Before Mini came along, BMW - along with seemingly every other premium European automaker - never really figured out how to coax big dollars out of American wallets without developing cars that had large footprints, at least those other than sports cars. While the automaker really got rolling in America on the strength of little bantamweights like the 2002, it veered away from small cars sometime in the '80s. BMW subsequently crashed and burned with the cut-and-shut 318ti built off its E36 3 Series and, good as it is, the 1 Series hasn't given the company meaty volume or profits, either. Among other brands, the Audi A3 has never rung up big numbers, and the less said about the painful sales figures of the Volvo C30, the better. But Mini has beat the odds, blazing a more affordable and evidently compelling trail. As of late, the company's Countryman softroader has been a massive hit worldwide. No surprise then that BMW has reconsidered bringing over its smallest softroader, the X1, to the US.

Hamann BMW M6 Mirror can now cash the checks its body writes

Anyone remember the Hamann Mirror? Need a refresher? The Mirror is German tuning company Hamann's idea of a BMW M6. It was shown at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show as an M6 Gran Coupe, sporting a ridiculous paint job and some meaty, multi-spoke 21-inch wheels.
Consider this car the Mirror Mark 2. Based on the M6 Coupe, Hamann has applied a similar visual theme, using the same 21-inch wheels from 2013. Whereas the Gran Coupe rode around with a stock powertrain, though, there's been no such restraint with the two-door Mirror. A fine 620 horsepower is available from the 4.4-liter, biturbocharged V8, an increase of 60 horsepower. Torque is up as well, from 501 pound-feet to a whopping 560, meaning this M6 has speed to match its looks. Hamann claims the Mirror's newfound grunt allows it to hit 62 miles per hour faster than the standard M6 (we'd certainly hope so), although it won't mention a specific number.
The suspension, meanwhile, has been dropped 1.37 inches, or about a third of an inch lower than the Frankfurt Mirror. That drop is complemented by the Mirror's bodywork, including the exposed, carbon fiber hood and the flared fenders, which can now accommodate the enormous 305/25 rear rubber. Hamann has also paid some attention to the front and rear aerodynamics.