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2015 BMW 228i Convertible

BMW history is littered with small, four-seater convertibles that offer style, spirited performance and driving flexibility. These days it's the 2 Series range, not the 1 or the 3, that carries on the droptop-driver's-car tradition, and the 2015 228i Convertible will the first flavor of it to hit US shores. With prices starting in the upper $30k range, conservative but attractive exterior styling and just enough interior comforts and amenities to feel like a true-luxury player, the 228i makes a strong initial case for itself as either a first or second vehicle. Concurrent with my First Drive of the 2015 BMW X6 M, the Germans brought along their new 2 for testing along some pretty mellow Texas driving routes outside of Austin. With roads that ranged from sweeping country lanes to small town streets, and weather changing handily from cold and misty to bright and warm, I got a good sample of what the new open-top 2 can do. Drive Notes I'll admit to getting behind the wheel of the 228i convertible with a bit of a bias: the old 1 Series line, including the droptop, was amongst my favorite BMW models in years. In terms of overall character, this 2 Series has mellowed a lot versus the chuckable, cheerful 1er. The steering response isn't quite so whip-fast, and the longer wheelbase means it's less willing to rotate overall. Of course, the 2, especially in convertible form, does feel better suited for the stereotypical small, premium convertible driver, too. Ride quality over our mostly smooth-road drive route was placid and controlled, and steering still felt steady and weighty on center and with lock added in. The car also offers really well-sorted protection from wind buffeting and noise, both with the top raised and lowered. I drove topless on the highway and on surface streets, and was impressed at how cozy I felt with the wind deflector erected and the windows up. Cold-weather convertiblers should do well with this BMW (especially when the xDrive AWD car launches, later in the year). Erect the folding soft top – a feature that's available at speeds up to 30 miles per hour – and the NVH experience is transformed. BMW says that the top-up wind noise has been reduced "by half" versus the 1 Series – a fact that I had no trouble believing after the first few seconds. Wind rush is basically eliminated with the roof raised, and the car becomes a downright conversational space thusly set up.

China sticking to its guns on EVs for the future

Automakers are obviously free to develop whatever next-gen, zero-emissions tech that they want. However, if a company wants to get on the good side of the Chinese government, that strategy better include some plug-in vehicles. The authorities there are lending major support to plug-ins at the moment, and its forcing the auto industry to play along. According to Bloomberg, Toyota, Volkswagen, Hyundai, and BMW are all launching dedicated EV brands with their joint venture partners, and as many as 40 electric models could hit the Chinese market this year alone. However, analysts don't think the vehicles are going to sell well. Instead, the launches are essentially a way for companies to play nice with the government and help get the approval to build factories in the country. Take Toyota as an example. The company is pushing the future of hydrogen hard with promotional films for the Mirai and engineers talking down fast-charging EVs. Still, the Japanese automaker is getting ready to launch two EV brands in China with its joint venture partners, according to Bloomberg. China's push for alternative fuels has been happening for a while, but it really kicked into high gear last year. The government has set a goal to improve fleet-wide economy by 40 percent by the end of the decade in order to spend less importing oil and for the population's health. The plan has shown some success so far with hybrid and EV sales growing early in 2015. Related Video: News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Kin Cheung / AP Photo Government/Legal Green BMW Hyundai Toyota Volkswagen Green Culture Technology Electric tax incentives chinese government

Daimler, BMW, Audi consortium nabs Nokia maps for $2.72B

A consortium of German automakers made up of Daimler, BMW, and Audi has reportedly banded together to buy Nokia's Here mapping division for the equivalent of about $2.7 billion. The particulars of the deal aren't yet official but could be announced at the end of July. Reuters claims that this info comes from anonymous insiders speaking to Manager Magazin in Germany. It might be too soon, however, to declare a buyer. Reuters also spoke to two other insiders, and they said that no deal has been completed yet. None of the firms involved has officially spoken about the negotiations. Some of the other bidders for the division have reportedly bowed out. Here is a high-definition digital mapping company that controls about 70 percent of the auto market. The company has a fleet of vehicles with cameras and LIDAR (pictured above) to generate all of the necessary information. It also partners with trucking companies to use their GPS data. Nokia started looking for potential buyers for Here earlier this year. Tech giants that reportedly included Uber and Apple were rumored to be interested, while German automakers also teamed up to submit a joint bid in part to protect their access to the maps. On paper, Here is only valued at around $785 million, but a sale in the billions now seems assured. Related Video: News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Nokia Here Earnings/Financials Audi BMW Technology here nokia here