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BMW Concept 4 Series Coupe proves that 3-2=4

BMW may be calling this 4 Series Coupe a concept, but take a long, hard look - this will be the car that replaces the 3 Series Coupe in the automaker's lineup. Don't let that number change trip you up. This car will have all the basic elements of what makes a 3 Series coupe so popular, and while this isn't technically the production model (there are still come conceptual elements and we don't have powertrain details), it's pretty much what we can look forward to seeing out on the road very soon. And honestly, the naming strategy isn't that weird (though it's still plenty odd) - BMW will be using even numbers for all its coupes and convertibles moving forward. 1 Series, meet 2 Series. And when a 3 Series loses two doors, it becomes a 4 Series.
Dimensionally, the new 4 Series coupe is 1.7-inches wider, half an inch shorter in overall height, and rides on a 2.0-inch longer wheelbase. It's a really pretty thing, with bold, aggressive body sculpting up front, and a rear deck that's sort of like a downsized version of the larger 6 Series two-door. It's all very handsome, but we'll reserve final judgment until we see the production version with its likely smaller wheels and possibly toned-down visuals.
We don't yet have powertrain details, but we fully expect the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and 3.0-liter turbo-six to carry over in 328i 428i and 435i guise. Though remember, other 3.0-liter models in BMW's range use 40i designation, so we could possibly be looking at a 440i Coupe, instead. We won't know until the production car officially bows later this year.

Police smash sinking BMW window with rock to save woman trapped inside

Two quick-thinking police officers in New Zealand saved a woman's life after her BMW somehow ended up in the the ocean on Tuesday afternoon. Witnesses told Stuff.co.nz the woman drove off of a rock wall surrounding a parking lot at Waitemata Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand, and into the ocean. Her BMW immediately began filling with sea water. Bystanders called police and made their own attempts to save the woman. Officers Paul Watts and Simon Russell also tried to open her car doors and smash the windows with a baton. Their failed efforts wasted precious time. The woman soon had to crawl toward the back window, the last part of her car not completely submerged in water. Officer Watts smashed the window with a rock and they were finally able to pull her to safety. Watts told The New Zealand Herald the woman was moments away from drowning. Seconds after extracting her the car sank completely into the ocean. "It was pretty close, probably 30 or 40 seconds after we managed to get the female out of the car, the car was already slipping further into the water," Watts told the Herald. Police are still investigating what caused the accident. The woman was in shock and suffered cuts and bruises. She is in stable condition at a local hospital. Related Video: News Source: Stuff.co.nz, The New Zealand Herald BMW Videos

Foreign automakers pay from $38 to $65 per hour to non-union workers

As leaders for the United Auto Workers gather in Detroit for their Special Convention on Collective Bargaining to work out the negotiating stance for this year's new labor agreements with the Detroit 3 automakers, what they most want to do is figure out how to eliminate the two-tier wage scale. However, the lower Tier 2 wage has allowed the domestic automakers to reduce their labor costs, hire more workers, and compete better with their import competition. As it stands, per-hour labor rates including benefits are $58 at General Motors, $57 at Ford, and $48 at Fiat-Chrysler – a reflection of FCA's much greater number of Tier 2 workers. The Center for Automotive Research released a study of labor rates (including benefits) that put numbers to what the imports pay: Mercedes-Benz pays the most, at an average of $65 per hour, Volkswagen pays the least, at $38 per hour, and BMW is just a hair above that at $39 per hour. Among the Detroit competitors, Honda workers earn an average of $49 per hour, at Toyota it's $48 per hour, Nissan is $42 per hour, and Hyundai-Kia pays $41 per hour. The lower import wages are aided by their greater use of temporary workers compared to the domestics. Automotive News says the ten-dollar gap between those foreign camakers and the domestics turns out to about an extra $250 per car in labor, which adds up quickly when you're pumping out many millions of cars. That $250-per-car number is one that, come negotiating time, the Detroit 3 will want to reduce, as the UAW is trying to raise both Tier 1 and Tier 2 wages. Another wrinkle is that the domestic carmakers are considering the wide adoption of a third wage level lower than Tier 2. Some workers who do minor tasks like assembling parts trays kits and battery packs already make less than Tier 2, but the UAW will be quite wary about cementing yet another wage scale at the bottom of the system while it's trying to fight a bigger battle at the top. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req., BloombergImage Credit: AP Photo/Erik Schelzig Earnings/Financials UAW/Unions BMW Chevrolet Fiat Ford GM Honda Hyundai Kia Mercedes-Benz Nissan Toyota Volkswagen labor wages collective bargaining labor costs