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BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo gets leaked well ahead of Geneva reveal

The great power of the internet has allowed us to get an early first look at the all-new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo, a car that is slated to be shown in full at the Geneva Motor Show next month, albeit without many details to go on right now. With pictures leaking out this early in the game, we'd expect that you won't have to wait until March to get the full lowdown, however.
Our first look at the 3er GT reveals a car that is, to our eyes, a tidier piece of design work than its 5 Series GT brother. The long-backside proportions are still a bit ungainly, at least from these images, but they're helped tremendously with the larger wheel/tire package and more aggressive fascia of the sport package.
Expect the 3 Series GT to hit the ground running, with the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter inline-six found in the standard 3 Series sedan. BMW's popular xDrive all-wheel-drive system is a virtual lock for the option sheet, too.

BMW Active Tourer to hit US showrooms in 2015

It's been over a year since BMW unveiled the Concept Active Tourer at the Paris Motor Show, and another four months since it brought the concept back in Outdoor guise (pictured above). Now word has it that the Bavarian automaker is putting it into production.
Although production specs and dimensions have yet to be revealed, the Concept Active Tourer came in a bit smaller than the existing BMW X1. The production version is expected to be based on the same platform that underpins the new Mini hatchback revealed last week in LA, meaning that it will be predominantly front-drive, but an all-wheel-drive version could follow.
There will also be a longer version with a third row of seats, forming part of a new generation of front-drive BMWs to take on the likes of the Audi A1 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class family, of which the GLA will be the Active Tourer's most direct rival. Expect the Active Tourer to arrive in 2015 with a new front-drive sedan to follow in 2017 aimed particularly at the North American and Chinese markets.

BMW 2 Series specs leaked?

Thanks to spy shots from earlier in the year, we already know what the new BMW 2 Series will look like, but now we know a lot more about the coupe courtesy of an apparent BMW South Africa error and some quick-clicking enthusiasts. Though the information no longer appears to be posted on BMW's South African website, 2addicts.com managed to grab most of the details for the new coupe, including the model lineup, specs and most (if not all) of the options list for the upcoming replacement for the 1 Series.
Just like the latest 3 Series, the 2 Series model lineup starts at the 220i powered by a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder, but the more exciting BMW figures to be the M235i with its 320-hp, 3.0-liter straight-six. With the automatic transmission, the info says that the M235i weights 3,240 pounds and will be able to accelerate from 0-62 miles per hour in 4.8 seconds - making it both lighter and quicker than the 135is currently offered in the US. The base 220i coupe should also be fun to drive with its 180 horsepower and sub-3,000 pound curb weight.
A quick side-by-side comparison of the dimensions for the base 220i with our current base 128i shows that the new coupe rides on a longer wheelbase (105.9 in. vs. 104.7 in.), is about two inches longer (174.4 in. vs. 172.2 in.) and is an inch wider (69.8 in. vs. 68.8 in.). 2addicts.com even shows available paint colors, interior trim options and lists pricing for South African-spec models. Head on over to the forum to check out all the info they have posted, but we expect the 2 Series to be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show early next year.