2013 Xdrive28i Used Turbo 2l I4 16v Automatic Awd Suv Premium on 2040-cars

Auto blog

How to charge up your BMW i3 with a Honda

Behold a cheaper version of BMW's range extender for its i3 plug-in. And it's brought to you by ... Honda? Sort of, if you take the approach that Gadget Review took when it looked for an alternative to ponying up the $4,000 or so for the gas-powered i3 range extender that comes from the factory. What was procured was a Honda portable generator for Home Depot for the experiment, which involved gassing the generator up in a parking lot, plugging in the i3 and going out for a cup of coffee. The result was that, after about a half-hour of charging, the i3 picked up about four miles of driving range. Not exactly revolutionary but it least a bit instructive. And given that Honda generators start at about $800, the idea, while clunky, is potentially cash-saving. Gadget Review briefly took the experiment one-step further by trying to run the generator inside the back of the car and plugging in, complete with a rigged-up ventilation system, but the host thought better of it once he realized that there'd be suffocation involved. Why this was never tried on the Nissan Leaf, we'll never know. Check out Gadget Review's five-minute video below.

Next-gen BMW 7 Series options include 'Sky Lounge' roof, leather engine cover

When it comes to luxury and technology, the theme of the next-generation BMW 7 Series appears to be 'everything, everywhere.' Two of the new options joining what will be an extensive list are the Sky Lounge panoramic glass roof, said to be a nod going all the way back to the Concept 5 Series Gran Turismo showed off at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. That is clearly about the light, but what about the leather? That's going to cover everything it seems, should the buyer choose. Auto Evolution says it's been told about a 3CM option code, which equates to a Leather Engine Cover. If it's offered, though, it won't be the first time BMW has done it, of a sort: the $10,800 Pure Impulse package on the BMW i8 wraps the engine cover in leather, but in the i8 the engine is in the rear, under the trunk floor, so we're really talking about a leather-floored cargo bay. No one knows yet what it would look like atop a conventional engine, and no one appears to have any clue, frankly, as to why it's even an option. The 7 Series will pack a bunch more besides within its new aluminum and carbon fibre platform and redrawn bodywork, the sedan is reportedly targeting a curb weight that's less than the current 5 Series. There'll be four sculpted seats in the cabin, with rear seats apparently offering the range of options available on the front seats, a redesigned iDrive system with a touchscreen LCD that reads gestures, wireless smartphone charging, Bowers & Wilkins audio instead of Harman Kardon, heads-up data sharing between passenger and driver via swipes, laser headlights and an i8-like key fob with limited self-parking functions. That's a serious goody bag of tech, which we expect to get our hands in at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Featured Gallery BMW 7 Series: Spy Shots View 9 Photos News Source: Auto EvolutionImage Credit: CarPix BMW Technology Luxury Sedan

What happens when you take an engineer sliding in a BMW i8

The BMW i8 is a pretty impressive car, and a highly visible one at that. It's a great brand ambassador, but not just for BMW. It's really no surprise that Formula E chose it as the safety car from the electric racing series. And, for its duties at tracks around the word, the i8 safety car got some slick upgrades, including wireless charging capabilities courtesy of Qualcomm. It's not your regular, cut-and-dry technology presentation. In the video below, Qualcomm engineers explain a little bit about what they do to enhance electric vehicles. But it's not your regular, cut-and-dry technology presentation. The engineers are forced to answer questions about Qualcomm's technology while riding along in the BMW i8 Qualcomm Safety Car driven by none other than Formula E driver Nelson Piquet, Jr. Sure, riding shotgun for hot laps at Donnington Park in an i8 sounds like a lot of fun, but these guys have a job to do, and Mr. Piquet isn't making it easy for them. The Qualcomm guys talk about taking technology and beefing it up for automotive use, explain the benefits of wireless charging and discuss some other stuff that's hard to pay attention to while watching the i8 get totally sideways in a smoky powerslide. See for yourself in the video below. If you miss something, don't worry; Qualcomm provides more explanation about its automotive technologies at its website, including safety, communication and, of course, inductive charging.