1996 Bmw Z3 Roadster Convertible 2-door 1.9l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Translogic 189: 2015 LA Auto Show

The LA Auto Show has become known for its green cars and concepts, and 2015 was no exception. Translogic host Jonathon Buckley gets all the details on BMW's 330e plug-in hybrid straight from BMW President of North America Ludwig Willisch. Then we get up-to-date on Honda's latest FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel cell car. We round out our tour with a stop at the Elio Motors booth for a look at their updated, three-wheel P5 concept and a chat with CEO Paul Elio. But first, we jump in a time machine at the Volvo booth to discuss Concept 26, an interpretation of how car interiors might evolve in the era of self-driving cars. "The reason why we talked about it as a time machine [is] because, really, Concept 26 is giving you back something that is so precious," explained Volvo senior director of design Tisha Johnson. "We're letting you delegate driving to the car, so that you can then have that time to yourself." Click here to learn more about our host, Jonathon Buckley.

BMW i8 now has 10-month waiting list in UK

Reports that the BMW i8 would be a popular plug-in vehicle have been circulating since stories claiming 'sold out' status circulated late last year. Those turned out not to be entirely true, but now that deliveries have actually started, the $160,000 EV is proving to be only available to the patient in posh English shops. The Telegraph reports that there is a 10-month waiting period for the i8 in the UK, where one dealer (Park Lane in London's Mayfair) has managed to convince 170 people to place an order. Well, maybe convince isn't the right word. The store's sales manager told The Telegraph, "We've had numerous people asking to buy the display car. Many have said to me: name your price." Many locals want the car to avoid paying the expensive London congestion charge. The i8 uses a turbocharged 1.5-liter, three-cylinder engine and a 96-kilowatt electric motor to move from 9 to 60 miles per hour in only 4.2 seconds. The plug-in powertrain is good for 357 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. The plugged portion gives the i8 an EV range of up to 22 miles. The first i8 in the US is going to be auctioned off at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Weekend next weekend.

The next-generation BMW M5 starts here

The next-generation BMW 5 Series hasn't even arrived yet, but BMW is hard at work testing the hottest version of the popular sedan – the sixth-generation M5. Now admittedly, these photos might not look much like an M5. The wheels are big, but not uncommonly so. There's no wild and crazy body kit, or hugely flared wheel arches. But what's that in the back? Are those four exhaust tips? Why yes, yes they are. And take a second look at those wheels. Notice the pizza-pan-sized brakes and huge calipers? Yet another M5 giveaway. But as our spies rightly point out, even though this does represent development work on the next M5, it's a very early prototype. That could also explain the charge port on the driver's side front fender, a feature that we've seen on other 5 Series prototypes. This does not mean the next M5 will be a plug-in hybrid, however. What the next M5 will likely be, though, is all-wheel drive. This isn't a huge surprise, considering that the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG has already gone AWD, while the Porsche Panamera Turbo and Audi RS6/7 have always had four driven wheels. BMW has even hinted at just such a development, with former M boss Dr. Friedrich Nitschke going as far as saying AWD could arrive on the next M5. "On our cars we are thinking of all-wheel drive, but it won't come before we get the successor of the M5 and M6," Nitschke said in an October 2013 report. "That's the timing and it's not practical to react in the current life cycles." At this point, it's simply too early to guess at when or where the next-generation M5 will debut. We're expecting the next-gen 5 Series at either the 2016 Geneva Motor Show or Auto China 2016 in Beijing. The next M5 could join it, although it's possible it'd get its very own debut at a later date.