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Karma Automotive partners with BMW for powertrains

Now in the process of rising from the ashes of Fisker, the newly renamed Karma Automotive has announced a powertrain supply deal with BMW. Only instead of Karma providing BMW with technologies (as Tesla has for Daimler and Toyota), this deal goes the other way around. It is BMW that will be providing Karma with its powertrain components moving forward. Little in the way of specifics was disclosed regarding precisely what the supply deal will entail. However according to the statement below, it will include "high voltage battery charging systems and a wide range of hybrid and EV systems." BMW has demonstrated its competence in developing and manufacturing such components with vehicles like the i3 and i8, and ActiveHybrid versions of the 3 Series, 5 Series, and 7 Series sedans. Karma Automotive is what Chinese component manufacturer Wanxiang renamed the company formerly known as Fisker Automotive once it acquired the rights to the company and the Fisker Karma which it previously produced. The brand name, however, remained the property of Henrik Fisker's coachbuilding operation. The original Fisker Karma was powered by a 2.0-liter turbo four supplied by General Motors, with a lithium-ion battery pack from A123 systems. Karma Automotive Signs Supply Agreement With BMW COSTA MESA, Calif., Nov. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Karma Automotive announced today that BMW has agreed to be a supplier in ensuring their vehicles are built with the highest quality automotive parts. BMW will supply Karma Automotive with their latest powertrain components, including high voltage battery charging systems and a wide range of hybrid and EV systems. Throughout automotive history, BMW has been globally recognized for engineering and manufacturing world-class products. They are a proven technology leader and renowned for conceiving and delivering groundbreaking innovations. Karma Automotive will integrate the first BMW components into its plug-in hybrid flagship vehicle, which will re-launch in 2016. The next generation of vehicles already in development will utilize more of BMW's powertrain technology. "The Wanxiang Group is giving Karma Automotive the opportunity to bring a stunning car back to the market, and the partnership with BMW and their outstanding track record is a great fit for the future," said Karma's CEO Tom Corcoran.

BMW spied testing new Alpina B7

Just last month BMW released the 2016 7 Series, ushering in a new era for the Bavarian automaker's flagship luxury sedan. And fans of big European performance sedans know what that means: Yes, a V12 model to follow, and maybe an M Performance variant at some point in the future. But before that, we're getting a new Alpina B7. Spied leaving BMW's test center at the Nurburgring, this camouflaged prototype for the new B7 appears to be wearing Alpina's signature low-key visual enhancements. Those include a subtle aero kit and upgraded rolling stock. Though we're only looking at it from the outside, you can expect the interior to feature some similarly discreet upgrades as well. The bigger question is what Alpina will have done to the new 7 underneath the bodywork. The outgoing B7 packed a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 with 540 horsepower and nearly as much torque, netting a 0-60 time quoted at 4.3 seconds and an autobahn-crunching top speed of 194 miles per hour. Hardly a slouch, then, but the new Alpina B7 is tipped to pack 600 horsepower or more, which ought to give the high-powered, high-speed, and high-end likes of the Mercedes-AMG S63, Audi S8, Maserati Quattroporte, and Jaguar XJR a run for their considerable money. We smell a battle heating up amidst all that burning rubber and sumptuous leather.

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.