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BMW revisits its 8 Series

So why would BMW choose July 2 to release a retrospective on the 8 Series? Could it have something to do with the recent unveiling of the Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe concept, another sleek, B-pillarless V12 two-door, at this year's Villa d'Este? We have no idea, but the timing is likely coincidental.
This three-minute look at the 8 Series talks to Niels Hamann, who was smitten with the long-hooded coupe when it appeared in 1989 and finally bought one in 2004. Hamann also happens to be a project manager at BMW, and that came in handy when he wrote a book detailing every aspect of what was BMW's flagship for ten years but to the chagrin of many only managed one generation.
While we wait for the next clue about the Gran Lusso - 8 Series connection, check out the video below.

Five bikes from EICMA you need to know about

Each and every year, the world's biggest motorcycle manufacturers gather together in Milan, Italy to show off the latest and greatest machinery that will soon be offered to dealerships the world over. It's called EICMA (Esposizione Internazionale Ciclo Motociclo e Accessori), and this year's crop of new motorcycles is just as exciting as ever.
We've selected five of the coolest motorcycles shown at this week's show, including models from Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda and Yamaha. Join us down below for a high-performance, two-wheeled Italian journey.

BMW strategy gets green with future i8 Roadster, PHEV Mini

Recent concepts like the Vision Next 100 have signaled BMW's plan to become a leader in automotive tech in the near future, but the Bavarian automaker added some concrete details to that strategy during the company's annual press conference. The business promises there are updated i models and more plug-in hybrids on the way, and a vehicle called the iNext could bring an autonomous EV to the road early next decade. Before we see any completely new vehicles, look for BMW to refine its current green models. Later this year, the i3 will get a larger battery capacity, which will increase the hatchback's range. After seemingly endless teasing, the BMW i8 Roadster will finally arrive in 2018, according to a slide during the conference. The company will also launch a plug-in hybrid Mini, but it didn't give a specific arrival date. At the beginning of the next decade, BMW will also introduce a fully autonomous i model. At the beginning of the next decade, BMW will also introduce a fully autonomous i model, which it currently calls the iNext. "BMW iNEXT heralds the next era of mobility," company CEO Harald Kruger said. "This symbol of our technology leadership will demonstrate how we will bring the future of mobility into series production." BMW refers to its research into autonomous driving as Project i 2.0. Just as the initial development of the i models led to better EV tech and innovations in carbon fiber, the new undertaking should result in improvements to networked motoring and driverless tech for the iNext. The company plans to focus on high definition digital maps, sensor technology, cloud technology, and artificial intelligence. The company's product plan for the i range doesn't show any vehicles between the i8 Roadster in 2018 and the iNext early next decade. Perhaps the new model is the fruition of the many rumors about a family-oriented i5. As BMW eyes the future, it still sees the combustion engine as an important tool for the present, and there are still more traditional models to look forward to. Without offering any details, BMW promises more M models are under development. The larger X7 CUV will also arrive soon, and there'll possibly be even more crossovers, too. "We are also taking an in-depth look at the additional potential of this highly attractive segment," Kruger said.