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2015 BMW X4 xDrive28i

When BMW unveiled the X6 back in 2008, critical reviews were mixed, to say the least. By all accounts, the heavyweight crossover actually drove quite well, but the idea of a BMW X5 that traded a lot of functionality for polarizing looks and a higher price tag seemed like a tough sell. Then it went on sale and quickly proved to be a cash cow. Today, the German brand has moved over a quarter million of the things worldwide. Unsurprisingly, this success has moved BMW to double down on its so-called Sport Activity Coupe by adding a smaller variant. The all-new X4, while not a bad steer in and of itself, makes even less sense than its big brother, particularly when viewed alongside BMW's other offerings. Like the X6 and X5, the X4 borrows heavily from another of the brand's utility vehicles, in this case, the less-costly X3. Also like the X6, this new crossover-coupe's styling is sure to cause a schism among critics and consumers alike. You can probably guess where the majority of the Autoblog camp falls. To be totally frank, the exterior of the X4 is simply ghastly to this writer, particularly in this tester's eye-catching paint. Admittedly – and much like the X6 – there's not much objectionable from the A-pillar forward, where the X4 has a lot in common with the X3. It's only once moving towards the rear that things well and truly go wrong. There's just so much visual mass, and it's been made worse by the way BMW designers wussed out. Bear with me. Compare the profile of the X6 with the X4, and pay particular attention to the roofline on the bigger vehicle. The angle of the roofline is noticeably more dramatic on the X6, which comes at the expense of second-row headroom (an oft-criticized area for the big boy). For the X4, designers tried to have their cake and eat it too, maintaining second-row headroom but with a coupe-like profile. The result is an X4 that is bulbous and uncouth from the B-pillar back, more hunchbacked Gran Turismo than svelte Gran Coupe. BMW might have been better served if its exterior work had followed the stylings of the cabin, which is more or less a clone of what's on offer in the X3. Material quality is still great, with soft-touch plastics and available cool-to-the-touch brushed aluminum throughout. I really dug the Ivory White Nevada leather and contrast red stitching on this test vehicle, as it provided an eye-pleasing departure from the sea of blacks, grays and tans so typical of the luxury crossover market.

Consumer Reports' first motorcycle reliability report finds Japanese brands ahead

Consumer Reports has released its first ever study of motorcycle reliability, and students of its ratings on cars might notice a suspicious similarity - Japanese brands require fewer repairs than the leading American or German brands.
The study analyzed the reliability of 4,680 bikes owned by CR subscribers and found that Yamaha had the best ratings, with just one in ten bikes built between 2009 and 2012 requiring a repair over a four-year period. The makers of the R1 and R6 sport bikes were closely followed by Kawasaki and Honda, while one out of every four of the rumbling bikes from Harley-Davidson experienced an issue. BMW had the worst rating of the brands represented, with one in three bikes having problems.
According to CR, neither Suzuki nor Triumph owners provided enough information for a reliable rating. Based on the responses received, though, Suzuki would have finished with the other Japanese brands and Triumph, being English, would have been one of the less reliable makes.

BMW could add all-electric Mini, X3 SUV

BMW's Mini sub-brand will add a battery-electric variant as the company looks to meet stricter emissions mandates around the world, according to an interview Bloomberg News conducted with CEO Harald Krueger. BMW is also planning an all-electric version of its X3 SUV and may start greening up models as large as its 7 Series sedan, though that prospect is far cloudier. The all-electric Mini will be available to the public as soon as 2019, while the battery-electric X3 SUV will likely start sales the following year. BMW didn't offer specifics about how much those models would cost or far they will be able to travel on a full electric charge, with Krueger only saying single-charge ranges would be "competitive" with other all-electric models. BMW this summer upgraded the battery in its i3 electric vehicle and boosted its single-charge range by about 40 percent to 114 miles. As for demand for BMW's i sub-brand vehicles, US sales of the i3 through September fell 27 percent to almost 5,800 vehicles, while sales of the i8 plug-in hybrid are down 19 percent to about 1,100 units, BMW said on Monday. Meanwhile, word got out earlier this year that BMW may dedicate the Rocketman concept hatchback as Mini's entrant to the electric-vehicle sector. BMW actually used a Mini as its first electric testing vehicle. The Mini E was produced in 2009 and 2010 before giving way to the BMW ActiveE, which was actually a converted 1-Series vehicle. Eventually, BMW started producing the i3. Related Video: Featured Gallery Mini Rocketman Concept View 25 Photos News Source: Bloomberg News Green BMW MINI SUV Electric