Awd Convertible! Luxury Seating! Premium Sound! Cold Weather! Auto Trans! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Upcoming new BMW X6 leaks out ahead of full reveal

The X5 may have been the first BMW crossover on the market when it arrived in 2000, opening the door to more high-riding Bavarians to follow, but it's been replaced twice over now. The X3 is on its second generation, and with the X1 having been introduced in 2009 and the X4 soon to hit showrooms, that makes the X6 - introduced in 2008 - the oldest crossover in the BMW lineup. But it won't be for much longer.
Soon BMW will reveal the all-new X6, based on the latest X5 but with that tell-tale slanted roofline. But before it gets the chance, a handful of images have leaked their way all over the Internet to give us an advance look at what to expect.
The overall shape of the new X6 comes across as familiar, if a bit less of an awkward take on the vehicle that (for better or worse) launched the crossover coupe segment. Up front the twin kidney grilles and headlights are larger, in keeping with the latest BMW design language, and the bumper less horizontal and more dynamic. Towards the back there's a sharp crease above the wheel arch blending into the more rakishly shaped tail lights, while the metallic vent behind the front wheel arch lends the flank an even sportier appearance.

BMW planning smaller Z2 roadster

It's been a few years since we heard about the BMW Z2, a compact, two-seat convertible that would slot in below the aging Z4 (shown above). Now, though, the crew at Car and Driver are back with details on the oft-rumored roadster.
The big shock for enthusiasts on this one is C/D's report that the Z2 will spin its front wheels, rather than its rears. A front-drive roadster is strange enough, but a front-drive BMW roadster? It's apparently true, though, as the new model would share its platform with the front-drive Mini and 2 Series Active Tourer rather than with the racier 228i or M235i coupes.
According to C/D, the rumored Z2 could be powered by a range of three- and four-cylinder, turbocharged engines, although it's more likely to be a four-only affair. Power should range from 160 to 230 ponies, while an M variant could arrive with 300 horsepower (that's a whole lot of power for front-wheel drive...).

2014 BMW 4 Series

Because Four Is Greater Than Three
Say what you will about the name 4 Series, there is a method to BMW's madness. On one hand, it's easy enough to just buy into the logic that odd numbers are reserved for sedans and wagons, and that even numbers are reserved for coupes and convertibles. On the other hand, consider the idea that the higher numbers are used to separate the more dynamic, more engaging vehicles that use the same platform. It's that sort of separation that differentiates the 6 Series so nicely from its 5 Series roots, after all. And if we're being cynical, it also allows BMW to charge a bit more money for its lower-volume offerings.
So with the new two-door version of the 3 Series, BMW has gone the route of strengthening the dynamic virtues of its F30 chassis to create a car that's more removed from its sedan kin than one might think. And after spending some time with the new 4 Series on the roads around Lisbon, Portugal, as well as the famous Circuito do Estoril racetrack, it's increasingly clear that calling this car a 3 Series Coupe simply wouldn't be fair.