BMW i3 Electric City Car

BMW claims that its new $35,000 Chevy Volt-beater will have 99 miles of range from its rear-mounted electric motor and floor-mounted batteries. BMW (being BMW) is also claiming 100 mph for the car's top speed, and the i3 could bring the equivalent of 150 horsepower. Cargo will be divided between the rear seats and in the front trunk (a la the original, rear-engine VW Beetle). Much of the body will be made of carbon-reinforced plastic. Wireless charging is one intriguing concepts we hope makes it to market. In conjunction with industrial giant Siemens, BMW is working on a magnetic field charging system, like those used in wireless laptop and cell phone charging pads, where a car would parked above a charging station. At that point, a coil in both the ground and the vehicle would recognize each other and begin the charge. This beats having your Volt or Prius PHV plugged in via wire at a garage or mall for a few hours, where vandalism or other hazards exist.

Long-wheelbase BMW 3 Series spotted testing

The Chinese like long-wheelbase versions of sedans, because execs like to be able to stretch out while the drivers ferry them about – and the country, if you didn't know, has a whole lot of executives. Audi sells a stretched A4 there, and BMW evidently feels the market looks robust enough for a long-wheelbase 3 Series Li. Why not just get a 5 Series, you ask? Because the man says he wants a longer 3 Series, and he's got cash...Reports indicate this is a China-only model that will bow at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show. Its platform, though, is also expected to underpin the 3 Series GT. That car might come to America, and if so it will offer some extra rear legroom for us and certainly be just as interesting to look at as this long-wheelbase model.

2011 Volkswagen Jetta TDI: July 2011

If the Volkswagen Jetta TDI featured in our Battle Of The Eco Compact Cars comparison test looked familiar, that's because it's our long-term tester. In fact, you might say that the arrival of our Jetta TDI is what sparked the idea for the comparison test, especially after Editor-in-Chief John Neff took the car on a few long highway trips and recorded well over 50 miles per gallon. And while the Jetta – spoiler alert! – may not have won our eco-warrior comparison, its 2.0-liter diesel engine continues to impress us with its effortless efficiency.Just how effortless? We enthusiasts tend not to be the most efficient drivers, and yet our recorded average fuel economy over the past 8,500 miles is 43.4 miles per gallon. That's right, our average combined number is 1.4 mpg higher than the EPA's highway rating for the Jetta TDI. In fact, we've recorded as high as 53.5 mpg on the highway, and even under the most spirited driving, the lowest number recorded in our logbook so far is just 36.7 mpg. - Autoblog

Luc Donckerwolke named Head of Advanced Design for VW Group

Luc Donckerwolke, the man who brought us the Lamborghini Gallardo, Murcielago and Diablo VT 6.0 (hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah) has been promoted to head of advanced design at the Volkswagen Group.He leaves his position as director of design at Spain's SEAT and will answer directly to VW Group Design Chief, Walter de Silva.Donckerwolke's most recent concept car was the SEAT IBE electric hatchback, which was introduced at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle production gets underway in Mexico

Like many a Beetle before it, Volkswagen has prepped its newest escarabajo to begin running down production facilities in Mexico. Located in Puebla, Volkswagen de México serves as one of the nation's largest employers, with a workforce of over 15,000 folks. The Puebla facility served as a major manufacturer of the preceding New Beetle, turning out 1.5 million units between 1997 and 2010. Now, the factory worker's wrenches are set to bring the updated version to life.

CNBC to air hour-long report on BMW

CNBC will air an hour-long program this Wednesday on the brand behind the roundel called "BMW: A Driving Obsession," which the news channel bills as "the fascinating story behind a once small, struggling company that transformed itself into a global luxury car powerhouse." The four featured highlights will take looks at BMW World, art cars, the BMW tech center and Rolls-Royce. The page's breathless descriptions – "...where every dimension of the cars and company is engineered in search of perfection" – make us think this might be more for the casual car follower, not the enthusiast, but it's safe to say our DVRs will be reporting for duty come showtime. The program gets four airings this Wednesday, July 13 starting at 9 p.m.t EST, but you can get previews now with a few extra-feature videos already on the CNBC site.

Official: Subaru promises four new models by 2016

Fuji Heavy Industries has just released a new five-year plan for Subaru under the banner "Motion-V," and the blueprint calls for at least three new models and a hybrid vehicle to be on dealer lots by 2016. The move is part of a strategy to draw in an ever-larger brand fan base in an attempt sell 900,000 units by that date – a 40 percent jump over current figures. That means increasing North American sales to 380,000 units and broadening its Chinese presence to 180,000 vehicles. Subaru sold 263,820 vehicles in the U.S. in 2010.

Spy Shots: Next-gen BMW 335i works on its craft at the 'Ring

BMW is continuing to work away on the 2013 3 Series, and our spy photographers managed to click off a few photos of what appears to be the 335i sedan cranking out a few hot laps at the Nurburgring. The shots show a vehicle with slightly less aggressive camouflage than anything we've seen in the past, though details as to what we can expect from the next-generation 3 are still markedly absent. Given that the four-door in the photos is rocking an aggressive dual-exhaust treatment, we'd say there's likely a forced-induction inline six kicking power to the rear wheels.If that's not obvious enough for you, we can even speculate that the tires are probably made of rubber. But don't quote us on that.BMW has kept its secrets wrapped up but good concerning the next-generation 3 Series, though there are some whispers kicking around the web indicating that lower-rung trims may slip to a forced-induction four-cylinder engine. Stay tuned.

Official: BMW reveals 2012 6 Series M Sport and diesel models

BMW is expanding its 6 Series line. The automaker has just announced information on the 2012 640d Coupe and 640d Convertible. The two-door oil-burners aren't expected to make it Stateside, and that's a pity, as they make use of a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six with 313 horsepower and a hefty 464 pound-feet of torque. All that twist helps the coupe hit 60 mph in around 5.5 seconds while returning 51.4 mpg on the Imperial scale. BMW is also offering the 6 Series with xDrive for the first time as well, but only on 650i models. Thankfully, buyers can expect to see the all-wheel-drive coupe in North American dealers later this year.If chugging along with a diesel under your hood isn't quite your speed, you'll be happy to know that BMW is also offering a 6 Series M Sport for 2012. The package includes special aerodynamic additions as well as LED fog lamps and 19-inch, double-spoke aluminum alloy wheels. Inside, sport seats are trimmed in Alcantara and leather as well as an M Sport steering wheel. - Autoblog

Spy Shots: 2013 BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe inches closer to production

It's funny; of the three German luxury brands, BMW was the first to offer a sport-utility vehicle – the X5 – and yet it's the last to create some sort of four-door coupe, the next hot segment that every luxury marque seems to be diving into. Mercedes-Benz is now on its second generation of the CLS, the sexy Audi A7 is now on sale around the globe, and even Porsche took notice and created the Panamera. Nevertheless, BMW is quickly prepping its own take on the four-door coupe with this, the 6 Series Gran Coupe, which – based on this latest set of spy photos – looks to be nearing completion.Not surprisingly, the 6 Series Gran Coupe will share its turbocharged six- and eight-cylinder engines with the 5 and 7 Series lineup, likely launching in 650i guise first with BMW's 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8. Don't be surprised if the production car debuts at the Frankfurt Motor Show this fall.