The ActiveHybrid 5 will be $8500 more expensive than the BMW 535i counterpart from which it was based. It is also $100 more expensive than the more potent M35h hybrid with the touring packages by Infiniti. Lexus has not yet announced its pricing for the GS450h but it might not go more than the 2011 version sold for $59,825.

BMW has never been an inexpensive brand plus you can expect several pricey options that will be offered for the ActiveHybrid 5 similar to the choices consumers have for the other sedans of the BMW 5-Series. The pricing for these options though has not been released yet but you can expect the tag prices for the ActiveHybrid 5 to go beyond $70K when they are fully loaded.

This green Bimmer can go as fast as 37 miles per hour or cruise on 22 mph for a stretch of 2.5 miles using just its pure electric drive. The manufacturer though has not given us the figures yet for the fuel economy of the car so we cannot do the math yet if it is really a a good buy as a hybrid.

If consumers will just think of saving money though, compared to other BMW 5-series units, the 528i might be a better buy. Consider the turbocharged 240 horsepower engine plus a sticker price which is lower by $14K than the ActiveHybrid, and a fuel mileage of 34 mpg on the highway and 23 mpg during city driving.

We are pretty sure though that there will be green car lovers that will be taking the ActiveHybrid 5 with all their hearts (and bank account) this Spring when it hits showrooms. It will roll out around the same time the GS450h of Lexus will go on sale. And expect the competition to be more exciting as the A6 hybrid of Audi and the E400 hybrid of Mercedes-Benz enter the picture before the end of 2012. It might get pretty crowded in this segment.

It has been quite frustrating for BMW aficionados not knowing if they will really do it or not and everyone has been waiting for a concrete answer from the German car manufacturer. It seems now we know.

During a recent interview with the press, the M-Division production manager of BMW in North America finally gives us the answer. BMW will not be building an Audi R8 rival. Sad but true.

According to the BMW executive, the management discussed all the possibilities but they felt that there is no need for a high-end and exclusive supercar. The brand wants to stick to their idea of a supercar and BMW believes they come as their executive cars with great supercar performance which is the essence of their M-Cars.

BMW also believes that the current M3 can compete with the Audi R8 even though it lacks the looks of a supercar. BMW is confident that the powerplant of the M3 can match the V8 of the Audi R8 and even its acceleration, braking, and lateral G’s.

We might not be able to disagree with that but there is really nothing supercar like with how the BMW M3 looks. There is a big difference with how the car feels like a supercar and how a supercar should swoon you off your feet for its looks.

How about waiting for 2014 for that BMW i8?

The role of the BMW 3 Series in helping the luxury band keep up or overtake competitions like Mercedes-Benz and Audi is undeniable. The 3 Series has been the all time best selling model of the car manufacturer with global sales hitting 12 million units. In the United States for example, this vehicle accounts for 40% of BMW’s sales. The 3 Series is an entry-luxury kind of vehicle which if kept in tip top quality may lead potential buyers to other car models of BMW.

The redesigned 3 Series will reach U.S. consumers by February next year and it will be a perfect timing. This year, the current 3 Series has sold 66,593 units which is 44% better than the C-Class of Mercedes-Benz which is its closest rival in the market. The facelift of the BMW 3 Series comes a year earlier compared to the C-Class of Mercedes and the A4 of Audi.

Like how the BMW 3 Series models of the past, the sixth generation of this fine line of vehicles will set standards in its segment and rewrite rules as the options for personalization of the vehicles are given to the buyers.

There is nothing surprising about the new 3 Series but BMW does not have to do anything but keep its cash cow current and fresh for its loyal and potential owners. It will roll out in Modern Line, Luxury Line, and Sport Line trims and the expected M Sport Package to follow.

The numbers of BMX X5 are quite impressive in the United States and it accounts for about 30% to 50% of BMWs sales. The US market is still amazed at how the modern diesel performs. A BMW executive also shared  that diesel technology plays a big role on how diesel engined vehicles will do in the market and how the BMW lineup will meet the new fuel efficiency standards.

Although the introduction of BMW diesel vehicles is a big possibility, the car manufacturer dismisses plans to  bring in the new 3-Series Touring that is responsible for half of the sales of 3-Series in Europe.  The figures of BMW forecasts that they will only be able to roll out 1,000 units per year in the United States making it unfeasible for the model.  The X5 is still very successful in the U.S. and a major change in the market’s behavior is needed for the Touring to click.

BMW also explained that the attitude of consumers toward engine cylinders and engine capacity must change. The numbers are less becoming relevant and the real issue is providing the performance that the end user wants.  The names of BMW models will serve as the guide of buyers of how the vehicle performs instead of indicating only the vehicle’s capacity.  The new BWM 335i, for example, has a 3.0 liter turbo while the 328i has a turbo engine with 2.0L displacement.

The particular BMW unit in the said complaint has the brand’s Comfort Access electronic access as well as an electronic gearbox shifter. The transmission selector can be found on the steering column. According to the complaint filed by the consumer at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the shifter robotically sets the car in the Park Mode in various conditions. One of these conditions is when the driver has pressed the ignition button to turn off the car.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the luxury brand also sent the agency similar roll-away incidents among other BMW 7-Series models from the years 2002-2008 that have the same features.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a statement saying that they haven’t pinpointed a cause for the rollaway incidents yet and that a Preliminary Evaluation of the said vehicles has been made to study the scope, cause, and frequency of the reported rollaway incidents.

While this rollaway incident is an alarming issue, no injury reports have been made yet. The Feds are studying the car model’s electronic transmission shifter to find out that of this rollaway issue and address the problem at hand as soon as possible.

The first all electric car by BMW will the i3 Concept which was based on the MegaCity concept. The electric city car will have electric motors linked to its reax axle that will produce around 170 horsepower and a torque of around 184 lb-ft.

The BMW i3 will be able to speed up from 0 to 60 kilometers per hour in less than four seconds and can get to 100 km/h in a matter of 8 seconds.

The other BMW concept electric vehicle is the i8 which is a sports car with a plug-in hybrid setup. It will have the same kind of electric motor as its sibling the i3 but the motor will be connected to its front axle. It will also have a 3-cylinder 1.5L petrol engine that is turbocharged and can output 164 kW with a torque of 221 lb-ft which will be on rear wheel drive configuration.

The i8′s top speed is limited by the system to 250 km/h or 155 mph. It can go for 35 kilometers using its electric motors alone and the fuel mileage is around 3 liters for every 100 kilometers.

BMW implemented new principles of construction for their line of BMW-i brand vehicles to distinguish it from the rest of their range. The concept revolves around LifeDrive which is made up of two moduels. On the i3 the Drive modules consists of the suspension system, the power train and the battery housed in an aluminum structure to protect it during a crash. The Life module is made up of the body panels and passenger cells made from lightweight and high strength materials.

The i8 also makes use of the LifeDrive construction priciple with the Drive unit made up of the battery, passenger cell, and rear axles while the rest of the car defines its Life module made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic.

Below are clips to give you an idea about the BMW-i car concepts:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Here is a preview of the BMW Art Cars video:

Click here to view the embedded video.

The history and development of the collection is shown extensively in the video that is easily available on the Internet. Each of these 17 “works of art on wheels” is designed by a famous international artist and the video pays great tribute to these artists along with amazing photos of the art cars. The virtual museum also features statements from each of the artists and never-seen-before racing footage. Several arts and culture experts also contribute statements that can be viewed on the video.

According the Head of the BMW Group Corporate Strategy and Communications Bills McAndrews, the virtual video enables everyone to see all of the 17 BMW Art Cars after four decades. The German luxury car brand has created a special website (www.bmw-artcartour.com) that is solely dedicated to the BMW Art Car collection, all 17 of them, its designers, history, and the arts and culture that inspired them.

These art cars are featured individually at the BMW Museum in Munich. Some are even featured on several cultural institutions worldwide but through the virtual museum, everyone in the world can see them as a massive art collection anytime, anywhere, and for free.

The turbocharged BMW engine was first presented attached to the X1 compact crossover and is said to replace the brand’s trademark 3.0-liter v6 engine. The carmaker’s American arm has yet to release the actual models that would carry the new 2.0-liter turbocharged V4 engine. However, its European arm has already released the BMW’s 5-Series Range and the Z4 coupe-roadster are included in their lists.

The trademark BMW 3.0-liter V6 engines are attached to the following models: the Z4 sDrive30i with 255HP, the 528i Sedan with 240HP, the X3 xDrive28i with 240HP, the 128i Coupe and Convertible with 230HP, and all the versions of the 328i xDrive with 230HP. It is speculated the same roster of BMW models will also carry the new 2.0-liter turbocharged V4 engine.

The new engine comes with both the power of “high-pressure / direct-injection” system and the VALVETRONIC intake mechanism. The turbocharged X1 model has 240 horsepower and 5,000 rpm with a maximum torque of 260 lb-ft. BMW claims that the new turbocharged V4 engine is 16% better when it comes to fuel efficiency.

In the US, the BMW Z4 comes in three versions: Z4 sDriveis, Z4 sDrive35i, and Z4 sDrive30i. The sDriver30i depends on a 3.0L inline 6-cylinder powerplant that gives out 255 horsepower. This will change next year with the BMW Z4 getting a 4-cylinder turbocharged engine to replace the six-cylinder powerplant. Insiders say that the new engine will deliver the same power as the old engine. The BMW 328i is also getting this 4-cylinder engine.

The German carmaker is not implementing major changes for the Z4′s interior and exterior. However, there are some rumors that it will borrow some elements from the CS Concept unveiled back in 2007.

The entry level Z4 will have a 4-cylinder heart giving out 255 horsepower for its 2012 upgrade but the output is expected to be pegged still at 255 horsepwoer. The sDrive35i will still depend on the inline six-cylinder powerplant with an output of 300 horsepwoer. Top speed will still be at 155 mph.

The 2012 Z4 is expected to debut before the end of the year but sales will start on the first quarter of 2012. The current model has a sticker price of $46,500 for the entry level Z4 and we can expect the 4-cylinder BMW Z4 next year to have a cheaper tag price.

Since the roll out of the very first M3, BMW has released three more generations of this vehicle. Through modifications of the engine, chassis, and aerodynamics of a standard 3-Series, an M3 performance car is born for enthusiasts.

The original 4-cylinder engine, fitted to the coupe or convertible M3, was replaced by the E36 6-cylinder model that was subsequently made as a coupe, convertible, and a sedan for the first time.

The BMW M3 takes the next chapter when the E46 came with a straight-six powerplant made available in convertible and coupe variants.

The current M3 E90/92/93 series was rolled out back in 2007 with its power given out by a new V-8 powerplant. The current M3 is offered as a sedan, hardtop convertible, and coupe variants.

With the celebration of the 25^th year of the M3, we want to share to our readers videos which detail the different M3 generations. It will take about half an hour to watch everything but it will all be worth it if you are a BMW fan.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.