#Toyota Supra Looks Great, But Some Only See A BMW [Auto Styling News]

Sports car enthusiasts have been waiting more than 20 years for the return of Supra and will soon be able to purchase the 2020 Toyota GR Supra for about $50,000.

For those fans and collectors anxious to be among the first owners of this iconic sports car, the initial 1,500 production Supras for the U.S. will be Launch Edition models starting at $55,250. Each will be uniquely numbered and have distinctive features signifying the exclusivity and excitement of Supra’s return. Toyota dealers will be handling all orders and the Launch Edition models go on sale in Summer 2019 starting at $55,250.

The Supra Launch Edition will be available in exterior colors of Absolute Zero White, Nocturnal Black or Renaissance Red 2.0, each featuring high-contrast red mirror caps and 19-inch forged matte black alloy wheels.

The Absolute Zero White and Nocturnal Black Supra Launch Editions will have a red interior. Each of the racing-inspired seats will be wrapped in red leather, with red leather steering wheel grips, and a red center console with carbon-fiber accents.

The Renaissance Red 2.0 Supra Launch Edition will feature a black leather-trimmed interior, with black seats, a black steering wheel, and black center console. The black interior will also feature carbon-fiber accents.

The first 1,500 Supras will feature an individually numbered carbon-fiber badge on the passenger-side dashboard complete with a graphic of Toyota Motor Corporation President and Master Driver Akio Toyoda’s signature.

CONTROVERSIAL DESIGN
The design bears a great resemblance to the most recent iteration of the car, the A80, which was produced from 1993 to 2002. The final design bore some resemblance to the 2014 FT-1 concept car, though with much toned down features.

The Supra is powered by two BMW-sourced engine options, and some critics say the interior is ripped from a BMW Z4. The exterior, too, has been accused of having a rather Teutonic/German style, and in a way, that's not an entirely bad comparison. (Though BMW is openly saying that the Z4 has a more powerful engine!)

The Pontiac-like nose juts outward, dangling between the two, large headlamps, which look like panthers about to pounce. They are placed on a bulging, Z4-like hood, that begs the question, "What's under that thing?" before one even asks the question. The side windows are small, and are finished off with a Hofmeister-kink style rear window. In front of both wheels are large, Lexus-like vents (likely not operational or useful.)

Another cut exists on the hood parallel with the windscreen that makes one wonder if the car has been in a knife fight. There's little question, however, whether it WON that fight. This small car screams masculinity in a way a Miata never could.

The rear of the Supra really shows the amazing curves on this thing. While rear visibility seems severely compromised by the large rear spoiler, the heart-shaped curvature of the rear window, indented rooftop and C-pillars - which curve inward at a sharp angle - are a sight to see, and the tail lights sit atop two large cuts that swoop downward, forming dramatic frames to the dual exhaust ports.

In short, this BMW-like Toyota is a quite ballsy sports car, and whether Toyota purists will enjoy the few Lexus-like hat-tips in the design or whether they'll shun it like they would a 3-series sedan remains to be seen.

#BMW iNEXT Revealed; Points To New Design Direction [Auto Styling News]

Citing "human-centered design" and a radical new front end, the 2019 iteration of the electric BMW Vision iNEXT debuted at the Los Angeles Auto Show this year.

And you're either going to love or hate the styling, from the first time you lay eyes on it.

BMW says the Vision iNEXT "provides an insight into the future of personal mobility." And it sure looks "futuristic." If produced as-is (which is of course highly unlikely) it would be extremely distinctive on the road. And yes, it's almost all about that front end.

The BMW's traditional "kidney" shaped grille remains in place, sort of, in a grossly elongated form. Taking its cue, perhaps, from modern Lexus design, this grille has metastasized to cover a full third of the front of this crossover. 

The car otherwise is angular, and frankly impressive. BMW calls it the "i design" language, and its meant to signal how all its vehicles will look in upcoming years. Large front-end scoops, which, like large grilles, are a popular trend, find their place here, as do the thin, super-bright headlamps. The traditional BMW red, white and black badge seems too small for this design, however, smothered by the humongous grille.

There's a lot "new" to this car, especially technologically. Autonomous driving, Connectivity, Electrification and Services (ACES) – have been incorporated into a single vehicle. Some elements, like cameras standing in for the absent side mirrors, clearly won't make it to production.

The concept car's color - the stunning Liquid Greyrose Copper paint finish, which is said to gradually change in shade from warm copper to dark rose - hopefully finds its way onto production cars, and becomes a trend.

The side view is praiseworthy, in that it doesn't look like every other car on the road. More wagon-like than SUV in stance, this car would be recognizable if it comes to America in this form. The "suicide" doors won't make it to production, but the "floating" roof gimmick likely will, and that would be one regret.

The exterior features powerfully sculpted surfaces curved like muscles onto the flanks, meant to project unbridled dynamism and give the exterior greater impact.

At the front, the windscreen merges seamlessly into a large panoramic roof. At the rear, the horizontal lines and surfaces create a wide and dynamic stance, and the slim rear lights cut deep into the car’s tail.

The air flows along the roof of the BMW Vision iNEXT all the way to its trailing edge, and this combines with a diffuser – illuminated for extra effect – said to enhance the car's aerodynamics.

Aside from the "floating roof" concept below it, the diffuser is an attractive styling element and a highly functional one, too: besides its positive influence over the car's aerodynamics, it meant to also increase electric range.

And make no mistake - this car is coming, in some form or another. BMW says the iNEXT's first production model will roll off the assembly line at Plant Dingolfing starting in 2021.

#BMW Leaks Photos Of 2019 #Z4 Ahead Of #PebbleBeach Reveal [Auto Styling News]

It has a long hood, short overhangs, a low center of gravity, and soft top. It's the soon-to-be revealed BMW Z4, and BMW has just "leaked" photos of the iconic car before its debut at Pebble Beach later this month. The photos of this 2019 model were leaked on Instagram.

It's face looks aggressive, with a large, aggressive front fascia, featuring an enormous interpretation of the traditional "kidney-shaped" grille openings, and a large scoop underneath, with more openings at the sides.

These are topped by large, fierce-looking headlights, all of which make the BMW hood badge look tiny by comparison. But of course perhaps that the point.

Commentators note that the front is more aggressive and larger than a previous concept vehicle, as are the lamps and mirrors.

The side features a scoop behind the front wheel wells and some sexy sculpted work on the lower door panels that avoid being compared to the "Bangle" days but still evoke that curvaceous era.

The tail is just as smart, featuring wrap-around tail lamps and a built-in spoiler that's not too large for the vehicle. The rear bumper looks like it's melting away, swooping around the licence tag area and dipping down into rear scoops that continue the aggressive, manly look of the front fascia. Dual exhausts round out the look nicely.

Gorgeous #BMW Concept #M8GranCoupe: Designed To "Polarize" [Auto Styling News]

"Polarizing" is not usually the word car designers or auto manufacturers themselves embrace for their products, but that's exactly what the VP of design for BMW's M and i models is saying about the newly unveiled concept M8 Gran Coupe.

"The BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe is designed to stir things up, to polarize – it should move you emotionally,” admits Domagoj Dukec. "With this car we want to reach people who are looking for something special and who want to stand out from the crowd. Here, BMW M is unmistakably taking luxury out of its comfort zone."

Like the BMW Concept 8 Series before it, the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe supposedly shows off BMW’s new design language, featuring expressive surfacing that accentuates the car's dynamic pretensions more vividly than current models. And the concept is more evolutionary than revolutionary, except for a couple of elements that, as we'll describe below, may very well be left on the designer's drawing board.

Low to the road and broad in stance, the eye-catching front end of the BMW Concept M8 Gran Coupe is designed to set hearts racing. But it is the one thing that also may ACTUALLY polarize BMW enthusiasts.

The face is wearing a copper grin, as the familiar kidney shaped grille is outlined in copper, and the look is mimicked in the gold headlamps, which are a hexagonal interpretation of BMW's four-eyed front end. The contours of the radiator grille kidneys broaden as they descend towards the road, designed to highlight the car’s low center of gravity. The headlamps are positioned slightly higher than the kidneys and give them the impression of sitting lower, which further emphasizes the car’s closeness to the road.

The rear of the car also carries with it the possibility of major polarization. A large "lip" rises up from the hood to form an aerodynamic wing, and massive "scoops" are carved out of the rear bumper. It is  very hard to believe these gaps will
make it to production in the US, what with all the safety regulations, which have traditionally required a large 5-MPH-impact bumpers, as silly as some may think they are. The quad exhaust pipes also feature the copper colored theme that works its way into almost all metal on the concept M8 Gran Coupe.

The sides feature strong lines that cut into the form of the car and give it an undeniably muscular appearance. The windows in this computer model seem gold tinged, which follows nicely from the front end styling, and the "Hofmeister kink" remains, as part of a large rear window of the coupe that looks elegant and upscale.

The greenhouse looks too small in the concept drawing, but in the actual art (clearly this car hasn't been built) it's better proportioned, in fact, it's very nicely proportioned, and easily helps peg this as a BMW. And finally, one must call out the rather large BMW badge on the rear, which is a trend and not at all a bad one (yet.)

So, there are possibilities here that the M8 Gran Coupe concept will indeed polarize. But there's also a lot here to love. The style is undeniably BMW-flavored, and it is undeniably a well-designed concept. But whether some of the more "boy racer" elements remain - including the huge rear scoops and the more mild and mainstream front end ones - is up for debate. It's easy to see the rear become more restrained and the rest of the design remain as-is. Which will work for most BMW enthusiasts just fine.

(Photos: BMW Group)

#BMW Debuts X2 #Concept At Paris Motor Show [Auto Styling News]

The BMW Group chose the Paris Motor Show 2016 to present the BMW Concept X2. This new addition to the compact segment has a distinctive design that stands apart from that of the other X models and also draws on the BMW Group’s history of coupe-making. The result is a compact concept exuding urban sporting appeal.

“The BMW Concept X2 is a vehicle for active people looking for a combination of enjoyment and practicality,” explains Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design. “The concept displays a new and exciting facet of the BMW brand within the compact segment.”

The design, says BMW, is, "a successful blend of dynamic appeal and solidity." It certainly appears dynamic and solid. The overall low-slung proportions, small greenhouse, long hood, and slick back end make for a modern, fresh look, from all directions.

It definitely looks like the sporty coupe-like vehicle BMW was going for. The large wheels, long wheelbase and forward slanting C-pillar help.


The upper section of the car's flanks is dominated by sporty design elements. The elongated roofline and slim window graphic create a stretched feel. The greenhouse tapers towards the rear, forming an athletic shoulder.

The window graphic surrounds and integrated two-piece mirror bases (both made from brushed aluminum) add an extra touch of class. The thickness of the aluminum profile plays a contrasting role here. The window graphic is rounded off by a dynamic interpretation of the hallmark BMW Hofmeister kink. Like the logo on the C-pillar – a classically sporty coupe design cue straight out of the BMW history books – this represents a singularly unmistakable detail. The large, air-channeling roof spoiler in body color lies flat over the blackened rear window. Extending from the C-pillars, it gives the rear of the BMW Concept X2 its sporty contours.

Lower down the sides of the car, customary X-model features hog the limelight. Muscular surfaces, large wheel arches and stylistic underfloor protection around the door sills form an intriguing contrast with the dynamic elements further up.

Focusing for a moment on more detailed features, the surfaces of the car’s flanks bring together large, smoothly modeled sections with precise edges, showcasing the car’s athletic presence. The dramatic surfacing also emphasizes the almost squared-off wheel arches familiar from the car’s BMW X stablemates. In them sit large, 21-inch light-alloy wheels, whose striking, double-spoke, bi-color design with a strong sense of three-dimensionality continues the contrast between dynamic appeal and solidity into the car’s details. Tyres with chunky treads point to the potential for fun off the beaten track, while door sills in body colour with integral hexagonal elements set the seal on the robust appearance of the car’s sides at their lowest point.

The front-end design of the BMW Concept X2 also fuses dynamic elements with a robust use of forms. Clearly contoured volumes and subtle edges create a front-end impression with presence and sporting appeal in abundance.

The heavily raked windshield appears to extend seamlessly into the dark panoramic roof and teams up with the newly interpreted double kidney grille and large air intakes to give the front end a slow-slung look. The hood and front end look enormous, though that could be because of the windshield's curvature, but regardless, the car will have incredible presence when seen coming at you down the road.

The kidneys turn the familiar trapezoidal shape of BMW grilles on its head and instead widen from top to bottom. This clear statement accentuates the unique nature of the BMW Concept X2, as well as the width of the front and the car’s solid stance. Graphically modeled and heavily angled bars within the kidney grille create an undeniable “shark nose” effect, bringing additional depth and sculptural richness to this area of the car. One hopes this all makes it to production, because they're undeniably attractive.

The flat contours of the headlight tubes help to give the classical BMW twin circular look a more hexagonal form. The laser light technology used by the headlights enables very slim light graphics, while the blue X in the center of the hexagonal tubes adds a further technical accent.

The front of this sleek beast is dominated by the large central air intake below the traditional - but extremely large - kidney grille, which is functional, since it helps to quench the Concept X2's thirst for cooling air. The smaller, triangular air intakes on either side highlight the car’s broad stance. The robust, horizontal slats of the air intakes provide a solid counterpoint to the dynamic design of the front and add further detailed emphasis of the front-end’s traditional X-model character.

The rear of the BMW Concept X2 rounds off the exterior design in distinctive style. Width-accentuating elements such as the slim rear window and horizontal lines reduce the perceived height of the BMW Concept X2 and underscore its sporting pretensions. From this angle you can also see how the rear window emerges elegantly from below the air-channeling spoiler and underlines the car’s sporting character. The prominent tapering of the glasshouse along the sides of the Concept X2 also catches the eye, forming a powerful shoulder area, allowing it to highlight the car’s broad, muscular stance.

Let's hope this design - or most of it - makes it to market. This looks like a nearly complete design study, so it's likely a 2019 design at the latest.

#BMW Collab. Promises Driverless Cars By 2021 [Auto Styling News]

BMW, Intel, and Mobileye are teaming up to make self-driving autonomous vehicles a reality by 2021. The collaboration could be a very positive sign that even driverless cars could be headed to our driveways within a decade.

Announced at a July 1 press conference in Munich, Germany, leaders from the three companies - leaders in the automotive, technology and computer vision and machine learning industries - announced their collaboration.

BMW believes the path to get to a fully autonomous world is complex and will require end-to-end solutions that integrate intelligence across the network, from door locks to the data center. Transportation providers of the future, they said, must harness rapidly evolving technologies, collaborate with totally new partners, and prepare for disruptive opportunities.

The BMW iNEXT model will be the foundation for BMW Group’s autonomous driving strategy and set the basis for fleets of fully autonomous vehicles.

The goal of the collaboration is to develop future-proofed solutions that enable the drivers to not only take their hands off the steering wheel, but reach the so called “eyes off” (level 3) and ultimately the "mind off" (level 4) level transforming the driver’s in-car time into leisure or work time. This level of autonomy would enable the vehicle, on a technical level, to achieve the final stage of traveling "driver off" (level 5) without a human driver inside.

BMW believes this technology lays the foundation for entirely new business models in a connected, mobile world. If it comes about, this could clearly revolutionize the way we view vehicles, and could disrupt driving as much as Uber and Lyft have disrupted the taxi industry, or cellular disrupted the old "tethered" telephones our parents grew up with in the 20th Century.

Dangers for the project are not more clearly highlighted by the first fatal accident involving a self-driving Tesla S in May, which raised serious questions about the viability of the autopilot technology at this stage. Mobileye supplied some of the tech behind Tesla's automated driving car. It was founded in 1999 and was a pioneer in developing advanced collision avoidance systems.

BMW is wise to reach out to tech leaders to collaborate in this way. Hopefully the technology really will be ready to deliver what's being advertised by 2021.

The #BMW Group's HOT #Mini Superleggera Vision Concept

The BMW Group has released an exciting concept - the MINI Superleggera Vision - an open-top two-seater designed in conjunction with Touring Superleggera, a design and coach building house based in Milan, Italy. The car was unveiled at the 2014 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este.

Anders Warming,  head of MINI Design, calls the concept an "energetic, minimalistic design" that "embodies the dynamic essence of an automobile. At the same time it creates unique emotional beauty in combining the past and future of the automotive industry, i.e. traditional coachwork craftsmanship and modern design styling."

And he's not wrong. The celebration of circles and curves in the head and fog lamps and even in the oval grille is easy on the eyes, as are the clean, sweeping lines from front to rear on the sides. The rakish windscreen and cute "fin" on the rear make this car a head-turner.

Memo to the BMW Group: Please build this!

(photos: The BMW Group)

Mini Recycles Old Plymouth Concept

Mini is shopping a "pickup truck" concept of the Mini Paceman that had me thinking of a previous concept. See if you notice the similarities.

In 1995, Plymouth shopped around a very similar, but perhaps more feminine, baby pick-up called the Plymouth Backpack based on what would become the Dodge Neon.

As a long-time fan of the Backpack, I must say the Paceman version is more "butch" and does look better.

Mercedes and BMW May Be Planning a Love Child (Let's hope not!)

Mercedes Benz is shopping a concept/design study called the "Concept Coupe SUV." See if it reminds you of another car or two on the road today.

Let's first be positive here: The front end is devastatingly gorgeous, as is the rest of the current line-up from Mercedes.

The head lamps are incredibly detailed and again, match the current line-up and cannot be mistaken for lights on any other vehicle.

The grille is equally beautiful and features wonderful details that are making Mercedes a prime choice in the luxury market (as if they have ever given up that title!)

But... okay, the gloves must come off now: The rear quarter of this concept are horrendous, and extremely derivative. It  looks like the slow-selling and "uniquely" styled BMW X6, a so-called "four-door coupe SUV" (a style that has already run its course, frankly) with the added "bonus" of Lincoln MKZ-style tail lights, which look too small for this vehicle.

Mercedes raided the Lincoln parts bin for the tail lights!

This concept - actually just a "design study" to determine what a full-sized, SUV/Coupe would look like if one is ever made - is actually a bit larger than the BMW X6, a full-sized behemoth. It is being shopped around at the Beijing International Auto Show (April, 2014) but it would certainly make an impact in supermarket parking lots all over America if it was ever built and sold here.

While it's a good start, and a wonderful concept, generally, I have to urge Mercedes-Benz to go back to the drawing board on this one.

Other than having proper tail lights, this X6 too much resembles the Mercedes concept!

Does New Blood at BMW Styling Houses Signal New Styling Approaches?

Since August 1, BMW has cleaned house a bit and has hired some new talent in its design houses. It's obviously too early to tell if this signals a MAJOR shift in design focus for the brand - which (with Bangle) saw major shifts in the past intended to shake up BMW's styling (again, with varying success, one can argue.)

But these relatively young designers seem to have the right background - and perhaps the "right stuff" - to send the brand at least a jolt and perhaps bring some really beautiful cars to market.

Auto Styling News wishes them the best of luck!

The new talent includes:

Adrian van Hooydonk, who runs BMW Group Design, which embraces all the Group’s brands, and is thus responsible for design at BMW, BMW i, BMW Motorrad and MINI, as well as Rolls-Royce. The various design studios, Advanced Design, design research, design strategy and DesignworksUSA all fall within his jurisdiction.

BMW Design
In the BMW Design Team led by Karim Habib, Domagoj Dukec has taken over as head of Exterior Design, Oliver Heilmer as head of Interior Design and Martina Starke as head of Colour and Material Design.

Domagoj Dukec, 38, the new head of Exterior Design, was born in Frankfurt and has worked in the Exterior Design BMW Automobiles team since 2010. He was responsible for designing the Concept Active Tourer.

Oliver Heilmer, 39, replaces Marc Girard as head of Interior Design. The Munich native has been part of the Interior Design BMW Automobiles team since 2000 and was responsible for the design of the BMW 5 Series, among other assignments. Marc Girard, 43, will assume management of Automobile Design at DesignworksUSA, a 100% subsidiary of the BMW Group.

Martina Starke, 42, is head of Colour and Material Design. The qualified textile designer joined the BMW Group in 2001 and her responsibilities have included Colour and Material Design for the larger series cars as well as for BMW Individual.
 
MINI Design
The MINI Design team led by Anders Warming welcomed Christopher Weil, 38, as its new head of Exterior Design. A Bavarian by birth, he has worked as a designer for the BMW Group since 2000, most recently for Automotive Design at BMW Group DesignworksUSA. Marcus Syring, 49, leaves his post as head of Exterior Design to join Rolls-Royce. Oliver Sieghart remains responsible for Interior Design and Annette Baumeister for Colour and Material Design.

“As head of BMW Group Design I’m very proud of the wealth of talent in my team.  I am convinced that through this restructuring we have given a significant boost to design in the individual brand studios and will continue to shape the future of BMW Group Design with success,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design.

BMW and Pininfarina Create the Beautiful The Gran Lusso Coupé Concept

BMW has teamed up with Pininfarina, the legendary Italian design house, to produce the gorgeous BMW Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupé concept, which may or not preview styling cues for the new BMW 8 Series.

The two time-honored companies unveiled the outcome of their first collaboration at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2013 earlier this week. Hopefully, it will be the start of a long collaboration.

“The appeal of this collaboration with Pininfarina is that you get another, very different and special angle on facets like luxury and exclusivity,” says Karim Habib, Head of BMW Design. “The Italian company, after all, has always been a byword for these criteria in particular, demonstrating time and again its keen sensitivity and exceptional finesse in these areas. In Pininfarina we have found the ideal partner to lend shape to this vehicle concept.”

“The result of this cooperative venture is far greater than the sum of its parts,” says Fabio Filippini, Head of Design at Pininfarina. “When two such tradition-rich and experienced brands join forces to turn a vision into reality, something utterly new and exciting emerges. From start to finish, this project was defined by a mutual respect for the identity of the other company.”

EXTERIOR REVIEW:

As swoopy and slippery as an Italian supermodel, this gorgeous vehicle has several readily apparent and highly distinctive features, starting with an over-sized BMW-standard kidney-shaped grille. On some cars this would be controversial (think of the latest Lexus models or every recent Audi) but this has a certain elegance and it's balanced by the large hood and the wide stance of the vehicle.

Next are the headlamps, which look razor sharp, thin and aggressive as hell. The lower bumpers and flat air-intake tend to give it a grimacing and fierce look, as they wrap into a KIA-like bow-tie, though like everything on this car, they are overlarge, so the comparison is perhaps unfair, and is only a passing resemblance.

The side is described by the companies as "a powerfully present silhouette" on which the convex taperings on the side, "add a dynamic elegance and give the body a tautly athletic shape." One cannot argue with this description.

The side mirrors look as though they are being held by the outstretched arms of a metallic being, or aluminum mailboxes, if one wishes to be unkind, but we don't, because they are entirely consistent with the design, and add to the elegance.

The "matt-sheen embellishment" behind the wheels feature the Pininfarina name, and the V12 labeling behind the trademark Hoffmeister Kink towards the rear of the vehicle shows that the car does, in fact, have an awesome engine (or one is planned, at any rate. Again, we'll see if this sees production.)

The rear tail lamps sweep across the trunk like a snake, the head of which curves downward like it's about to strike the rear wheel, or curl up in the wheel well, at least. They are entirely consistent with current design, but taken to the next level, and given the Italian panache one would expect.

Overall, this design study is worthy of both companies, and is consistent with historical BMW styling - enough so that it, if it is influential enough within the company, should lead designers towards something quite beautiful if it does indeed presage the new 8-Series when it finally bows sometime in the next 2-5 years. Let's hope we don't have to wait too long to see something like this on the road.

Photos: BMW Group

Bangle Era finally ending at BMW with elegant M3 styling?

I must say, the new tail lamps of the 2012 BMW M3 are quite beautiful, and a vast improvement over previous models' designs. The "Bangle" era at BMW (named for chief designer Chris Bangle, who is now working in his own firm in Turin, Italy) was extremely controversial.

While the easy-to-spot swoopiness and curvaceous lines on BMWs alienated many traditionalists, one cannot argue that it was successful in raising the company's profile and standards of luxury during his 17-year tenure at BMW. Still, that polarization came at a price, and frankly, my view is that the brand suffered somewhat from it, in the same way other companies suffer when they go too far in the direction of experimentation and away from customer's tastes (the Ford Taurus of the mid-1990s comes to mind, as does the Pontiac Aztek and other follies.)

The new direction of the company, with less flare and more true, sophisticated style - as exhibited in the smart and handsome looking 3 Series - is the right direction for this company. Let's hope they can sustain it and expand upon it.

BMW Plans i-Series Electric Vehicles for 2014

BMW has announced a launch date for it's two "i" series electric vehicles, the i8 (above) and the i3 (photo below.) They will both be launched in 2013, with production starting in late 2014. In 2014, the company reportedly expects to sell 30,000 i3s. Prices are widely expected to be astronomical, due to their all-carbon fiber bodies.

The i3 is an all-electric "city car" which will generate 100kw of power and will use regenerative braking to recapture energy the same way other hybrids do.

Above, the BMW i3 "City Car"

The i8 is expected to be a long-range, plug-in electric vehicle, and also offered as a diesel/electric hybrid. Both it and the smaller i3 "City Car" will utilize carbon fiber bodies which will make for extremely light rides and a 92 MPH top speed for the i3.

The company launched a website for it's "i" sub-brand on April 1, 2011 at www.bmw-i-usa.com.

If either model comes to production in anything like these drawings, it will surely give premium electrics like Tesla two worthy competitors.

The motive for the launch is transparent, at least to Europeans, because they know (and the car companies there know) that they are rushing to approve electric and low-emissions vehicles to meet more stringent safety standards due to kick in by mid-decade. Hence, micro cars from Aston Martin and many, many electric "city cars" for cities, some of which are also incidentally considering banning ALL internal combustion vehicles within a decade.

2012 BMW 6 Series Coupe Unveiled

Ahead of its expected debut at the Shanghai Auto Show in April, BMW has unveiled its 6 Series Coupe.

It is unmistakably a BMW, with its distinctive design heritage, including the kidney-shaped grille, long, sweeping hood, athletic concave trunk and the Hofmeister kink in the rear side windows.

BMW calls it "athletic elegance" and they got that just right.

The car is 2.9 inches longer than its predecessor and has an almost 3 inch greater wheelbase. Meanwhile, the extra width of the new car – it is now 1.5 inches wider thanks to its increased track width – makes for an exceptionally powerful stance that emphasizes its impressive road holding abilities.

Of course most will focus on the bold, aggressive shark-like nose, which gives it a forward-surging prominence and, combined with the ultra-bright xenon lamps with "halo-like pupils," is as unmistakable a BMW as Audi's under-eye LEDs have become for that brand.

BMW's press office says the inspiration for the coupe's beautifully creased, swooping lines along the sides of the new 6 Coupe was "the natural movement of waves." They continue, "In the same way as water is parted by an object in flowing water, the car body’s shaping lines fan out from the BMW badge on the hood to both sides of the body."

The rear of the car is attractive as well. An integrated third light in the spoiler, squared dual exhaust pipes and attractive tail lamps make following the BMW a pleasure.

As one might expect, the tech in this new BMW is mind-boggling and far-reaching. From Adaptive LED Headlights, the BMW ConnectedDrive driver assistance system, rear-view camera, Surround View, Parking Assistant, BMW Night Vision with pedestrian recognition, Lane Departure Warning System and Lane Change Warning System and a heads-up display for the dash, there is no end of toys one can add on.

Overall, we can put the 6 Coupe (650i) in the "win" column for BMW. They've produced a beautiful, understated and refined machine.