Auto Express 1729

CAR makers don’t have a bottomless pit of money, time or talent, yet they’re expected to reinvent themselves as all-electric brands over a relatively short period of time, while still producing great cars that people want to buy and enjoy right now. It’s no wonder the current vogue seems to be for setting up separate business units – or completely different companies – to deal with electrification. As Tesla has proven, it takes a different mindset, not to mention large bundles of cash, to be successful. But the cash to spend on new stuff is only there if the current stuff is selling well. And the current stuff will only sell well if that, too, continues to get developed. It’s a tough ask – there’s so much work to be…

CAR makers don’t have a bottomless pit of money, time or talent, yet they’re expected to reinvent themselves as all-electric brands over a relatively short period of time, while still producing great cars that people want to buy and enjoy right now. It’s no wonder the current vogue seems to be for setting up separate business units – or completely different companies – to deal with electrification. As Tesla has proven, it takes a different mindset, not to mention large bundles of cash, to be successful. But the cash to spend on new stuff is only there if the current stuff is selling well. And the current stuff will only sell well if that, too, continues to get developed. It’s a tough ask – there’s so much work to be done for the…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods ● Exterior tweaks and new infotainment for top-selling model ● Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid options with added efficiency THE BMW 3 Series has been given a mid-life facelift, introducing a new exterior design, an updated interior and the latest technology for the German brand’s best-selling vehicle. There’s a mix of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid drive options, but a pure-electric model hasn’t been added to the line-up. An electrified version of the G20-generation 3 Series has been confirmed for the Chinese market, but Europe will have to wait until the next-generation 3 Series arrives in 2025. Following the template set by the larger 5 Series in 2020, the updated 3 Series features a restyled front end. The headlights are slimmer than before, so although the kidney grilles…

James_Brodie@autovia.co.uk @JPBrods ● Exterior tweaks and new infotainment for top-selling model ● Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid options with added efficiency THE BMW 3 Series has been given a mid-life facelift, introducing a new exterior design, an updated interior and the latest technology for the German brand’s best-selling vehicle. There’s a mix of petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid drive options, but a pure-electric model hasn’t been added to the line-up. An electrified version of the G20-generation 3 Series has been confirmed for the Chinese market, but Europe will have to wait until the next-generation 3 Series arrives in 2025. Following the template set by the larger 5 Series in 2020, the updated 3 Series features a restyled front end. The headlights are slimmer than before, so although the kidney grilles are the same size, they appear…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● M division’s first PHEV ● XM SUV boasts 644bhp BMW’S M division turns 50 this year, and to mark the occasion, the brand will build itself a birthday present. It’s called the XM – previewed by last year’s Concept XM – and we’ve had the chance to try a pre-production model. This large SUV is the M division’s first plug-in hybrid and is powered by a new 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. This is supplemented by a 25kWh battery that powers an electric motor mounted inside the car’s eight-speed automatic gearbox, which sends power to all four wheels through BMW’s M xDrive set-up. Total output stands at 644bhp and 800Nm of torque, with the electric motor delivering 194bhp on its own for up to 10 seconds (the rest of the time it packs a…

sean_carson@autovia.co.uk ● M division’s first PHEV ● XM SUV boasts 644bhp BMW’S M division turns 50 this year, and to mark the occasion, the brand will build itself a birthday present. It’s called the XM – previewed by last year’s Concept XM – and we’ve had the chance to try a pre-production model. This large SUV is the M division’s first plug-in hybrid and is powered by a new 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine. This is supplemented by a 25kWh battery that powers an electric motor mounted inside the car’s eight-speed automatic gearbox, which sends power to all four wheels through BMW’s M xDrive set-up. Total output stands at 644bhp and 800Nm of torque, with the electric motor delivering 194bhp on its own for up to 10 seconds (the rest of…