Shanghai Auto Show: New BMW M5 and 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid Concepts

At this week’s 2011 Shanghai Auto Show in China, BMW rolled out two concept versions of the current F10 5-Series, the M5 sport sedan and the LWB Plug-in Hybrid, both of which will enter production.

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BMW Group Smashes Monthly Sales Record in March with More than 165,000 Units

The BMW Group is on track to reach new records in 2011 with the company posting its strongest monthly sales ever in March. The Bavarian automaker delivered a total of 165,842 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand vehicles in the past month, not only significantly beating the figure for March 2010 (141,717 units / +17%) but also the previous sales high of 152,721 vehicles recorded in December 2007. March sales rose in Europe by 7.8% to 93,540 vehicles, in Asia by a whopping 52% to 35,048 units, as well as in the Americas by 18.6% to 32,020 vehicles.

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From China for China: BMW Teams up with Brilliance to Create 5-Series Plug-in Hybrid Sedan

BMW has teamed up with joint venture partner Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. to develop a new plug-in hybrid model based on the long wheelbase version of the local market 5 Series Sedan, which is available exclusively in China. The prototype model will receive its world premiere at the Auto Shanghai 2011 later this month.

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Prior Design Working on New Tune for BMW 5-Series F10

While BMW works on the production version of the new V8-powered M5 sports saloon, tuners across Europe continue to roll out packages for the standard versions of the F10 5-Series. This one comes from Germany and Prior Design, which recently teased its tuning kit for the new 6-Series Coupe and Convertible models as well.

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Wald International Tricks Out BMW’s Latest 5-Series F10 Sedan

Noted Japanese tuning house Wald International is preparing its first customization take on the latest BMW 5-Series sedan. Details are still scant as this is a project in the works, but the Wald-modified 5-Series Sports Line Black Bison Edition gets a collection of aero body pieces made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic.

The exterior kit includes a new front bumper design with additional air vents and LED daytime lights, along with bespoke side skirts, a beefy rear apron housing a diffuser and the firm’s familiar exhaust tail pipe design, and a fixed boot lid spoiler. A new set of multispoke alloy wheels complete the look.

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Official: BMW 2.0-liter Turbo Coming to the USA in 2011, Replaces 3.0-liter Straight-Six

We knew BMW's brand-new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine was coming to the States but now, the Bavarian automaker has made it official. The German company released a statement saying the first cars to be equipped with the force-fed four-banger will "arrive later this year" in the USA.

The 2.0-liter unit made its debut on the X1 compact crossover and will eventually replace BMW’s trademark normally aspirated 3.0-liter inline six. While BMW's US division has yet to announce which models will get the new engine, in Europe, the automaker has already confirmed the powerplant for the Z4 coupe-roadster and the 5-Series range.

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Euro NCAP's Best and Worst Performers of 2010

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), which is similar to the American IIHS testing regimen, has released a list with the safest car in each vehicle category and the two worst performers overall of 2010. The cars that attained the coveted five star rating and achieved the highest overall score in their respective segment are:

------ Executive category: BMW 5 Series
------ Small Family category: Alfa Romeo Giulietta
------ Supermini category: Honda CR-Z
------ Small off-road 4×4 category: Kia Sportage
------ Small MPV category: Toyota Verso

On the other side of the fence are two models that achieved the poorest results of 2010. These are the Citroen Nemo with three stars and China's Landwind CV9 that received only two stars.

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China Rumors: BMW to Team up with Brilliance and Develop Local Market EV Based on 5-Series

BMW is making plans with its Chinese partner Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. to develop a new fully electric model designed specifically for the local market, according to Autonews Europe citing a report from the Beijing Youth Daily newspaper.

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BMW Officially Confirms 2.0-Liter Turbo for Z4 and 5-Series

Earlier this week, BMW unveiled its new 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine which will effectively replace the firm's classic, naturally aspirated straight-six. The force-fed four banger made its debut on the X1 compact crossover, but today, the Bavarian automaker officially confirmed that the new engine will be available in other models "such as the BMW Z4 and 5 Series in due course." While BMW did not give out a launch date, expect to see both models towards the end of the year or early 2012, depending on the market. Read more »

G-Power’s BMW M5 HURRICANE GS is the World's Fastest LPG-Powered Car

After the standard BMW M5 and M6 Hurricane editions, BMW tuning specialists G-Power has now released a more eco-friendly iteration of the same package, in the form of the LPG-powered Hurricane M5 GS.

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