Nother CarGuy

BMW took the wraps off the sporty i4 M50 today. The marriage of the i and M subbrands, the car will be the first electric M car ever produced. Well, at least according to the German automaker, as to our ears it sounds more like an M Performance recipe than a thoroughbred M model. Finished in Frozen Portimao Blue and featuring blacked-out trim and carbon fiber add ons, the 2022 BMW i4 M50 promises to bring the visual flair and aggression of the M brand into the brand’s electric future. To ensure it can keep up with the rest of the M lineup, it will offer a combined output of 536 horsepower (544 PS) and 586 lb-ft of torque from its two electric motors, including a 255hp front and 308hp rear motor, controlled by a single speed transmission. However, note that those peak figures are achieved momentarily through a Sport Boost function that increases the system’s combined drive power by 67 hp and torque by 48 lb-ft for a little over 10 seconds. Otherwise, combined output is reduced to 469 hp...

BMW has pulled the wraps off the 2020 X3 M and X4 M. Set to go into production this April, the high-performance models are powered by a new twin-turbo 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 473 hp (352 kW / 479 PS) and 442 lb-ft (598 Nm) of torque. It is connected to an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission and a rear-biased all-wheel drive system. This setup enables the X3 and X4 M to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, before hitting a limited top speed of up to 174 mph (280 km/h). Drivers looking for something more powerful can order the X3 and X4 M Competition. They have an upgraded engine that develops 503 hp (375 kW / 510 PS), but the torque remains unchanged at 442 lb-ft (598 Nm). Unsurprisingly, the models are slightly quicker as the dash from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) drops to four seconds, while the top speed climbs to 177 mph (284 km/h) with the optional M Driver’s Package. Since all four models are full-bore M products, they come with an assortm...

Infiniti has no intention to offer high-performance variants of its  models  to rival the likes of BMW M and Mercedes-AMG. Not yet at least. Currently, the firm's  Q60 Coupe  delivers similar  performance  to the Mercedes-AMG C43, but, for now, that's as fast as the model will get.  According to Infiniti senior manager of product strategy Gerardo Carmona who spoke to  Car Advice , a true competitor to the cars from the German trio's performance divisions could launch at some point, though not in the near future. “That’s never going to be off the table, because Infiniti is all about performance, in a very sculpted and artisan way. But unfortunately it’s not going to come very soon. Everything is up for consideration, and we have a lot of options within the R&D group. Right now we’re focusing on the 400 hp and although we currently don’t have any ambition for this car to go and compete with the vehicles you’ve mentioned, as for doing somethin...