Nother CarGuy

Want to know what the BMW of the future will look like? Here it is. It’s called the Vision iNEXT, and after months of hints, teasers, and leaks, it’s finally been unveiled in full. The autonomous electric crossover concept both represents the broad direction in which the Bavarian automaker is headed moving forward, and directly previews a production model to follow. The show car cuts a futuristic silhouette, rendered in copper with suitably conceptual, oversized 24-inch wheels. Blue accents hint at the electrified powertrain, visual carbon fiber its lightweight construction, and with no internal-combustion engine to keep cool, the big merged twin-kidney grille is blanked out, housing only sensors for the vehicle’s self-driving capabilities. “BMW i exists to generate creative, pioneering ideas which transform the way we think about mobility,” said design chief Adrian van Hooydonk. “The BMW Vision iNEXT marks another next big step on that journey of transformation, show...

The first official images of BMW’s conceptual electric crossover, the iNEXT, have surfaced online. Set to preview the 2021 production model, the iNEXT is a futuristic crossover that is infused with BMW i DNA. Originally spotted on Bimmerpost, the pictures show the concept has a massive twin kidney grille with a fake mesh insert. The grille also features a blue chrome surround which hints at the model’s eco-friendly powertrain. The grille sits in between slender headlights and recessed sections of the front fascia which channel air into slender intakes. Further below, we can see gloss black accents which mimic plastic body cladding. Moving further back, we can see BMW has embraced the side camera mirror trend that is being pioneered by Audi and Lexus. Elsewhere, there are massive wheels and a distinctive greenhouse with ‘pinched’ accents on the B-pillar (or where it would traditionally be). The concept also features pronounced rear wheel arches and a relatively flat ...

BMW has a new electric vehicle in the works. And it’s now provided the first official glimpse – limited though it may be – at how it will shape up. Dubbed the BMW iNEXT, the new EV is set to enter production in 2021. And it promises to incorporate “all major areas of innovation in a road-ready vehicle.” By that, we surmise the automaker means electric propulsion, (semi) autonomous capabilities, advanced safety systems, and the latest infotainment technologies. Unfortunately we don’t have much else to go on at the moment, and the solitary teaser image gives us very little. From what we can see, though, it looks more like an evolution of the i3’s design than the i Vision Dynamics and Vision Next 100 concepts we saw last year and the year before. The roofline looks like it extends to a tailgate, instead of tapering off to a trunk. So we’ll be expecting some manner of hatchback or crossover instead of a sedan or coupe. “The iNEXT project is our building kit for the future. It wi...

BMW will enter the FIA Formula E championship as an official manufacturer, starting from season 2018-19. The Bavarian maker becomes the next official manufacturer that enters the electric racing series, following Audi’s announcement which is set to compete from this season. BMW says that Formula E is the perfect development laboratory for production electric powertrain technology and that they will use their involvement in the development of the iNEXT and next-gen BMW i models. “The borders between production and motor racing development are more blurred at BMW i Motorsport than in any other project,” said Klaus Fröhlich, Member of BMW’s Board of Management. “The result is a technology transfer on a whole new level. We are certainly confident that the BMW Group will benefit greatly from the experience gained in the field of electrotechnology during this project.” The race cars will be powered by a completely new BMW drivetrain while the new works entry will be run by the And...