New BMW M135i Concept gets Turbo'd Straight-Six with More than 300HP, Previews 3-Door Body Style

We told you the story and showed you the spy pictures, but today, BMW officially revealed the new M135i sports hatch, ahead of its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show.

Despite the fact that the Bavarian company is calling it a concept, it's not hard to see that the M135i is essentially ready to enter production, which it will within the next year.

Aside from previewing the next member of BMW's new M Performance range, the M135i also gives us our first look at the three-door version of the latest 1-Series range, which is currently available only in five-door form.

BMW's answer to the Audi RS3 is the first M Performance car with a gasoline and not a diesel engine. Under the hood lies a 3.0-liter Twin Power Turbo straight-six that BMW says delivers "more than 300 HP". Our sources state that it will produce 320-horsepower in production trim.

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2014 BMW M4 / M3 Coupe Realistically Rendered

Its name and the type of engine that will lie under its hood may be debatable, but plans for a successor to today's M3 Coupe do exist. However, you'll have to wait at least until 2013 to see the high performance model in BMW's dealerships.

For those of you that just can't wait to get a peek at the next M3 Coupe or perhaps as we may come to know it, the M4, graphic designer Jacek Kolodziejczyk has put his skills to work developing a pretty realistic rendering of the coupe model.

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Mission Impossible: Paula Patton Tries to Add Some Beauty to BMW i3 and i8 Concepts at LA Auto Show

Unlike the Fiat Group and to a lesser extent, South Korean and French automakers, the BMW Group doesn't find it necessary to use beautiful female or male models to attract the attention of the media and casual visitors alike upon its vehicles during motor shows.

So when American actress Paula Patton juggled her way onto BMW's Los Angeles Motor Show stage for the presentation of the fully-electric i3 hatchback and hybrid-electric i8 coupe concept cars, we were kind of surprised.

If you're not familiar with Ms. Patton, we won't blame you as the 35-year old actress hasn't really won any breakthrough roles. However, she will star alongside Tom Cruise in the next Mission Impossible film titled "Ghost Protocol" to be released December 21.

And as you probably already know, BMW's gasoline-electric hybrid i8 Concept will be featured in the movie.

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BMW Takes us on a Historical Journey of its Large Coupe and Convertible Models at its Museum

One of the star attractions for automotive enthusiasts visiting the German city of Munich is BMW's recently redone 53,000 square foot museum. Along with the permanent exhibitions, the Bavarian brand's museum also hosts special events dedicated to a certain period or line of vehicles.

Starting from October 28, 2011 and until the end of September 2012, the BMW Museum will present a special exhibition devoted to the development of the firm's large coupe and convertible models throughout the years.

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2014 BMW M3 Sedan F30 and 3-Series Coupe Speculatively Rendered

Given the close proximity in the designs of BMW's outgoing E90 and the newly revealed F30 3-Series saloons, it's not hard to imagine what the rest of the range will look like.

The crew over from PS-Garage sent us these speculative renderings of the next-generation M3 sedan that we recently scooped testing in Germany and the upcoming coupe model.

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IAA 2011: BMW i8 Sports Concept Heading to Production in 2013

While the i3 is an everyday city car - albeit a very sophisticated one at that, the second member of BMW’s new i series that made its way to Frankfurt is an altogether different concept. Derived from the 2009 Vision EfficientDynamics study, the futuristic-looking i8 will enter production in 2013. Read more »

IAA 2011: BMW i3 Study Previews New EV Premium City Car

BMW chose the Frankfurt Motor Show to tease its upcoming pure-electric model, the five-door i3 city car with a concept study of the same name.

The concept, formerly known as the Megacity, features a 170 HP electric motor placed over the rear axle that is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack.

It generates 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque and drives the rear wheels, providing a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time of under 8.0 seconds while its top speed is electronically limited to 150 km/h (93 mph).

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BMW's i3 EV Hatch and i8 Hybrid Sports Coupe Live and in the Flesh

We got our first look at BMW's eco-friendly i3 and i8 concept cars during a presentation in Germany at the end of July, but while the Bavarian firm released a bevy of videos showing off the two cars and their technological highlights, all films were the product of computer manipulation.

Lucky for us (and you), a Youtube user was in the right place at the right time filming both the BMW i3 pure electric hatchback and the i8 hybrid sports coupe during a photo shoot in Chicago.

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BMW Shows Off i3 EV and i8 Hybrid Concepts on Film

The headline story on the automotive front today (that would be Friday, July 29) is no doubt the presentation of the first concept models of BMW's new division for alternative fuel vehicles that we will come to know as the "i" series.

We've already given you a first look at the i3 pure-electric hatchback as well as the sporty i8 gasoline-electric hybrid coupe concepts, but BMW has also released a series of films on both vehicles.

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BMW i8 Concept: Plug-in Hybrid Coupe with 1.5-liter Petrol Engine Delivers 349HP and 87MPG [63 Photos]

BMW's showdown continues with the presentation of its i8 Concept, a plug-in hybrid sports coupe that joins the i3 pure-electric hatchback to form the first models of the Bavarian firm's i sub-brand.

The i8 Concept is a further development of the 2009 Vision EfficientDynamics study and it opens the way for a production model, which is scheduled to arrive in showrooms in 2013.

The sportiest member of the i series models combines the modified electric drive system from the i3 Concept, but this time fitted over its front axle instead of the rear, with a high-performance, 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine (in place of the Vision ED's diesel unit) developing 220HP (164kW) and 300 Nm (221 lb.ft) at the rear.

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BMW i3 Concept: Pure Electric Hatchback with Optional Range Extender to go on Sale in 2013 [79 Photos]

The car we originally came to know as the Megacity Vehicle was officially revealed today as the BMW i3 Concept ahead of its 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show debut and less than two years before it goes on sale in 2013.

The new i3 along with the i8 sports coupe concept (we'll have more on that in a bit) that was also shown today, are the first vehicles of BMW's new i sub-brand with which the Bavarian company plans to sell a range of environmental-friendly hybrids, pure-electric and range-extended cars.

The upcoming i3 will be BMW's first ever mass produced all-electric model. The five-door hatchback rides on a new dedicated architecture named "LifeDrive".

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BMW Marks Returns to DTM with New M3 Coupe Concept Racer

New DTM racing cars are like public transportation: you wait for ages and then , all of a sudden, three or four buses appear at the same time. Just yesterday we posted Audi’s new entry into the German Touring Car Championship or, as it’s more commonly known, DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters). Today, BMW pulled the wraps off its new own DTM racer based on the coupe version of M3.

And mind you, unlike Audi, BMW revealed the M3 in the flesh clad in carbon fiber and looking quite menacing with its matte paint, flared wheel arches and aerodynamic package.

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BMW Takes Leading Car Role in New “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” Film with i8 Concept and 6-Series

Tom Cruise’s return for another impossible mission as Ethan Hunt also marks the BMW Group’s return to Hollywood, as the Bavarian automaker will be the main automotive partner in the fourth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise.

BMW’s product placement in the “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol” film comes in the form of the concept version of the upcoming i8 Hybrid Coupe, the Vision EfficientDynamics study while the latest 6-Series Convertible will also play a role in the movie.

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2012 BMW M5 Touring Artistically Imagined

Now that we’ve seen what the new 2012 BMW M5 sports sedan looks like, it’s time for some talented hands to shape the Touring version that may or may not follow in the future as the Bavarian company has not yet revealed any plans for a high-performance station wagon model. Read more »

BMW Fans Imagine New 1-Series Coupe, Cabrio and M Models

The all-new BMW 1-Series five-door hatchback has only just been announced, yet bimmer enthusiasts are already dreaming up the car’s future lineup. Some of the more talented individuals went one step further drawing up renderings of the Coupe and Convertible models, which as we recently reported, may or may not carry the 2-Series sticker as part of broader change in names, and even a three-door hatchback with the famed M badge.

Follow the break to check out the creative work of the members of Bimmerpost and leave your thoughts below.

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BMW’s Retrolicious 328 Homage Concept Makes Official Debut

The stage is set for this weekend’s Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy with automakers and individual owners of classic cars already rolling out their goods for the 2011 edition of the show. The famed event will also play host to the world premiere of a fresh batch of sports car concept cars such as the Aston Martin V12 Zagato that we told you about earlier today and the BMW 328 Hommage concept, which we present here.

The BMW 328 Hommage was created on the occasion of the original model’s 75th birthday. While the Bavarian automaker avoids to make the connection, the 328 Hommage appears to be based on (or at least developed from) the Vision ConnectedDrive roadster study, which premiered at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.

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BMW’s New Age 328 Roadster Concept: First Live Photos

Just a few minutes ago, the Belgian crew from Autofans dropped these cell-phone photos (courtesy of a Twitter user Sjoerdvstokkum) of a new BMW concept model into our e-mail box. The design study is called the 328 Hommage Concept and it was created by BMW to celebrate the original model’s 75^th birthday. Stay tuned as in a few minutes we’ll bring you the full details and photos of the 328 Hommage.

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BMW Insider Says All-new 2012 M5 will offer All-Wheel-Drive Option

Revealed in concept car guise at the recent Shanghai auto show, the new BMW M5 will not only be the first turbocharged M5 to hit the streets, but also the first one with an optional all-wheel drive system, or at least that’s what an unnamed company insider told British car magazine, Autocar. The company official said the all-wheel drive model will be built around the upcoming V8-powered M5 sedan, but didn’t go into any further details on the technical specs. Read more »

Italdesign’s Sexy BMW Nazca M12 Concept Could be Yours for $1.1 million

One of the most memorable concept models from the decade that brought us grunge, the internet, Playstation and the Prius, is Italdesign’s series of BMW Nazca supercar studies. Designed by the great Giorgetto Giugiaro who was also responsible for BMW’s production M1 sports car, the Nazca M12 made its debut in 1991 and was followed in by a more hardcore version called the Nazca C2 in 1992 and an open-top Spider C2 model in 1993.

Now, one of the Nazca concepts has been put up for sale by a dealer located in the Czech Republic. The car seen here is based on the body of the 1991 Nazca M12 but features an Alpina-prepped 5.7-liter V12 engine (sourced from the 750i / 850i of the era) producing 379HP.

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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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