Coming soon to the BMW floor of the Tokyo Autoshow: The 1-series Tii concept. Could this be the long rumored M2? The spiritual successor of the 2002 tii? What lurks under the racing striped hood is anyone's guess, but a tuned version of the 135i's potent twin turbo straight 6 is certainly not off the table. These leaked photos show a lower stance and bigger brakes than any production BMW to date. Large, multi-spoke wheels and aggressive body work complete the look. Stay tuned for updates, BMW is expected to make an official reveal during the show.

BMW confirmed today at the Tokyo Autoshow that it plans to waste more engineering resources to compete with the Mercedes CLS. BMW bosses say they will go ahead with a new model based on the CS concept we reported back in April of this year. While no details have been announced we could see this new model at autoshows as early as 2009. Whether the new car will retain the Z8-mated-with-a-Dodge-Charger styling is yet to be seen, but BMW has a reputation for carrying key design elements from concept to production.

BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer is not happy. In a case which proves that nothing is immune to the sleight of hand of Chinese manufacturers and their ability and willingness to clone any product on earth, BMW has been forced to threaten legal action over a cheap knock-off version of their popular X5 SUV.

The Chinese-made SUV which ironically enough is called CEO is almost identical in appearance to BMW-- X5especially from the rear.


We have already taken steps against the marketing of the CEO (SUV) in Europe. Should this car be presented at the IAA, we will look into taking further legal steps, a BMW spokesman said.

BMW secured a legal warning against the distribution of the CEO in Italy. If the distributor goes ahead with the sale, BMW is expected to start formal legal proceedings.

These spy photos would sure suggest so. BMW currently offers the chunky X5 with 272hp 3.0L or a 355hp 4.8L, but with styling more aggressive than even the recently announced X5 4.8i M Sport these photos indicate that BMW might have its sights set on the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

The next step up in BMW's arsenal of engines would be the 760i sourced 6.0L V12 producing a Cayenne threatening 468 horses. However, with 6.0L V12 beginning to show its age, and the rumor mill running at full production, talks of a twin turbo V8 and perhaps even a twin turbo V12 have begun to surface in the BMW community.

This certainly wouldn't be the first ultra-high performance X5 to come out of BMW. In 2000 the company pranced out a one off 750hp experiment dubbed the X5 LeMans which, perhaps fortunately, was never available for sale.

Study after study has been performed on the effects of alcohol on an individual's ability to operate a motor vehicle. Myth Busters, however much you believe in their application of the scientific method, has shown significant impairment even under .08 BAC. But even given the wide spread use of marijuana (In the US nearly 50% of high school seniors have tried it, and in 2001 nearly 1/4 claimed to be current users) few studies have illustrated pot's effect on a vehicle operator. A UK study used simulators, but in this video Top Gear uses a real car, and a real stoned driver:

Brought to you by the good folks over at M3Post, the new e90 M3 almost entirely camo-free. As expected the sedan will get a coupe-like front end with the same aggressive fender flaring and bulging hood of the M3 coupe. Its hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks like the fenders house the same side gills under a bit of black tape.

This is the first time the BMW X6 off-road, coupe-like crossover has been seen and caught barely disguised! The first spy shots of the upcoming BMW X6, a crossover SUV, were taken late last year around BMW-- Munich headquarters, but now the camouflage has come off and the sloping coupe-like roof line previously revealed is in 100% clear view.
The roof line begins arching downward after the B-pillar and continues plunging right to the X6's rising waistline. As a result, second-row headroom and rear cargo volume are both severely compromised. The new X6 will be longer and lower than the new X5, but this crossover is expected to seat only four. But what the sporty X6 loses in seating, it will gain in performance. Expect it to arrive sometime during the 2008 calendar year.

BMW has unveiled its new CS Concept car at the Shanghai auto show today. Is this the early stages of what has been rumored to be the new 8-series? If the CS Concept is anything like the CS 1 concept (aka the 1-series drop top) from 2003, it will be several years before we see this design hit the streets.

They're calling it the Highend. Supposedly it plays MP3s, DVDs, and comes with a 65k color LCD. There's no GPS navigation, but there is Bluetooth and voice recognition. According to BMW's less-than-helpful flash animation, it can also recharge itself and make people with long hair open their mouths. It appears to be portable, and have questionable use as an in car device.

The flash preview depicts it as a morphing blob of do-it-all goo. Josh thinks they just don't want you to know what it looks like, but I'm really hoping its morphing goo.

Due out the middle of this month. See the teaser here: http://www.bmw.com/com/en/index_highend.html

Pictures after the jump.

BMW AG plans to sell diesel-powered vehicles here in 2008 to boost its fleet's fuel efficiency. The company would not reveal which nameplates would get a diesel or which of its diesel engines would be used.

In Europe, BMW offers diesel engines in the smallest of its cars - the 1-series 118 - up to its large 7-series sedan. The company said 63 percent of the vehicles it sells in Europe now are diesel-powered.

Andreas Klugescheid, a U.S. spokesman for the company, said BMW is keeping its product options open in case market conditions change in the next two years. Some industry observers predict the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will seek higher fuel economy requirements for cars and trucks. Last year NHTSA collected more than $12 million in fines from BMW for failing to meet U.S. fuel economy requirements.

BMW wouldn't say whether the 2008 introduction of diesels will extend to its Mini brand. European-sold Minis include a diesel option not available here.

BMW briefly offered a turbodiesel 524 sedan in the United States in the mid-1980s. Since then the industry's engine technology has improved in Europe, where the fuel is less expensive than gasoline. Current diesels are quieter and cleaner than previous versions.

BMW's Spartanburg, S.C., factory installs a diesel engine into X5s that are exported to Europe.

Klugescheid said the 2008 introduction will encompass all 50 states.