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Finally BMW has succumbed to pressure from BMW M fans, having announced that the forthcoming M3 model will also include a Touring version

BMW gives the green-light to an M3 Touring!

With the world-premiere of the new M3 and M4 just a week or two away, BMW surprised us all when they announced that they are also to produce a Touring version of the new M3! For the first time in the history of the BMW M GmbH, the model range will be complemented by a BMW M3 Touring.

Five doors and a highly versatile luggage compartment are precisely what have been long awaited by fans of the M3. Speculation on the M forums has been rife with regards to engine and performance, but “wide axles, conspicuously large front air intakes and four exhaust tailpipes at the rear leave no doubt that the iconic M DNA will be fully perceptible despite the car’s new body design”…and they are BMW’s own words!

Development of this vehicle is still in its early stages with plenty of pounding around the Nurburgring to come, so the expected premiere will probably be late 2021 or spring 2022 – watch this space.

Redux M3 update

Redux body shop technicians take a mould of the E30 M3’s rear bumper

In preparation for production of the fully-electric BMW i4, BMW Group Plant Munich paused vehicle production for six weeks, with no cars produced between the end of the late shift on 23rd July and the start of the early shift on 7th September. The plant management will take advantage of the break in production to implement structural and remodelling measures before the fully-electric i4 goes into standard production next year. Once the remodelling is finished, the plant will be able to produce vehicles with diesel, petrol and hybrid drivetrains, as well as the fully-electric i4, all on the same line.

Integrating the i4 into the existing production system will be a major challenge. The high-voltage battery makes the BMW i4 body concept different to that of the vehicle models previously built at the plant. As well as installing new systems, existing production equipment will also have to be converted so the 3 Series Saloon and The production of the Redux pre-preg carbon fibre body panels continues to make good progress. The team has finished shaping the new front bumper, front wings, and rear quarters; the rear bumper, bonnet, and rear window surround are underway (see photo), with the side sills and boot lid next on their list. Once the shaping is complete, moulds will be created for each panel allowing

Electric future for BMW’s Munich Plant

the new parts to be manufactured. Touring – both with combustion engines and hybrid drivetrain, the new M3 and the fullyelectric BMW i4 can all be produced on the same line.

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BMW launches world-first eDrive Zone technology in the UK

Big brother is watching and tracking you with the introduction of BMW’s eDrive Zones

BMW is the first car manufacturer to use GPS geo-fencing technology in designated areas of London and Birmingham. BMW plug-in hybrid models will automatically switch to electric driving mode when they enter an eDrive Zone. The technology is included in every new 3, 5, and 7 Series and X5 plug-in hybrid models and is available as a free over-the-air software update for compatible plug-in hybrid models running BMW Operating System 7.

As cities increasingly place low emission zones at the forefront of their agendas, BMW is launching BMW eDrive zones in London and Birmingham. With electric ranges of up to 54 miles, BMW plug-in hybrid models are built with cities in mind, as they can complete most commuting trips on pureelectric power. BMW eDrive Zones automate the process of switching to electric-only power when a BMW plug-in hybrid vehicle enters a defined area of these cities. The service also automatically ensures that the electric power is conserved for use during the part of the journey within the low emission zone, if the journey destination is entered into the vehicle’s navigation system.

BMW’s eDrive Zones cover the same geographic area as the TFL Congestion Charge/ULEZ zone in London, whilst in Birmingham the service covers the city’s planned Clean Air Zone. The eDrive Zones went live in August.

BMW launches new 545e xDrive saloon

BMW have launched a new top-of-therange plug-in hybrid for the new LCI 5 Series – the 545e xDrive, powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight six petrol engine giving 286bhp, combined with a synchronous electric motor delivering a maximum power output of 109bhp. Together they generate an overall output of 394bhp and 600Nm of torque. That is good enough to allow the 545e xDrive to sprint to 60mph from rest in a brisk 4.5 seconds whilst the top speed is limited to 155mph. Power is distributed as required to all four wheels via an 8-speed Steptronic transmission and intelligent xDrive fourwheel drive. A speed of 87mph is also possible in purely electric operation.

The latest plug-in hybrid model of the 5 Series range is fitted with a 400V lithium-ion battery which is positioned under the rear seat in order to save

space. The boot can hold 410-litres of luggage, meaning boot space in the 545e xDrive is only slightly less than those models fitted with conventional petrol/diesel engines.

Hybrid mode is the default setting, although it is also possible to select Electric mode as the standard setting via the iDrive menu. In Sport mode, the electric motor supports the petrol engine, giving 394bhp. The set-up is designed for dynamic performance, and the gearshift program is ‘sporty’. The Electric mode, on the other hand, enables local emission-free driving of up to 35 miles at speeds up to 87mph.

The 545e xDrive is joined by two more hybrid 5 Series Touring models in November, a 530e and 530e xDrive, bringing the total plug-in hybrid 5 Series models to five (530e and 530e xDrive saloons were launched in July). The 545e xDrive is available to order now, and more details can be found on the BMW UK website and via your local BMW dealer - there was no OTR prices available for the 545e xDrive as we went to press.

BMW Group aims for 7 million Electric or plug-in Hybrid models by 2030

Currently, BMW and MINI brands featuring all-electric and plug-in hybrid drive systems already account for approximately 13.3% of all new Group registrations Europe-wide, and BMW expects this figure to rise to 25% in 2021, to 33% by 2025 and to 50% by 2030, when it aims to have put 7 million BMW Group electrified or plugin Hybrid vehicles on the road globally. As a result of the massive expansion of electric mobility, emissions produced by BMW Group vehicles per kilometre driven will be reduced by around 40% by the year 2030.