Hasta La Gadget!

Range anxiety? Clearly, the decisive issue of today’s automotive age. In an effort to avoid “pulling a Tesla” (or “pulling a Musk,” as it’s uttered in some circles), BMW is reportedly planning to offer petrol-powered loaners to i3 buyers who need to — you know — actually drive somewhere other than work. All snark aside, it’s clear that the 80 to 100 mile range on the 2014-bound i3 won’t mesh with longer road trips — at least not until the charging infrastructure advances by a few years — and that’s a problem that could sway potential buyers into siding with a more conventional automobile.

According to WardsAuto, however, BMW is piecing together a program that would allow i3 buyers to grab a gasoline-powered Bimmer when long hauls are necessary, and the loaner program will be bundled into the cost of the car. Of course, no one’s saying what kind of limits will be put in place here, but you can rest assured that the bigwigs in Munich won’t tolerate any abuse.

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Via: Autoblog

Source: WardsAuto

The BMW name typically brings to mind thoughts of M-series cars and luxury vehicles for most people. However, the BMW name has found its way into use for other products, particularly a line of computer accessories in partnership with Thermaltake. In the past we’ve seen a gaming mouse designed with help from the BMW Group Designworks.

The latest product to come from this design partnership between BMW and Thermaltake is the Level 10 M gaming headset. Like most of the products designed in cooperation with BMW, the headset has a lot of angles and only a few organic shapes and curves. While the ear cups are padded ovals, the actual frame they attach to is rectangular.

The headset is undeniably attractive and features a flip down microphone. There are two versions of the headset with one supporting a 3.5 mm audio connection alone. The other headset version supports DTS Surround Sound and will connect to a computer via USB only.

The USB version of the headset allows the user to plug the USB cable into either side of the headphones for comfort. The DTS version of the headset will sell for about $200. Presumably, the 3.5 mm version will be a bit cheaper but pricing on it is unknown.

[via EverythingUSB]

BMW and Thermaltake team up for Level 10 M headset is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

This BMW Z4 GTE looks fantastic. This is a purebred BMW racing car designed specifically to participate in the 2013 American Le Mans Series. BMW is replacing its venerable M3 GT with the new Z4 GTE for the racing series.

BMW relied on the M3 GT for four years with success. BMW says the new racecar is considerably more compact than the M3 GT. The dimensions of the Z4 GTE were modified to comply with ACO regulations for the racing series. The Z4 GTE differs from the similar looking Z4 GT3 in that regulations for GTE racing cars do not allow the use of ABS or DSC.

BMW says that the new racing car took to the track for its maiden voyage in the second half of January 2013. BMW Team RLL participated in the development of the vehicle. The car has been in the works since July of 2012 with BMW Motorsport engineers in Munich.

BMW isn’t offering any details on performance, but they certainly expect the vehicle to do well in the American Le Mans Series. The Z4 GTE will participate in endurance races at both Sebring and Road Atlanta according to BMW. Teams driving the new racecar will also have a new tire partner with Michelin providing the tires for BMW vehicles participating in ALMS.

[via BMW]

BMW replaces the M3 GT with the new Z4 GTE in the American Le Mans Series is written by Shane McGlaun & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

BMW and Toyota have finalized their partnership on sports cars, fuel-cell tech and more, signing a binging agreement that will also see the German and Japanese marques collaborate on new lithium-air batteries. The deal, which builds on the two car company’s previous “memorandum of understanding” back in June 2012, focuses on four key areas for the future, with green motoring and lightweight, fun performance cars both on the agenda before 2020.

On the green side, BMW and Toyota plan to continue their joint work on fuel cell systems. They will share their existing research, and then collaborate on a “fundamental fuel-cell vehicle system” – consisting of fuel-cell stack, system, hydrogen storage tank, battery, and motor(s) – as well as the infrastructure to fuel it, with a mind to producing a working, practical setup by 2020.

Beyond that, however, will come lithium-air batteries, jointly researched as the eventual replacement for lithium-ion power packs as used in most recent all-electric or hybrid cars. That will take a little longer than the fuel-cell technology, but the target is a battery with far greater energy density than current-gen technology, improving range and reducing bulk and weight.

Slimming cars is, indeed, another of BMW and Toyota’s goals, not to mention applicable both to performance models and to green vehicles. Reinforced composites, more traditionally used in racing cars, will play a greater role in mainstream models, it’s suggested, including the fourth strand of the two companies’ collaboration: a new sports car.

A joint platform for a mid-sized car will be created, with a goal to complete that by the end of this year. The system – which will presumably be used as the underlying basis for two differently designed, branded, and positioned vehicles – will combine the best of Toyota’s EV, fuel-cell, and hybrid technology as well as BMW’s strengths in driving experience and dynamics.

It’s unclear when production models based on the platform might appear, though both firms have been flirting with squeezing performance out of what would normally be considered green technology. Toyota revealed the sleek NS4 hybrid concept last year, as well as demonstrating the speeds that could be squeezed out of electric vehicles with its Le Mans car, while BMW’s i8 Spyder is resolutely a sports machine, despite running on electricity.

Meanwhile, there are indications that this won’t be the end of Toyota and BMW’s work together. Comments from Dr. Herbert Diess, a member of BMW’s board, at a press conference in Japan to announce the binding agreement suggested it is the first in “a shared vision” that is necessary to cater for all types of mobility requirement in the future.

BMW and Toyota official tech buddies: Sports cars, Li-Air batteries, more is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Last Fall BMW teased Winter Olympics fans with a concept sketch of the two-man bobsled it was designing for the U.S. Men’s Bobsled Team. But with the season officially starting this past Saturday, the design, which will hopefully help the two-man team win their first gold medal since 1936, was finally unveiled. More »