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Admit it, you’ve been desperately refreshing this page in the simple hope of learning more about BMW’s first all-electric vehicle. Originally announced with nary a visual clue to its appearance, the Megacity has now been fleshed out in the above futuristic sketch, which gives us an inkling of the car’s design direction. Don’t expect it to have too much bearing on the final product, though — we do anticipate the real deal to have, y’know, tyres. BMW is also putting together an all-new chassis specifically for this battery-powered city transporter, and has already begun crash-testing the carbon fiber-equipped shells. In spite of its compact dimensions, the Megacity is being described as a “premium sustainability” vehicle, meaning its 2013 launch will be relevant to a somewhat select group of people.

Continue reading BMW Megacity EV gets sketched out in more detail

BMW Megacity EV gets sketched out in more detail originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:42:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW lengthened the new midsize 5 Series, ported over virtually all the high-end options offered on the luxury 7 Series, and created what may be the world’s finest car, at least in the $50,000 (starting price) category. The new design erases some of the quirks of the 2004-2009 5 Series and now non-Bimmerphiles will have a hard time telling it from the longer 7 Series. Which is nice because an entry BMW 535i runs $20,000 less. The car is nearly flawless to drive and to ride in.

If there’s one thing business types love more than their BlackBerry, it’s their BMW — or so we’re told. It makes all sorts of sense, therefore, that the two companies would partner up to help the things they sell communicate with each other more effortlessly. Using Bluetooth MAP (Message Access Profile), BlackBerry devices can now beam emails and contacts over to BMW’s iDrive dash system, where the driver can listen to his messages via a text-to-speech option or make calls using the car’s speakerphone. The first supported handset is the newly minted Pearl 3G, and we’re told this functionality will come as an integrated part of BlackBerry 6. To see how it works on a 335is, click past the break for the video.

[Thanks, Horatiu]

Continue reading RIM converts BMW’s iDrive into ‘a remote control for your BlackBerry’ (video)

RIM converts BMW’s iDrive into ‘a remote control for your BlackBerry’ (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 03 May 2010 04:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW’s Mini brand is getting a little bigger soon, with the Countryman bringing a taller stance and some AWD to the party, but that won’t be the only exciting addition to the mix. The Countryman will be the first Mini to offer Mini Connected, an infotainment system of the likes of Sync or MyFord. This one naturally features iPhone/iPod integration and all that jazz, but most interesting is the so-called “web radio function” that will allow internet radio streams to be beamed right into the car. Stations must be selected from an “extensive” database, so it remains to be seen whether your favorite speed metal stream will be included, but more importantly Mini isn’t saying just how those bits and bytes will get to the car. Will a USB modem be required? Will Mini charge a monthly service fee? Maybe you’ll just need a really long Ethernet cable? We’ll find out when it gets a full unveiling at the Geneva Auto Show next month.

Mini Countryman to be first production car with internet streaming radio? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW‘s first all-electric regular series production vehicle, the Megacity EV, has now been set in stone and inserted into the company’s roadmap for a commercial launch in 2012 or 2013. The Bavarian automaker has gone official with word that it plans to use its Leipzig assembly plant to produce the car and further notes that it’ll feature a similar setup to the ActiveE concept (pictured above), which is set for field testing in 2011. Essentially a 1 series that feeds off the electric grid rather than the nearest diesel pump, the ActiveE runs off an array of lithium-ion batteries á la the well liked but recently troubled Tesla Roadster, and will serve as a test mule for refining the underlying technology. Generating up to 170bhp might not sound all that impressive, but it should be more than sufficient for the urban commuters these vehicles will be aimed at. Now we just need Mercedes and Audi to match that release schedule and the electric car should finally have its day in the mainstream sun.

BMW commits to Megacity EV by 2013, will start by testing ActiveE all-electric 1 series next year originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Feb 2010 09:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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