BMW will bring four new models to the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show

Technology, performance, utility and efficiency are all present and accounted for.

The Los Angeles Auto Show doesn't start until November 18, but automakers are already giving the public some insight as to what to expect on the show floor. This week, BMW announced that four models will make their North American debuts in LA, with design focus ranging from performance to technology to fuel economy.

In addition to the four models below, the automaker will roll out several other models that have already been shown off in the United States, including the refreshed 2016 3 Series, the electric i3 and the plug-in hybrid supercar i8. The X5 xDrive40e plug-in hybrid will also make an appearance.

BMW 330e

The 'e' in 330e doesn't stand for electricity, but rather the Greek letter eta. BMW uses this designation for cars designed with fuel efficiency in mind, and it doesn't get much more efficient than a plug-in hybrid. Combining an electric motor and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the 330e puts out 248 horsepower and will reach 60 mph in 5.9 seconds -- not bad for a car that should achieve 373 miles on a single tank of gas. In all-electric mode, the Bimmer will cover approximately 25 miles at speeds up to 75 mph.

On-sale date: Spring 2016

BMW X1

For its second generation, BMW's littlest crossover morphs from a quasi-wagon to a miniature carbon copy of its larger stablemates. At launch, the X1's only power train option will be a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder mated to all-wheel drive -- output is a modest 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Changing the X1's shape allowed BMW to add a bunch of interior space for cargo, both human and inanimate.

On-sale date: October 24, 2015

BMW 7 Series

If technology is what you're after, the all-new 7 Series absolutely delivers. Its chassis utilizes carbon fiber, the infotainment system has gesture controls and the key fob has its own screen. In non-US markets, the car will also park itself without a driver inside. For more efficiency, active shutters in the front grilles cut down on air resistance. At launch, buyers will have a choice between six- and eight-cylinder engines.

On-Sale date: October 24, 2015

BMW M4 GTS

The M4 GTS is an even higher-performance variant of the already-beastly M4 coupe. Its turbocharged six-cylinder engine uses water injection to lower combustion temperatures, reducing strain on parts and boosting both efficiency and performance -- whereas the standard M4 has 425 horsepower, the M4 GTS packs 493 hp. Only 700 of these models will be sold worldwide, with 300 slated for US delivery.

On-sale date: Spring 2016

by Andrew Krok - CNET.com

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TheNew BMW 7-Series is the Most Tech-Filled Car Yet

On sale soon, the 7-Series can park itself without the driver being present.

Due on sale in late October, the new BMW 7-Series is one of the most technologically advanced cars to ever make the leap from concept dreams to reality.

This is a car that can park itself while the driver stands outside, and one that has a tablet for backseat passengers to control every aspect of the interior, including the lights, sounds, and even how it smells.

1. Automatic parking

BMWThe autonomous-parking feature means the 7-Series can be driven into a garage on its own.

Clearly the headline-grabber here, the new 7-Series can park itself when no one is in it. All you have to do is point the car roughly into the entrance of a space or garage, get out, then press the key fob and the car will do the rest.

Let go and it will stop, but with an array of cameras and sensors looking in every direction, the car should work things out for itself. Clearly, we are one step closer to the end game: autonomous cars collecting us from the pub.

2. Smart key

BMWThe smart key has a 2.2-inch touch screen and charges itself as you drive.

The key fob that controls the self-parking feature also has an LED display to show how much fuel the car has (and what the estimated range is), plus the status of door locks and windows.

It has a 2.2-inch touch screen with a resolution of 320 x 320 and lets you set the climate control or heaters to a certain temperature before you get in; it also shows notifications, such as when a service is due.

3. Inductive charger

The smart key's battery will last for months, but to stop it from ever running out, the 7-Series has an inductive charger to slot it into as you drive. The charger can also top-up any smartphones (or phone cases and covers) compatible with the Qi charging standard.

4. Samsung tablet between the back seats

BMWAn included Samsung tablet lets rear passengers control seats, lighting, music, and more.

Continuing the mobile theme, the 7-Series includes a 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 between the two rear passenger seats. This can be detached and used as a regular Android tablet (and connected to the car's built-in Wi-Fi network), but when fitted in the car it runs a bespoke BMW application.

Here, passengers can control the music, the cabin lighting, and the position of both rear seats and the front passenger seat, which can fold flat to act as a footrest.

​BMWRear seats get twin TV screens and a 7-inch Samsung tablet.

The tablet can also be used to control the seats' massage function and even how the cabin smells; two different perfumes can be installed when you buy the car and picked from depending on your mood. The tablet can play its own music through the car or stream video to two 10.3-inch screens on the back of the front seats.

5. Gesture controls for the 12.3-inch touch-screen display

BMWA 12.3-inch touch screen has multitouch and can recognize gestures made in front of it to accept calls and change volume.

But the toys are not only for backseat passengers; those up front also get to have some fun. New for the 2016 7-Series is a 3D sensor that reads hand gestures performed by the driver or front passenger. Rotate a pointed finger in front of the dashboard to turn the stereo volume up or down or prod two fingers toward the dashboard to reject an incoming call.

Several other gestures can be configured to do whatever you like with the car's infotainment system. BMW's iDrive system is here, as you would expect, and features a touch screen for the first time. There is also the familiar scroll dial and control buttons between the front seats.

6. Bowers & Wilkins stereo with speakers made from diamond

Such a huge car demands an equally large stereo, and few come larger than the 1,400-watt system created for the new 7-Series by the British sound company Bowers & Wilkins. It has no fewer than 16 speakers dotted around the cabin, each illuminated as part of the car's dynamic lighting package, which includes lights in the roof lining designed to resemble a starry night.

A £5,000 optional extra, the stereo's speakers include laboratory-grown diamonds in the tweeters to produce sounds beyond what humans can hear. Never seen in cars before, the three-diamond dome tweeters are joined by seven midrange drive units made from Kevlar, a material more commonly found in Formula One cars and bulletproof jackets. Completing the setup are a further four aluminium tweeters, two bass subwoofers, and a 1,400-watt, 10-channel amplifier.

7. Heads-up display with night vision

BMWA heads-up display shows speed and sat-nav instruction, and a night-vision camera shows pedestrians and large animals at roadside.

And finally ... the 7-Series' heads-up display is 75% larger than its predecessor, as used by the BMW i8, and uses a night-vision camera to warn the driver about pedestrians and large animals, which may be hidden at the sides of the road.

The display, which is projected on to the windshield and can be seen only by the driver, shows the car's speed, the limit for that road (which changes when a camera spots a different road sign), overtaking restrictions, and sat-nav instructions in full colour.

The new BMW 7-Series goes on sale this month. Prices in the US start from $81,300.

Alistair Charlston - IB Times UK

BMW Creates Special Edition M4 GTS

USA Today - BMW is creating a special high-performance edition of its M4 coupe aimed at pleasing both commuters and racers.

The 2016 BMW M4 GTS is aimed at giving thrills on the raceway as well as the street.

Its six-cylinder turbocharged 3-liter engine has a water injection system that boosts power to 493 horsepower. That's 16% more horsepower than in a conventional M4, which is already a higher-performance version of the 4-Series.

Only 700 will be made.

"We've taken a radical route with the set-up of the BMW M4 GTS to create a sports machine for the race track that delivers top-end dynamics and inspirational performance," says Frank van Meel, CEO of BMW in a statement. "It allows us to demonstrate what is possible today with a road-legal car."

Thee M4 GTS is capable of zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds. Top speed is limited to 189 mph.

The water injection system works by spraying a mist into the intake manifold, causing it to evaporate. That lowers the temperature of the intake air. The resulting lower engine combustion temperature reduces engine knock whilee allowing the engine to operate at higher boost pressure and with advanced spark timing, according to BMW.

Besides more power, the system is designed to enhance engine life and lower wear.

by Chris Woodyard

BMW Laserlight

BMW Laserlight is a highly efficient lighting technology with a high-beam range double that of headlights containing conventional technology.

The BMW i8 is also the world’s first series production vehicle in which BMW Laserlight technology is offered, a pioneering high-beam function that heralds a new era in the development of innovative BMW lighting technology.

In the laser headlight, the beams of light are bundled together to attain a luminous intensity that is ten times greater than conventional light sources such as halogen, xenon or LED. BMW Laserlight has a visual range of up to 600 metres, twice that of a headlight with conventional light technology.

BMW Laserlight surpasses energy efficiency compared with already highly effective LED light technology by a further 30 percent, thereby providing considerably greater light intensity and a marked reduction in electricity consumption.

The laser diodes are ten times smaller than conventional light diodes, enabling the height of the reflector to be reduced from 9 cm to less than 3 cm. This, in turn, creates more space in the headlight and also reduces weight, thereby creating new design possibilities for the vehicle.

BMW Laserlight takes the coherent and monochromatic blue laser beams and transforms them into harmless white light. This is done by using special lenses to direct the beams emitted by three high-performance laser diodes onto a fluorescent phosphorous substance inside the laser light source. This fluorescent substance converts the beams into a white light, still with a very high intensity, which the human eye finds particularly pleasant due to its close similarity to daylight. Following conversion of the laser beams, the harmless, dispersed light is projected forward by the headlight unit.

The laser headlight is also equipped with automatic headlight range control to keep the beam of light at a pre-set level, no matter whether the vehicle is driving uphill or downhill, whether it is fully laden or whether the driver is the sole occupant.

All these characteristics make BMW Laserlight the ideal high-beam light source for automobiles. It combines high light intensity with optimal energy efficiency and extra-small dimensions. The outstanding illumination range of the BMW Laserlight facilitates even better visibility and enhanced foresight when driving in the dark. The result is a relaxed and comfortable ride and increased safety on the road.

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BMW Insights - Technology