BMW 4 Series features plenty of changes for 2018 model year
The new coupé, convertible and gran coupé all receive a significant facelift.
The new coupé, convertible and gran coupé all receive a significant facelift.
The results are in: electric vehicle sales are up. Way up in fact — as of Q3 in 2016, EV sales in Canada rose by 60 per cent compared to the year previous.
Ontario led the way, followed by Quebec and then British Columbia. B.C.’s numbers (+13 per cent) were good, but nothing compared to the +126 per cent explosion during the same period in 2015 thanks to the reinstatement of Clean Energy Vehicle Program following a one-year hiatus.
Regardless, 2016 was clearly a banner year for EVs here. Before the mid-way mark, the country had already surpassed 20,000 registered plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles milestone. There were over 1,000 EVs sold in June alone.
Part of the reason for the electric interest is that there are simply more choices offered across nearly all segments, by a range of automobile manufacturers from Toyota to Porsche, than ever before. Additional entries are on the horizon as well, like the Honda Clarity that’s coming to North America for the first time.
BMW has been somewhat of a trailblazer in the EV space, with the development of the i3 hatchback and i8 sports car. In addition, the German marque now has the distinction of having the most plug-ins available in Canada with four, recently and somewhat quietly releasing two new models.
In the summer, the first BMW 330e was delivered: a green take on the iconic 3 Series. Utilizing the brand’s eDrive and EfficientDynamics technologies, the compact sedan pairs an 88-horsepower electric motor with a 184 hp four-cylinder engine sending a total of 252 hp to the rear wheels. Drivers can travel up to 40 kilometres on electric power alone, at speeds up to an impressive 120 km/h.
For all the crossover fans, the company also debuted the X5 xDrive40e, its debut plug-in Sports Activity Vehicle. The SAV has all-wheel drive, net 308 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, an eight-speed transmission and a fuel consumption rating of 4.2 Le/100 km.
This year’s Consumer Electronics Show featured automakers debuting artificial intelligence systems, a floating virtual touch display and more.
Over 30 of the latest market entries were scrutinized at this year’s event to determine the eventual Canadian Car of the Year award winners.
Automakers unveiled everything from a minivan on air suspension to a 1,000-plus horsepower SUV at this year’s SEMA Show.
Written by: Jack Kazmierski (Autosphere – August 8, 2016)
OpenRoad Auto Group launched Canada’s first BMW pop-up store at the Oakridge Centre in Vancouver.
OpenRoad’s BMW Pop-Up Shop is a temporary retail location designed to create brand awareness and to drive drive sales back to their BMW dealership. The Pop-Up Shop currently displays the all new BMW 7 Series and BMW X1, as well as a variety of BMW merchandise.
“We’ve already seen that by bringing our product to a venue where our customers are already shopping is proving to be a beneficial marketing strategy for our dealership,” said Dimitri Kotsalis, General Manager, The BMW Store. “We’re seeing great potential by positioning the brand in this non-traditional setting and the response so far has been very positive.”
To view the original article visit:
http://www.autosphere.ca/autojournal/2016/08/08/bmw-pops-up-b-c/
To celebrate the German automaker’s turbo heritage, this design study was created reinterpreting the 2002 for the modern age.
We’ve picked out five models that all have features to make canine transport more pleasant.
These three models will change the way you think about four-door sedans.
Can’t decide between a pure electric vehicle or a hybrid? Plug-in hybrids offer the best of both worlds.