The German automaker calls its i3 and i8 Concepts the cars of the future and will offer a sneak preview in New York on Nov. 9.

Both cars feature carbon fiber bodies. The i8 is the successor to the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept and features flip-up doors, while the i3 is the concept previously known as the “megacity vehicle” and has rear doors that open toward the back.

The official debut for both will be at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Nov. 16 and 17 and will include a presentation on the BMW i brand.

BMW says it created the i brand to meet future mobility needs in the world’s most densely populated urban centers.

On October 16, at the close of the initial BMW Guggenheim Lab in New York City, Richard Armstrong, Director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Foundation, and Frank-Peter Arndt, Member of the Board of Management, BMW AG, announced that the Lab received 54,000 visitors from 60 countries during its 2 ½ month run from August 3 to October 16, 2011, and that 329,000 users from more than 150 countries have visited the bmwguggenheimlab.org website.

The BMW Guggenheim Lab New York was located at First Park, Houston Street at 2nd Avenue. The site was housed in an innovative mobile structure designed by Tokyo-based architects Atelier Bow-Wow. Over 53 days, the Guggenheim Lab – a combination think tank, public forum, and community center – offered talks, workshops, screenings, special events, tours, and fieldwork sessions. The events were developed by the New York Lab Team along with Guggenheim curators to explore urban issues and strategies relating to the theme of Confronting Comfort.

“We never could have imagined the enormous level of interest and enthusiastic exchange of ideas that the BMW Guggenheim Lab and its programming generated in New York City, both on the ground and online. Even with an earthquake, a hurricane and 29 inches of rain, the Lab sparked countless conversations around the world, and even inspired a marriage proposal,” said Richard Armstrong. “We could not have achieved this success without the foresight, support and trust of the East Village community, the City of New York, and our fantastic collaborator BMW.”

The BMW Guggenheim Lab received 45,000 Facebook likes and over 40,000 YouTube views. The Lab’s interactive online game, Urbanology, has been played more than 26,000 times, and nearly 3,000 people submitted ideas for the BMW Guggenheim Lab’s interactive logo.

“We are delighted with the tremendous response and enthusiasm that the BMW Guggenheim Lab has generated in New York,” said Frank-Peter Arndt, Member of the Board of Management, BMW AG. “This has been a perfect start to the mobile laboratory’s six-year journey to nine mega cities around the world.”

During its six-year run, which will conclude in late 2016, the BMW Guggenheim Lab will travel to nine cities, each with its own theme and architecture, with the goal of helping raise awareness of important urban challenges and yield sustainable benefits for cities around the world. Berlin will host the Lab in late spring 2012, followed by Mumbai in late 2012.

BMW will continue to keep the pressure on its rivals this year, thanks to an announcement that the automaker will launch a new high-performance, high-efficiency turbocharged I4 engine for use in its U.S. lineup. The new mill leverages BMW’s latest powertrain technologies to deliver both more power than the automaker’s normally aspirated I6 engine, but without sacrificing fuel economy.

Just as importantly, that extra power is more usable, too, since it’s available at much lower revs than with the I6. The I4’s 240 hp maximum is reached at 5,000 rpm—1,500 fewer than in the six-cylinder engine—and the 260 lb.-ft. of peak torque comes on at just 1,250 rpm—also 1,500 fewer than in the bigger engine.

Keys to this kind of performance include three notable BMW advances. First, the I4 boasts BMW’s High Precision Injection direct-injection system, capable of injecting fuel at up to 2,900 psi. In addition, because the system is configured so that the fuel is injected in very close proximity to the spark plug, combustion is cleaner and more homogenous.

Drivers also will benefit from the automaker’s patented VALVETRONIC variable-intake valve-lift control system. With VALVETRONIC, the typical throttle-valve system used in conventional engines is eliminated and the combustion air mass is controlled inside the engine itself. The results: A faster response, fewer pumping losses and increased efficiency.

The engine features twin-scroll turbocharging as well, making for a further advantage. With this system, exhaust gases from the engine’s cylinders travel along two separate, spiral paths as they flow through the exhaust manifold and turbocharger. This keeps exhaust back-pressure low at low engine rpm, helps optimally manage exhaust-gas energy and eliminates throttle-response delays.

BMW will release information about which vehicles will get this powerplant in the near future, but has confirmed it will come to the U.S. later in 2011.

Bimmer fans rejoice! BMW has announced that the the Vision Efficient Dynamics (VED) concept will indeed make its way into production. The concept, which was first seen more than a year ago at the Frankfurt Motor Show, has received such a tremendous response that it will arrive for sale within the next few years.

Expected to carry a price tag of around $200K, the road-ready Vision Efficient Dynamics is expected to feature wing doors and a 2+2 seating arrangement. Powering this unique supercar will be a three-cylinder turbo diesel engine “with a hybrid synchronous motor at the front axle and a full-hybrid engine at the rear axle.” With 328 horsepower, this powertrain will propel the VED from 0-62 mph in just 4.8 seconds. What’s even more impressive than its performance figures is that the VED still delivers a Toyota Prius-beating 62.5 miles per gallon U.S.

The production VED model will also feature plug-in capabilities to recharge its lithium-polymer battery. It will be able to be charged via a conventional power socket within just two and half hours. The use of electrical energy alone permits zero-emissions motoring with a range of some 31 miles, while a 24-liter diesel tank extends the total action radius of the vehicle to up to 434 miles.

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Here in the U.S., the Ford Crown Victoria, Dodge Charger or the Chevrolet Impala, are familiar fixtures of law enforcement departments. However, police departments in other countries often feature more glamorous brands and models to chase down the criminals.

In the UK, 52 police forces around the country will take delivery of new the new 2011 BMW 3-Series and 2011 BMW 5-Series.

“This is excellent news for BMW and shows the breadth of appeal of the products we sell,” said Tim Abbott, Managing Director of BMW UK. “We have a very strong commitment to the ‘Authorities market’ throughout the world and have a very close relationship with the UK’s Police forces. Orders for BMW Police vehicles started as long ago as the mid 1970’s in the UK. This latest news reaffirms our commitment to 21st Century policing.”

Billed as a High Performance Pursuit Vehicle, the modified BMW 5 Series is capable of a rapid response role while also fulfilling the environmental and running cost demands that all police forces have to consider. Full technical details of the car have not been specified for security reasons.

Many of the vehicles will be equipped with Emergency Warning equipment. However, some will be unmarked and perform less visible policing roles.

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BMW is celebrating the 25 anniversary of its all-wheel drive expertise. According to BMW, one in four of their vehicles are sold with xDrive all-wheel drive and its system is gaining even more traction. xDrive is now available on 45 BMW models.

The first BMW to feature all-wheel drive debuted in 1985, and donned an ‘X’ on its trunk to signify its road-gripping capabilities. Over the years, the automaker has given all of its all-wheel drive vehicles the same rear-wheel bias as the rest of its products to enhance performance.

The latest model to receive BMW’s xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive is the new sixth generation 5 Series. The system will be available initially on the BMW 550i xDrive powered by a 407 horsepower eight-cylinder engine, with two six-cylinder models and the first xDrive variants of the new BMW 5 Series Touring following in due course.

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Chris Bangle has been both loved and hated by BMW aficionados. His design guidance not only transformed BMW’s lineup, but his often radical design changes have even been adopted by other automakers.

In this brief video clip, the designer discusses his time with General Motors and his experience at BMW after arriving there at the age of 35. Bangle even discusses what he has inside his own personal garage.

According to the Inframe.tv, the company behind the documentary:

American car designer Chris Bangle is best known for his work as the Chief of Design at the BMW Group. At the age of thirty-five, Bangle took the helm of design at BMW and stayed there for seventeen years becoming their longest serving director. During his sometimes controversial career at BMW, Bangle undeniably established himself as one of the most influential and important car designers of his generation, while BMW simultaneously passed Mercedes Benz to take the title of global leader in premium car sales. Well-known for standing by his designs and vehemently defending them against criticism, Bangle retired from BMW in late 2009, after introducing his stunning concept car GINA. In 2010, Bangle brought his extensive knowledge and unique insight of design to Melbourne, where he featured in Victoria’s annual design festival State of Design. InFrame.tv caught up with Chris on his road trip to Bendigo, where he was giving one of his lectures on the Future of Personal Mobility.

Watch the video clip below.

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The availability of an awesome sound system is a prerequisite for any car in the premium segment. Even the Hyundai Genesis offers an available system from Lexicon, similar to the sound system offered by Rolls Royce.

According to Canonsburg Mercedes, one of the rising stars in the automotive audio market is Bang & Olufsen. Perhaps better known for their home sound systems, Bang & Olufsen hardware is creeping its way into vehicles from numerous premium brands, including Aston Martin, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. The latest automaker to partner with this company is BMW.

“We are very enthusiastic about this co-operation. BMW and Bang & Olufsen share values that focus on design and performance; values that have given both brands a unique position in the market within their respective areas,” said President & CEO Karl Kristian Hvidt Nielsen of Bang & Olufsen

This new system has been fitted to the BMW 6 Series Coupe Concept, which is slated to debut at the Pairs Motor Show next month. It’s comprised of no fewer than sixteen BeoLab 5 speakers, including a pair of sub-woofers, seven mid-range speakers and seven tweeters, as well as Bang’s proprietary Acoustic Lens Technology. Sure this is just a concept vehicle, but we expect the availability of Bang & Olufsen hardware on production BMWs in the future.

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When drivers discuss the incredible BMW M cars, it usually involves factors like top speed, 0-60 times and lateral g’s. But when you talk about the performance of the 2011 Frozen Gray M3 Coupe, you’ve got to start with this: All 30 units from its very limited-edition run sold out in under 12 minutes.

“We leapt at the chance to bring this truly special vehicle to the United States,” said Larry Koch, M brand manager for BMW of North America. “The Frozen Gray M3 is a striking work of sculpture, speed, and style, and perfectly marks the 25th birthday of the M3 model. I’m personally thrilled to see that our customers are as excited about it as we are. We filled the 30 reservation slots within twelve minutes and took the names of at least 50 alternates in the first hour. The 2011 Frozen Gray M3 Coupe will be one of the most unique BMW vehicles ever imported to the U.S.”

This much is obvious from the first time you lay eyes on the Frozen Gray M3 Coupe, which wears a distinctive matte gray finish that emphasizes its sculpted, aggressive sheet metal. BMW used a special silk matte clear coat, sprayed over a Space Gray Metallic base, to achieve the look.

Less obvious—at least until you’re left watching the car’s tail lights as it blows by you—is the fact that the Frozen Gray edition also boasts the same standout powerplant found in all M3 Coupes. That 4.0-liter V8 churns out a robust 414 hp and doesn’t hit the redline until it’s spinning at 8,400 rpm, and then gets mated to BMW’s M Double Clutch Transmission, an advanced seven-speed unit that helps lower the Frozen Gray’s 0-60 time to just 4.5 seconds. Additionally, the limited-run M3 gets kitted out with the BMW Competition Package for a lowered ride height, electronic damping control and high-performances settings for its electronic driving-dynamics systems.

With the addition of numerous standard comfort, convenience and luxury features, it’s also clear that the Frozen Gray M3 Coupe will remain one of the hottest BMWs ever to hit American shores.

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BMW is known for producing the “Ultimate Driving Machines,” but the German brand has a long history that has included the manufacturing of motorcycles as well as aircraft engines. What few consumers may realize is that the BMW logo is actually a symbol of the movement of an aircraft propeller, an image that dates back to the early 1900s.

Although most will say that BMW’s logo was inspired by white propeller blades cutting through blue sky, some will say that the blue and white actually stems from the official colors of the German region of Bavaria, where the company is located.

While some confusion and disputes over how BMW’s iconic logo still linger, the history of the company’s logo can be watched below.

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