The new BMW X6. 2012.

Have a brief look at the new BMW X6 and watch the highlights of the Sports Activity Coupé: Selective modifications in design and innovative equipment features.
Since its market launch, more than 150,000 of the Sporty Activity Coupé were sold within approximately three years. This far exceeded the original plans and shows the impressive confirmation of the unusual vehicle concept.

Mini Traveller/Spacebox mule suggests van/MPV cometh

It looks like BMW is set to put the Mini back in minivan, with an enlarged version of its Countryman crossover.

Our spy photographers snagged these shots of the jumbo-sized Mini mule testing in Europe and wearing conventional Countryman bodywork. But if you look closely, you can see that the front wheels have moved forward a bit, suggesting the Mini people mover will have a longer wheelbase than the Countryman. It should also prove to be wider to accommodate three across in the backseat, which is probably why the mule has those extended fender flares.

Sources say the five-passenger Mini van will debut as a concept named "Spacebox," though the production version could pick up the vintage "Traveller" moniker. Expect to see something on the streets by 2014.

Apple adding a new button to your car, will activate Siri

See the full gallery on Posterous

Apple's 2012 Worldwide Developer's Conference keynote is winding down as you read this, and while many car enthusiasts could care less about the next version of iOS or the MacBook Pro's new Retina Display, they will probably care about one piece of news just delivered by Apple's VP of iOS Software, Scott Forstall: Apple is going to add a new button to your car.

Called Eyes Free, it's basically just a steering wheel-mounted button that will activate Siri on the iPhone or iPad (yes, they announced Siri is coming to the new iPad, too) you have with you in the car. Likely paired over Bluetooth, Eyes Free will let you talk to Siri through the car, giving you access to a wealth of information without using both your eyes and hands (except for that initial button press). And since this is Apple, automakers are apparently lining up to add Siri buttons to their steering wheels. Apple reports that BMW, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda are all signed up to start offering Eyes Free within the next 12 months.

We find it curious that GM has chosen to participate, considering that what Siri offers is not at all unlike what the automaker's subscription-based OnStar service provides. Conspicuously missing from the list of on-board automakers is Ford, whose Sync infotainment systems are all based on Microsoft-branded technology.

BMW Sailing Cup Final 2012.

The BMW Sailing Cup is one of the biggest international regatta series for amateurs worldwide. The International Final of the 2011/2012 BMW Sailing Cup took place in Istanbul, Turkey.

Happy 25th Birthday, BMW Z1 Roadster

These days we take it for granted that BMW sells two-seat roadsters, given that the Z4 is a mainstay in the company’s lineup. But in 1987, BMW showed off its first roadster since the 507 of the late 1950s. Up until then, there hadn’t been a two-place, open-top BMW for decades. The Z1 concept car eventually became a low-volume sports car that looks so cool, we couldn’t help but reminisce on its 25th birthday.

The BMW Z1 was a product of the BMW Technik GmbH, a think tank designed to dream up clever new vehicles and technologies. Although it was originally meant only as a vehicle study, the Z1 made its public debut in summer 1987 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The public soon fell in love with the car and BMW received scores of inquires as to whether the Z1 would go into production — including from a German car magazine, which offered a cool 150,000 Deutsche Marks to buy the concept car off the display stand.

BMW soon revealed that it would build up to six copies of the Z1 per day for paying customers, and by the time production started in late 1989, the company already had 4000 orders for the roadster. Through the end of production in June 1991, about 8000 examples of the BMW Z1 were built and sold. Twenty-five years later, BMW is proud to note that the roadsters haven’t all become museum pieces: one daily-driven example has apparently covered more than 205,000 miles.

The BMW Z1 was quite an innovative design in several ways. Its monocoque was made from sheetmetal that was doused in zinc to help increase structural rigidity, while the body was made from plastic. BMW used advanced plastic composites that proved exceptionally light and strong. The bumpers could deform and then return to their original shapes after impacts at up to 2.5 mph, while most body panels were strong enough to resist dents and dings without any visible damage. To demonstrate this fact, then-BMW Technik GmbH director Ulrich Bez jumped onto a fender placed on the floor — and impressed journalists when the panel popped back to its original shape, unharmed.

BMW even claims that one could have changed the color of a Z1 in less than an hour by using a screwdriver to replace the body panels. As seen in this photo, the body panels were simply bolted to the monocoque and could be easily removed. There were, incidentally, four colors with quirky names: Nature Green, Dream Black, Fun Yellow, and Top Red.

More striking still were the electric doors, which used two motors and a toothed belt to retract into the sides of the car. This way, owners could even drive with the doors “open.” No production car since has copied this design. The unique doors also had retractable windows, and a special freewheel feature so they could be opened and closed manually if there was a mechanical problem.

Under the hood was a 2.5-liter inline-six engine good for 170 hp. It was mated to a five-speed manual transmission that sent power to the rear wheels, giving a 0-to-60-mph of less than eight seconds and a top speed of 140 mph. Rather than speed, however, BMW claimed that the goal of the Z1 was pure driving enjoyment. Thanks to suspension cribbed from the 3 Series, the Z1 was said to offer “go-kart” handling. The roadster boasted near-perfect 49:51 weight balance, and a center of gravity that was four inches lower than in a 3 Series sedan.

In addition to being a truly stunning vehicle design, the BMW Z1 paved the way for the Z3 roadster to launch in 1996, which was replaced by the Z4 in 2002.