BMW Ready for L.A. Autoshow With Many New Models
The Los Angeles Auto Show saw the unveiling and world premiere of BMW's 4 Series Convertible, the North American debut of the X4 Concept vehicle, the North American debut of the production i8 and the public's first chance to see the all-electric i3 in person.
Being a world premiere, the 4 Series Convertible was the brand's biggest attraction at the show. This model will be the first convertible by BMW to offer the all-wheel drive system X-Drive, giving potential Canadian and Northern U.S. buyers the opportunity to fully enjoy top-down driving in the summer and the utility of four-wheel traction come winter.
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The car retains much of the look of the 4 Series coupe and adds an advanced 3-piece retractable hardtop with advanced noise absorbing material. BMW says the passengers will enjoy quietness in all weather conditions - "even in winter".
The convertible BMW 4 Series will be available in three versions: 428i, 435i and 420d; however the diesel engine will not be offered in North America. The 428i convertible is being offered at a starting price of $49,675 and $55,825 for the 435i model in the United States.
The Concept X4 was first unveiled in Frankfurt back in August of this year. BMW likes to refer to its SUVs as "Sports Activity Vehicles" or, in this case, a Sports Activity Coupe. The X4 is a compact coupe SUV and is to the X3 as the X6 is to the X5: a sleeker version in the shape of a coupe. Since this is only a concept, technical details are unavailable at this time.
The i3 is the first premium vehicle to be designed from the ground up to be all-electric. BMW invited journalists to road-test the vehicle ahead of the show and we'll have a full report on that in a few days. The i3 will be on sale in Canada in the first half of 2014. Its range will be between 130 and 160 km on a single charge but with a Rex range-extender that could double to 300 km. Its lithium-ion powerplant produces 170 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque.
The i8 is BMW's new hybrid supercar which makes use of electric power to drive the front wheels and gasoline power to drive the rear wheels. The i8 has a three-cylinder 1.5-litre turbo that generates 231 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque coupled with the electric motor boasting 131 hp. According to the manufacturer, it goes from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds. Its combined fuel consumption is 2.48 l/100 km. In all-electric mode, its autonomy is limited to 35 km.