2003 Bmw Z4 2.5i Convertible 2-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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BMW Active Tourer to hit US showrooms in 2015

It's been over a year since BMW unveiled the Concept Active Tourer at the Paris Motor Show, and another four months since it brought the concept back in Outdoor guise (pictured above). Now word has it that the Bavarian automaker is putting it into production.
Although production specs and dimensions have yet to be revealed, the Concept Active Tourer came in a bit smaller than the existing BMW X1. The production version is expected to be based on the same platform that underpins the new Mini hatchback revealed last week in LA, meaning that it will be predominantly front-drive, but an all-wheel-drive version could follow.
There will also be a longer version with a third row of seats, forming part of a new generation of front-drive BMWs to take on the likes of the Audi A1 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class family, of which the GLA will be the Active Tourer's most direct rival. Expect the Active Tourer to arrive in 2015 with a new front-drive sedan to follow in 2017 aimed particularly at the North American and Chinese markets.

BMW Concept Roadster has two fewer wheels than we were expecting

The annual Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este on the shores of Lake Como is an opportunity for some of the most beautiful vehicles in the world to descend on one of the poshest places on earth each year. Unsurprisingly, the event is also increasingly the chance for automakers to debut exclusive concepts to some of the wealthiest auto enthusiasts in the world. In the last few years, BMW has become the masters of this annual unveiling with automotive concepts like the Gran Lusso Coupé, BMW Zagato Coupe and motorcycles like the the gorgeous Concept 90, not to mention the just-revealed Mini Superleggera Vision. But this year the Bavarian automaker has been somewhat tricky.
What would you first think when you heard of the BMW Concept Roadster? A lithe, two-seat convertible? Nope. This roadster is a cut-down, minimalist motorcycle with an ultra-modern design. As opposed to the retro looks of the Concept 90, this naked bike looks like it could fit in a BMW showroom tomorrow and not seem out of place.
The Concept Roadster packs the brand's classic two-cylinder boxer engine displacing 1,170 cubic centimeters and producing 123 horsepower and 92 pound-feet of torque. That power is routed to the rear wheel via a cardan drive, essentially a driveshaft, with a single-sided swing arm rear suspension. It's all nestled in a tubular spaceframe.

BMW planning smaller Z2 roadster

It's been a few years since we heard about the BMW Z2, a compact, two-seat convertible that would slot in below the aging Z4 (shown above). Now, though, the crew at Car and Driver are back with details on the oft-rumored roadster.
The big shock for enthusiasts on this one is C/D's report that the Z2 will spin its front wheels, rather than its rears. A front-drive roadster is strange enough, but a front-drive BMW roadster? It's apparently true, though, as the new model would share its platform with the front-drive Mini and 2 Series Active Tourer rather than with the racier 228i or M235i coupes.
According to C/D, the rumored Z2 could be powered by a range of three- and four-cylinder, turbocharged engines, although it's more likely to be a four-only affair. Power should range from 160 to 230 ponies, while an M variant could arrive with 300 horsepower (that's a whole lot of power for front-wheel drive...).