Performance coupe with "four-wheel-drive" to lead resurrection of 8 Series line

Will kick off its resurrected 8 Series line with the performance model, the M850i, a coupe churning out a furious 530 horsepower from a “completely redeveloped” V8 making its debut in the car.

The engine will route that power – along with 554 lb-ft of torque, developed at a low 1,800 RPM – through an eight-speed automatic to all four wheels, after its handled out back by an active locking rear differential.

The rear-focused system being able to lock the diff should make for some pretty impressive straight-line launches and fantastic traction out of corners, but handling as a whole is an almost bigger focus for this new M. Flick the switch to Sport or Sport+ modes and the quiet cruiser tweaks the dampers and Dynamic Stability Control to become a track attacker.

bmw m850i 2 BMWs new M850i will boast a 530 horsepower V8
The 2019 BMW M850i xDrive.
Wheels and tires of staggered sizes front and rear are key to this handling prowess, BMW engineers note, with “higher camber values” offering “exceptionally high cornering speeds prior to the intervention of the electronics.”

The car is currently being put through final testing before it goes on sale later in 2018. 

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Volvo S90 Ambience Concept is All About the Experience

The S90 Ambience Concept is making its debut at the Beijing Auto Show this week. It is based on the three-seat S90 Excellence executive car and is designed to make the atmosphere of that S90 even more luxurious for the passengers being chauffeured around.

The car’s ceiling transforms based on which of seven themes are selected using the smartphone app. Choices include Northern Lights, Scandinavian Fores, Swan Lake, Archipelago, Rain, Nocturnal, and Freedom. A related image is projected on the ceiling for the car. For example, pick Northern Lights, and watch the aurora borealis dance across the headliner.

Each theme also plays synchronized audio through the Bowers and Wilkins audio system and uses one of four scents created for the car by Byredo. The scents are deployed from a port in the center console to further soothe or energize the passengers, depending on which mode is chosen.

The Ambience Concept was created for China and, unlike most concepts, Volvo is hoping to bring the car to production for that market. It will make its official debut at Auto China 2018 in Beijing this week.

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Mercedes planning S-Class-grade electric sedan for as early as 2020

Mercedes-Benz plans on launching an electric equivalent of its full-size S-Class sedan, an executive with the company revealed early April, due out some time between 2020 and 2022.

The German automaker is choosing not to adapt its current S-Class chassis to work with electric power, according to reports from Autocar, but will instead build an all-new electric sedan on top of a new modular chassis dubbed the MEA.

According to large-car boss Michael Kelz, the car itself will be called the “EQ S,” and it could arrive as soon as 2020. Kelz adds that 2022 is the longest we can expect to wait for a production version.

Mercedes chose to create a new platform for the electric sedan because the brand believes EVs should have short front and rear overhangs and long wheelbases, something more easily done in a vehicle that doesn’t have a bulky engine or driveshafts to contend with.

Kelz says the EQ S will be a range-topping product from Mercedes. “We will have an electric vehicle at the level of the S-Class, no doubt, but it will not be the S-Class,” Kelz said. Details have not been revealed, but a battery range of around 480 km or more is expected.


The EQ S will join the rest of Mercedes-Benz’s previously announced electric EQ lineup, including the EQ C electric SUV; and the EQ A electric hatchback. The former will be powered by a 70-kilowatt-hour battery pack and driven by two electric motors, delivering about 400 horsepower and at least 480 km of range.

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First Look: 2019 Chevrolet Camaro

As with the Spark, Cruze and Malibu, Chevrolet has given the Camaro bolder front- and rear-end styling, and put a marked differences between the various models for 2019.

The RS appearance package, for example, adds a polished black grille with chrome inserts, new headlamps with an LED signature light bar and a rear fascia with a built-in diffuser. Conversely, the blacked-out central bar running through the grille differentiates the SS model; it is the better take on the new face. Other upgrades include Chevrolet’s new Infotainment 3 system with available GPS navigation, plus an available forward collision alert system and a 10-speed automatic transmission for SS models. The changes are subtle, but noticeable.

Since introducing the sixth-generation Camaro in 2016, Chevy has focused on ramping up the performance side of the portfolio. In 2017, the first V6-powered Camaro with the track-oriented 1LE package landed along with the formidable ZL1. For the 2018 model year, the 1LE treatment was added to the ZL1. And now, 2019 sees the first Camaro 1LE powered by the 2.0L turbo-four.

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