BMW Spy Shots Cars

When BMW launched the Vision iNext concept at the 2018 Los Angeles Motor Show, it took the world by surprise. It was supposed to be the next big thing to come out of the company’s stable, but all people could talk about was that gaudy grille that eclipsed everything else.

The crossover with the Bavarian DNA is designed to combine advanced autonomous systems, connectivity, and electrification blended into one recipe that is touted to be the company’s flagship electric product. The model sits on a new platform and will provide the building blocks for the automaker moving forward. Is this a preview of what we can expect from BMW 10 years down the line?

The BMW 5 Series is in line for a mid-cycle refresh and it won’t be long before it comes to full effect. What’s more, the revamp will also affect the M5 performance sedan, as our spy photographers have spotted a heavy-camo’ed facelifted BMW M5 mule out on the open road.

BMW is tight-lipped about the revised M5 (as it is about the 5 Series as a whole) but the test prototype displays a couple of interesting changes that touch on the front and rear light clusters and bumpers. There’s no word on power upgrades yet, but let’s take a better look at what the revamped M5 might have in store for us.

Update 2/21/20200: The 2021 BMW M5 was just spotted doing some cold-weather testing and it’s starting to come together nicely. Check out the new spy shots and what we’ve learned in our “Spy Shots” section below!

Mere days after we saw a prototype version of the all-new BMW M4 prancing around in test mule form comes its hardtop sibling, which, not surprisingly, is also decked in full camo regalia. To be fair, this isn’t the first time that the BMW M4 Coupe was spotted in the wild.

Back in December, we caught a glimpse of the sports coupé being unloaded from a car transporter. That sighting didn’t amount to much, but this fresh batch of spy photos shows the M4 Coupe — still wrapped in heavy camouflage — in its more natural state, engaged in test runs in and around the streets of Germany.

Just like its roofless sibling, the all-new BMW M4 Coupe is set to debut sometime this summer ahead of its market launch at the end of the year. But before any of that happens, BMW will continue doing test runs of the M4, hopefully with fewer camo wraps in the succeeding sessions.

The 2021 BMW M4 Convertible is the upcoming, next-generation version of the company’s beefed-up compact drop-top. Set to be unveiled alongside the Coupe, the 2021 M4 Convertible will share almost all exterior features with the hard-top model, save for changes necessary to accommodate a folding roof.

Likely based on the BMW Concept 4, the 2021 M4 Convertible will probably feature the massive front grille seen on the show car. Like most recent M-badged models, the 2021 M4 Convertible will most likely arrive with two engine options, with the more powerful version called M4 Competition. Let’s find out more about the upcoming convertible in the speculative review below.

The BMW 3 Series is arguably Bimmer’s most popular model, and it’s about to go electric. The all-electric 3 Series is one of the 25 electric and electrified models that BMW has in the pipeline, and while most of those models will probably end up being electric crossovers and SUVs, the 3 Series EV is arguably the most intriguing, in part because it’s shaped as a sedan and has big shoes to fill.

Recent spy shots of a heavily camouflaged 3 Series sporting “Electric Test Vehicle” stickers recently made their way into the Interwebs, providing us with all we need to know that the car under all the swirly bits is nothing else but the electric 3 Series. There’s no set timetable on when the electric 3 Series will hit the market, but with testing ongoing, it wouldn’t be surprising to see BMW debut the model this year ahead of a possible launch in 2021.

Remember the excessively polarizing BMW Concept 4 shown at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show? Well, some of its distinctive styling cues are bound to be trickled down to the upcoming BMW 4 Series Coupé and we’ve already seen pics that suggest the oversized kidney grille is one such element.

Although we’ll have to wait a while to see the new 4 Series take a bow, our spy photographers caught a heavily camouflaged test mule and managed to sneak inside for a couple of interior shots. Read all about it and more in the in-depth review below.

The turn of the year marked the official demise of the BMW 6 Series in the U.S. But while it will no longer be offered in the U.S. market, the 6er will live on on the other side of the Atlantic. Proof of that comes in the form of new spy photos our eagle-eyed photographers culled of the soon-to-release, mid-cycle 6 Series Gran Turismo. Prototypes of the updated 6 Series GT have been spotted sporting barely enough camouflage to cover its entire body. A few physical changes are expected to come for the facelifted model, including some design cues that we’ve already seen in other new Bimmer models. The updated BMW 6 Series GT is scheduled to hit the market in the middle of 2020 as a 2021 model. It stands as the last 6 Series model in the market.

BMW is set to launch an all-new 4-Series two-door sometime in 2019 or 2020, and while the G23 coupe version will not feature any dramatic changes over the current model, the G22 droptop will. Spy shots indicate that for the first time in two generations (E93 and F33), BMW is giving up on the folding hardtop design in favor of the more traditional soft top option which it last used on the E46 model discontinued in 2006.

Heavy camouflage covers the prototype spotted, but this important change is quite evident as the canvas top is left completely bare (quite obviously on purpose). It might be an illusion caused by the camo, but it also appears this new 4-Series has a longer hood and rear decklid compared to its predecessor.

Update 12/30/2019: The BMW 4 Series Convertible was caught on the back of a transport on the way to some final testing before its big debut. Check out the latest pictures in our “Spy Shots” section below.

The BMW X2 is barely two years old as a model and it’s already headed down the path of electrification. A prototype version of Bimmer’s relatively new compact crossover has been spotted in the snowy abode of Sweden, and while it’s easy to assume that said model is the plug-in hybrid variant of the X2, the truth is that it’s not.

This crossover is the test mule of the iX2, the all-electric version of the X2 crossover that will be launched sometime in 2021 or 2022. The spy photos captured the iX2 prototype sans any camouflage and that’s not by accident. Visually, it’s still the X2 but that little sticker that says “electric test vehicle” confirms that, other than a few design changes, this prototype is an all-electric crossover hiding in the X2’s clothing.

The BMW M3 has been around for a while now, first entering production in 1985 as a high-powered go-faster variant of the ever-popular BMW 3 Series. The latest F80 generation dropped in 2014, essentially setting the benchmark for all other fast four-doors to match, and now, there’s a new generation in the making. Dubbed internally as the G80, the next M3 is shaping up to be quite the ultimate driving machine, so we gathered up all the rumors we could find and put ‘em right here in the following speculative review.

Update 11/14/2019: The BMW M3 was caught out on a fall drive with new headlights and a revised decklid.

Whether you like or dislike the idea that the BMW M8 is basically a supercar within the BMW lineup, the Munich-based company is currently testing the large coupe with a massive rear wing. BMW already has a long history of large, fast coupes prepped for track action. Just remember all the M6 GT3 cars in the Blancpain and British GT series. In fact, the BMW M8 first debuted as an endurance racer called the M8 GTE. Now, a production model that hauls a big wing can mean a multitude of things - an additional M Performance model, an early prototype of the BMW M8 GTS, or the BMW M8 CS. Or just a prototype created for the development of the next-gen aero for the whole fleet of dangerously quick M cars.

Far away from the spotlights and the glamour of the Frankfurt Car Show we spotted this BMW M8 testing today. So, what’s so strange about a M8 that’s already official you might ask? A wing!

We noticed that this M8 prototype has a big wing in the back, a wing that’s never been seen before on the 8 Series and of course that wing makes us wonder what this could be. A special aerodynamic package? A Clubsport model? Well, for now we don’t really know what BMW is up to with this M8 but we are investigating more and hopefully we will find out. Until then just enjoy the photos.

If you want a bit more practicality than the new 2020 BMW 3-Series sedan can offer, then the logical step is the even newer 2020 3-Series Touring. As with previous incarnations of the model, it promises the same sporty drive as the three-box sedan, but with a bit more family friendly practicality and a bigger trunk to fit more stuff into.

The all-new G21 3-Series Touring looks noticeably more imposing than the car it replaces. This is a byproduct of its even longer nose and A-pillars that have been pushed further back. Its front and rear fascias are considerably more modern than those of the F31 which in turn weren’t hugely different to the E90 model before that; in other words, the visual difference between the F31 and the new G21 is far bigger than the one noted from E91 to F31.

The same can be said of the new G21’s interior compared to that of the F31 (whose interior had really started to look dated over the past few years). It is not only more modern and packed with fresh features, but perceived quality has been improved too - overall, it’s a much nicer place to sit and since this is a review of the wagon variant of the new 3-Series, you’ll be happy to note that practicality has been enhanced too.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2020 BMW 3 Series Touring.

BMW could be testing a hardcore CS version of the hot M5 sedan, and we have the spy photos to prove it. The white prototype caught testing on the Nurburgring Nordschleife is believed to be it since we can spot several things it has over a regular M5.

It is probably based on the enhanced M5 Competition that’s already on sale but is believed to be even more extreme than that. We think this is the CS because its modifications resembled those BMW made for the M3 and M4 CS.

It could even offer a small power hike over the M5 Competition, on top of the other performance enhancing modifications.

Introduced for the 2018 model year, the BMW X2 is the Bavaria’s answer to the Audi Q2, launched in 2016. The small crossover slots between the X1 and X3 in the lineup, but it’s essentially a sportier version of the former. BMW offers the X2 in both the U.S. and Europe with a range of gasoline and diesel engines.

The small SUV first hit the streets in October 2015 and resurfaced again in January 2016, heavily camouflaged on both occasions. Later on, a concept car was showcased at the 2016 Paris Motor Show, making the company’s intentions about expanding the X lineup clear as daylight. Come 2017 and the X2 broke cover as the company’s sixth crossover. Essentially a sleeker, coupe-like version of the X1, the X2 competes against the likes of the Audi Q2, which was launched in 2016. It also completes BMW’s lineup of so-called coupe-style crossovers, which already includes the X6 and the X4.

The new compact SUV shares underpinnings with the second-generation X1, which rides on the same UKL platform found in the Mini Cooper and the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer. As a result, the X2 is front-wheel driven in the absence of xDrive AWD and also borrows the X1’s powertrains, meaning it will cross the pond to the U.S. in similar configurations. Launched in Europe in November 2017, the X2 made its North American debut at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show.

Continue reading to learn more about the BMW X2.

Do you like the idea of combining a sports sedan, an SUV, and a wagon? If so, then you’ll be happy to know that we’re finally getting details of BMW’s latest model: the 6 Series Gran Turismo. Set to go on sale in November of 2017, the 6 Series GT is initially available in three different variants, each of which gets their own engine. Power output ranges from 258 horsepower and 295 pound-feet up to 340 horsepower and 332 pound-feet. But wait, there’s a ringer here too, as the 6 Series GT will be available at lunch with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel that’s good for 265 horsepower and a staggering 457 pound-feet of torque. Rear-wheel drive is standard across the board, but all-wheel drive will be available on select trim levels if you’re willing to pony up some extra dough.

But, before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s just put it all on the table and point out that the 5 Series GT, the model this 6 Series replaces, performed horribly on the sales front, serving as one of the brand’s least popular models. So, BMW’s answer was to make it bigger and more luxurious and to pit it against models like the Mercedes-Benz CLS and Audi A7. So, will a bigger Gran Turismo sell better than the 5 Series GT it replaces, or should BMW give up on trying to make the Gran Turismo a thing? Let’s take a look at what we know so far and talk more about it.

It’s been three years since BMW started rolling the 2 Series into dealer showrooms, effectively removing the coupe and cabrio body styles from the 1 Series lineup and giving those compacts a new name. Just recently we saw shots of a “facelifted” 2 Series coupe prototype heading out for some testing, and now we’re looking at the convertible version which, coincidentally, is wearing the same little bit of camo. As such, this so-called facelift isn’t bringing much in terms of change, but the car should get a new, smaller grille layout, slightly revised headlights, new graphics for the taillights out back, and maybe even a few changes inside as our photographers have reported that there was some covering over the dashboard. Word has it the engines that motivate the little cabrio that could even get an update, but you’ll want to take that with a grain of salt for now.

The updated 2 Series is expected to be revealed in late 2017 and go on sale for 2018 so there’s still a little while to wait before we get to see the few changes that come with the new model year. But, let’s take a closer look and see what’s going on with this prototype. There might be something interesting lurking in the finer details.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2018 BMW 2 Series Convertible.

Rumors about BMW reviving the 8 Series have been floating around for many years and the Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe concept that the German firm unveiled in 2013 poured even more gasoline on the fire. However, BMW has extremely quiet on the matter and it seemed that the 8 Series wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. This changed today, when a rather unusual test car was caught stretching its wheels on the Nurburgring track.

And I say "unusual" because it’s larger than the 6 Series and seems to borrow some features from the Pininfarina Gran Lusso Coupe concept. What’s more, there are hints of M-designed elements, which means we could be looking at the highly anticipated M8.

The coupe feels pretty impressive on the ’Ring. Although it has a low stance, the car is quite massive and leans heavily while cornering. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s as heavy as a regular full-size car, but it’s not exactly an M4 either. The styling is obviously of the 6 Series variety. There’s a long hood, a heavily raked roof toward the rear, and a long decklid. However, the overall shape is notably different than a standard 6 Series and the body is significantly longer.

Although wrapped in camouflaged almost entirely, the headlamps are obviously slim, while the kidney-grille is massive, occupying more than half of the car’s width. Both the front end configuration and the profile seem based on the Pininfarina Grand Lusso concept. Below the grille, there are massive vents that may have been designed by the M division. The same goes for the rear bumper, which has large trapezoidal exhaust pipes at each corner. Another hint that this is an M car are the blue M calipers and the larger brake rotors.

Continue reading for the full story.

The BMW 6 Series is currently in its third-generation and went through a minor update for the 2015 model year. Just recently our photographers caught the next-gen 6 Series Coupe doing some real world testing, and just weeks later, we finally got our hands on shots of the next-gen 6 Series Convertible. The exterior of the next-gen model will change a little to freshen things up, but the real news is what’s happening below the skin. The new 6 Series is expected to shed a few pounds in the chassis department, get some new technology on the inside, and get a healthy selection of powerplants that will produce enough power to keep competing models like the Mercedes E-Class Cabriolet and the Audi S5 Cabriolet at bay.

But, the 6 Series has one major problem, and that’s its starting price point. While similar offerings from the likes of Mercedes and Audi start out in the $60,000 range, the 6 Series starts out closer to $90,000. That’s a hard sell in any market, but with the next-gen model expected to debut as a 2018 model, it will at least be fresh inside and out, and will hopefully come out of the gate a little quicker thanks to that lighter chassis. We still have a while to wait before we get to see the new 6 Series in the metal, but let’s take a good look at the first round of spy shots and talk a little more about what’s coming in 2018.

Update 01/18/2017: The upcoming 6 Series convertible was caught taking advantage of the cold weather and got to play in the snow a bit. Check out our review below to see the newest spy shots and to see what else we know about the next-gen 6 Series.

Continue reading to learn more about the BMW 6 Series Convertible.

The BMW 6 Series was first introduced in 1976 as a replacement for the E9 Coupe. The original 6 Series production run lasted more than a dozen years, eventually seeing the axe in 1989. After an extended period on the shelf, the nameplate made its return in 2003, offered as a stopgap for the discontinued 8 Series. A third generation would follow in 2011, and now, it’s looking like a fourth gen is just around the corner. Originally speculated to receive a downsize to help it fight the Porsche 911, it’s now believed the new 6 Series will continue on as a quick but comfortable GT car. The revelation arrives alongside new spy shots, which show us a possible 6 Series mule undergoing what appears to be the final testing phase on public streets. Under the skin is expected a new, lightened chassis, while the recently unveiled 5 Series provides the powerplant selection. New tech will adorn the cabin, and the styling looks to get a refresh as well.

It’s also possible that what we’re seeing here is in fact the new 8 Series, the large-and-in-charge full-size slated to compete against the Mercedes-Benz S-Class coupe and upcoming Audi A9 coupe. However, this tester is looking a little too small for that, but not small enough to beat the 911, leading us to believe its business as usual for the 6 Series.

Details are still up in the air at this point, but read on for our take on what the new 6 Series will bring to the table.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 BMW 6 Series.

BMW just released the new, seventh-generation 5 Series, a.k.a. the G30, and with its arrival comes the expectation of a new Alpina B5. Essentially a BMW-approved tuner-special variant of the stock Bavarian mid-size luxury sedan, the new B5 is a viable alternative to the inevitable M-badged 5 Series, offering sleek, subtle styling enhancements, a classy, uber-comfortable cabin packed with technology, and a heady dose of turbocharged adrenaline under the hood.

It’s an intoxicating combination if you want more excitement from the 5 Series, but don’t want to go with the standard issue M5, or a hodgepodge of parts thrown together by any old speed shop. Alpina stands apart as a badge laden with OEM quality and high-end performance, and for the past 50 years or so, the company has been putting together race cars and street cars that take BMW’s best to new heights. 

Unfortunately, it’s rare to find Alpina’s offerings here in the states, which makes the recently spied B5 test mule pictured here a forbidden fruit. Regardless, spotting the new B5 in its native habitat incites a little speculation on our part. Read on for our predictions as to what it’ll offer.

Continue reading to learn more about the Alpina B5.

It wasn’t all that long ago that we heard rumors about a BMW M5 Wagon being in the works, but so far we have yet to see an official example. But, not all is lost, as sneaky cameramen have managed to catch what we believe to be the Alpina B5 Touring putting in some beautiful work on the Nürburgring. For now, the Audi RS6 Avant and the AMG E63 Wagon have been dominating this specific segment, but this B5 Touring mule tells us that an M5 Touring is certainly on its way. For those of you who haven’t been keeping track, BMW hasn’t had an M5 Touring since the E61 Touring that was produced from 2007 to 2010, and even then it never made it to the U.S.

According to our camera crew, the B5 Touring you see here was actually making some rather quick laps on the ‘Ring, but that doesn’t mean it will get to us any quicker. It would be blasphemy for Alpina to drop the B5 Touring before the BMW-branded M5 hit the streets. The M5 should be revealed around this time next year, so you can expect the Alpina B5 and D5 – it’s diesel-drinking, torque-producing cousin – to be officially revealed sometime after that.

So, with that said, let’s take a good look at the spy shots we have here today and talk a little more about the Alpina B5 Touring.

Continue reading to learn more about the Alpina B5 Touring.

It’s been six years since BMW stormed the mini SUV segment with the X1, and the German automaker has just launched the second-generation version of the car that made Audi and Mercedes-Benz create the Q3 and GLA, respectively. Introduced in 2009 as the brand’s smallest crossover and fourth SUV after the X3, X5, and X6, the X1 was praised for its powerful engines, sedan-like dynamics, and good fuel economy. The first-gen car was a commercial success with more than 700,000 units sold globally through 2014, so the second-gen X1 has pretty big shoes to fill. And needless to say, it’s looking to try and best its predecessor with a new exterior design, a revamped interior, and updated drivetrains.

More importantly, the X1 has just become the first BMW-badged SUV to use a front-wheel-drive architecture, borrowing the UKL platform from the Mini Cooper. The X1 joins the 2 Series Active Tourer and 2 Series Gran Tourer to form BMW’s new family of FWD vehicles, which will expand to other nameplates in the future as well. The new X1 has some stiff competition to go against, with the Mercedes-Benz GLA and the Audi Q3 on their way to becoming just as popular, so let’s have a closer look at how it compares to its German rivals.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 BMW X1.

It’s pretty common to see various groups of future cars testing together, so when spy photographers sent over the latest batch of photos for the 2016 BMW 5 Series Touring station wagon, it was no surprise that new images popped up for the next-gen 2017 BMW 5 Series sedan. Better yet, it’s the plug-in hybrid version of the upcoming sedan, which will probably be named the 540e.

Unlike previous spy shots, this prototype seems to be wearing production taillights (although they are heavily camouflaged) showing that BMW is getting closer to the launch of this redesigned sedan. Considering the timing, BMW could introduce the new 5 Series lineup in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show with sales likely starting early next year.

The biggest difference between this prototype and previous cars spotted is, of course, the fact that it’s a hybrid. Aside from the plug-in door on the left front fender and the “Hybrid Test Vehicle” stickers, the only visual change in this sedan is the lack of smooth, chrome exhaust finishers integrated into the fascia as were present on non-hybrid versions of the car. It’s possible the plug-in model could have hidden exhaust outlets (as some hybrids do), but there’s also the chance that a hybrid-specific fascia is still being developed.

As for what’s under the hood, the plug-in 5 Series will probably carry over the powertrain of the 2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e, which consists of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired to an eight-speed transmission with an integrated electric motor. The engine is rated at 241 horsepower and the electric motor at 111 horsepower giving the SUV a total output of 309 horsepower. The best part is the plug-in X5 has all-electric range of 19 miles at a maximum speed of 75 mph.

Continue reading for the full story.