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What a hard act to follow. The last all-new 7-series, the 2002 745Li, was welcomed into the automotive world with about as much warmth and adoration as a 41-pound newborn baby girl with sixteen middle fingers and a full beard. And it merited about as much media coverage. Incensed enthusiasts on Internet forums called for BMW design director Chris Bangle's head. The BMW faithful stumbled around dealerships breathing into paper bags to allay attacks of hyperventilation. Somewhere, someone passed out at the mere sight of the bulbous trunk lid. OK, perhaps not. But even we shockproof editors at Automobile Magazine were perturbed by the styling.

BMW’s electric “Megacity” vehicle may be approximately five years away from reaching production, but that’s not stopping the automaker from toying with electric vehicles to develop, test, and refine the technology. After sending nearly 600 electrified Mini Es into the world, BMW will prepare a second batch of test cars, which will closely resemble the Concept ActiveE shown here.inline_mediumwraptextright2010 BMW ActiveE Concept31724178/green/news/0912_2010_bmw_activee_conceptP90054926.jpgTrue

We’re accustomed to seeing eight- and twelve-cylinder engines nestled beneath the hood of a BMW 7-series, but it’s been a long time -- nearly a decade, in fact -- since we’ve seen BMW’s flagship powered by a six-cylinder.inline_mediumwraptextright2011 BMW 740i31716111/features/news/0912_2011_bmw_740i_and_740li7-Series-24.jpgTrue