i3 and i8 Replicas For Sale: What to Know

Last time, the two would-be hybrids were auctioned as a pair. This time, the BMW i3 and BMW i8 are being auctioned separately. Both are said to have been produced by BMW for promotional use in its dealerships, although neither has an interior or anything resembling a powertrain. Their fiberglass bodies instead sit on steel frames equipped with swivel caster wheels. That should make them relatively easy to position, although we can’t help but feel that some sort of motor or something that somehow drove the wheels might make things even less challenging.

Both models wear Ionic Silver Metallic paint with black and Frozen Blue accents. No surprise, as that closely matches the futuristic color schemes BMW used to launch the i sub-brand. Black panels simulate the windows, while mirrors, windshield wiper arms, BMW badges, faux shark-fin antennas, and genuine alloy wheels help complete the illusion.

The i3 rolls on 19-inch wheels wearing Bridgestone tires. Black panels behind them mimic brake rotors and calipers. Apparently a victim of aggressively curious lookie-loos, the i3 isn’t exactly showroom perfect. Its lighting system is inoperative, the headlight lenses are fogged, and the left fog light and door handle are missing. The i8 features functional LED lighting in its headlight surrounds and taillights, powered through a 120-volt circuit, although the left taillight reportedly does not illuminate. Its 20-inch wheels wear Bridgestone tires and conceal silver-painted calipers and cross-drilled rotors. Some rust is visible on the discs, proving that even a BMW incapable of moving under its own power still requires maintenance.

The Real BMW i3 and i8 Changed the Brand

Pairing the two models made sense because the production i3 and i8 represented the two extremes of BMW’s original electrification strategy. The i3 debuted in concept form in 2011 before entering production in 2013. Its carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic passenger cell, aluminum chassis, rear-mounted electric motor, and available gasoline range extender made it unlike almost anything else on the road. BMW continually improved the i3’s battery capacity and driving range before production ended in 2022. More than 250,000 examples were built, making it far more successful than its unconventional shape and premium construction initially suggested. Its combination of lightweight materials, sustainable interior options, and city-friendly dimensions also remains unusual today. Frankly, it’s a vastly underrated automobile.

The i8 pursued performance rather than urban practicality. Its turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine powered the rear wheels, while an electric motor drove the front axle. The resulting all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid produced 357 horsepower at launch, with later versions increasing output to 369 horsepower. A (quite pretty) Roadster eventually joined the Coupe before production concluded in 2020.

Neither car received a direct successor, but their influence continues throughout BMW’s current electric lineup. The original pair proved electrification did not have to produce conventional-looking cars — even if BMW’s newer EVs are generally less experimental. These exact display models previously sold together on Bring a Trailer for $8,951 in December 2024. The DFW Car & Toy Museum is apparently culling its collection, and offering them individually at no reserve. Both auctions end Thursday, August 20, with the i8 scheduled to close at 10:27 a.m. Pacific and the i3 following three minutes later.

i3 Replica Bring a Trailer Listing
i8 Replica Bring a Trailer Listing

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Getting to Know the Gordon Murray S1

The S1 LM and S1 look further apart than their name might immediately suggest. It’s for good reason. Both cars share the same carbon-fiber monocoque and fundamental proportions. But Gordon Murray Special Vehicles has redesigned every exterior body panel. The S1 loses the S1 LM’s large fixed rear wing, extended front splitter, and deep side skirts, replacing them with cleaner surfaces and an integrated active rear aerodynamic system. Murray says the objective was to prioritize mechanical grip, balance, and long-distance usability rather than maximum downforce.

The engine is another variation on the naturally aspirated Cosworth V12 used throughout Murray’s modern supercar family. Here, the 4.2-liter unit produces up to 690 PS, or approximately 681 horsepower, at 12,100 rpm. Competition-grade components include titanium connecting rods, titanium valves, lightweight silicon-carbide-coated pistons, and dry-sump lubrication. Around 80 percent of the available torque arrives from 2,500 rpm, while the engine produces roughly 500 Nm, or 369 pound-feet, at 7,000 rpm.

Power reaches the rear wheels through a six-speed manual with a taller touring-oriented sixth gear. Compared with the S1 LM, ride height increases by 10 millimeters, and the dampers receive more compliant tuning. Even with additional sound insulation, upgraded audio, and a more luxurious cabin, Gordon Murray is targeting a total weight below 997 kilograms, or about 2,198 pounds.

The three-seat interior retains its central driving position but adds proper drop-down windows, more comfortable seats, premium leather, and selectable power-steering assistance. Production is limited to 64 individually commissioned cars, with pricing undisclosed. That makes it considerably less rare than the five-car S1 LM. The S1 LM is also a lot more race oriented; it makes slightly more power and boasts a considerably more aggressive aero package.

The McLaren F1 and BMW Connection

We thought the S1 LM was a little bit on the nose. But it’s nearly impossible to look at the S1 without seeing the McLaren F1. That’s probably at least partially intentional. Its central seating position, compact cabin, naturally aspirated V12, manual gearbox, and obsessive weight reduction all follow principles Gordon Murray established while developing McLaren’s seminal road car. The cars also look similar because, well, there’s only so many ways to make a car that checks all those boxes.

Some smaller details reference ideas that never reached F1 production. The S1’s low-mounted auxiliary headlights and lightweight wheels were inspired by Murray’s 1992 Monaco show-car proposal. Meanwhile, the S1 LM’s aggressive bodywork and five-car production run directly reference the F1 GTR’s Le Mans victory in 1995. For BMW enthusiasts, the most important connection sits behind the driver. Murray originally wanted a naturally aspirated engine with exceptional response and minimal mass for the McLaren F1. BMW M, led by engine legend Paul Rosche, answered with the S70/2.

The 6.1-liter BMW V12 produced 627 PS, or approximately 618 horsepower, without turbocharging. It used individual throttle bodies, dry-sump lubrication, four valves per cylinder, and dual overhead camshafts. Famously, the F1’s engine compartment also employed gold foil to protect the carbon-fiber structure from exhaust heat — a detail the new S1 echoes with its own 24-carat-gold-plated heat shield.

This car is hardly surprising to anyone who saw Gordon Murray’s teaser from earlier in the week. That silhouette is unmistakable. Cosworth supplies the S1’s engine rather than BMW, but the recipe remains unmistakably familiar. More than three decades later, Murray is still refining the formula he created with McLaren and BMW. Low weight, three pedals, twelve cylinders, and as little interference as possible between the driver and the car.

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The BMW Engine Claim Raises Questions

The more interesting news is under that hood. A post Wiesmann collaborated on via Instagram claims that the Tributo combines the MF5 body with a “natural aspirated BMW M5 V8 and seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox.” The company has not disclosed displacement, output, or an engine code. That description is unusual because no production BMW M5 paired a naturally aspirated V8 with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The E39 M5 used the naturally aspirated 4.9-liter S62 V8 with a six-speed manual, while the later E60 M5 combined a 5.0-liter S85 V10 with a seven-speed SMG automated manual. BMW’s naturally aspirated 4.0-liter S65 V8 was offered with a seven-speed DCT, but in the E9X M3 rather than the M5.

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It is therefore possible Wiesmann has paired an M5-derived S62 with a separately sourced dual-clutch transmission. Alternatively, “M5” may simply be an error in the Instagram description. Until Wiesmann publishes full specifications, the precise BMW powertrain should be treated as unconfirmed. The original MF5 launched with the E60 M5’s S85 V10 before later versions switched to the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 from the first-generation BMW X5 M. Wiesmann produced fewer than 200 MF5 coupes and roadsters in total, making the decision to build only five Tributos appropriately exclusive.

What Happened to Project Thunderball?

The Tributo represents a notable change in direction after Wiesmann’s previous comeback stalled. Wiesmann revealed Project Thunderball in 2022 as an electric roadster with two rear motors, 680 horsepower, and a targeted 311 miles of range. Customer deliveries were initially expected in 2024, but supply-chain and tariff complications repeatedly delayed the car. As recently as May 2025, Wiesmann insisted it remained committed to production, although the promised revival never materialized on schedule.

This latest return is considerably more pragmatic. The MF5 Tributo returns as familiar as a boutique sports car could. It leverages existing hardware, seemingly reconnects Wiesmann back to BMW power, and gives the factory something tangible to build. Meanwhile, Wiesmann is apparently already pursuing an even more ambitious successor. Details on that successor remain equally murky. According to an Instagram post, it’s known as Project “Meisterwerk.” Wiesmann says it will debut in spring 2027. However, engine specs, design, price, or planned production volume all remain guarded. After the fate of Thunderball, some skepticism is understandable. Still, five completed, combustion-powered Tributos make this comeback feel more convincing than another distant concept.

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The M2 xDrive Tops Out at $92,400

Selecting every available factory option increases the price to $91,050 before BMW adds its $1,350 destination and handling charge. The final MSRP: $92,400. Borusan Turkish Blue, an exciting new color, is responsible for $3,000 of that total. The M2 xDrive’s launch color is technically a BMW Individual option, although BMW features it prominently throughout the configurator and early promotional material. It’s certainly not subtle, but that feels appropriate for the first all-wheel-drive production M2.

The available 19- and 20-inch M Dual-Spoke Black 930M wheels add another $1,300. They come fitted with staggered track tires — likely where some of the price hike comes from — signaling that xDrive hasn’t transformed the smallest M car into an all-weather grand tourer. The M2 still prioritizes performance, even if sending power to all four wheels should make it substantially easier to deploy. By far the most expensive upgrade is the $9,900 Carbon Package. It accounts for more than half of the car’s $17,450 in options and adds the visually dramatic M Carbon bucket seats, along with carbon-fiber exterior components. Without that package, getting the M2 anywhere near $90,000 would be impossible. At least on the configurator. We’re sure any number of M Performance Parts will bump that number up with ease.

The remaining selections arrive in much smaller increments. An M Alcantara steering wheel costs $500, while heating it adds another $200. Remote Engine Start is $300, Wireless Device Charging costs $200, and M Shadowline Lights add $250. There are also several useful technology options. Distance Control, BMW’s adaptive cruise-control system, costs $500. The Head-Up Display is one of the pricier standalone additions at $1,100, while Parking Assistant is a relatively modest $200. Altogether, our options add $17,450 to the M2 xDrive’s base price. Destination and handling then contribute the final $1,350, bringing the grand total to $92,400.

You Asked For It — Could a $90K M2 Worth It?

That’s serious money for a 2 Series. Even if it is the first-ever AWD M2.  It is 25.5% above the base MSRP and comfortably within the territory traditionally occupied by larger M cars. Still, it’s worth remembering that buyers don’t need to spend anywhere near that amount. Borusan Turkish Blue and the Carbon Package alone account for $12,900, making them the obvious places to economize. Remove those two indulgences, and this otherwise fully equipped M2 xDrive drops below $80,000 before destination. There’s one more caveat: with rumors that there might be one more new M2 variant in the pipeline, one can’t help but recall the timeless wisdom of one Kenny Rogers. Something about knowing when to hold ‘em?

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The four-minute tour moves quickly, but the scale of the exhibition is immediately apparent. Twenty cars spanning nearly five decades of BMW history sit beneath the same roof, ranging from 1970s touring-car racers to production coupes, hydrogen-powered concepts, and modern endurance prototypes. BMW supplements the walkaround footage with archival clips of the artists explaining their work. Julie Mehretu discusses pushing the limits of what painting can be, while Indigenous Australian artist Michael Jagamara Nelson (also known as Kumantje Jagamara AM) describes incorporating stories passed down by his father into his E30 M3.

Around the 40-second mark, Robert Rauschenberg appears with the BMW 635 CSi he transformed in 1986. He describes the car as a kind of mobile museum and jokes that he would like to create “about 10 more, all different.” David Hockney then explains how he tried to remove the visual surface of the BMW 850 CSi, effectively painting the car’s inner mechanical components onto its exterior.

Fifty Years of BMW Art Cars

Other archival appearances include Roy Lichtenstein, whose BMW 320i Turbo used painted lines to emphasize movement, and Ken Done, who wanted his brightly colored M3 to feel like it was already moving while standing still. Jenny Holzer also appears to recall that she wanted women to participate in motorsport as something other than decoration. Her BMW V12 LMR carries phrases including “Protect Me From What I Want” across its bodywork.

The film also includes Andy Warhol, Olafur Eliasson, and several other artists who helped expand the project beyond conventional painted race-car liveries. Eliasson’s BMW H2R is especially difficult to ignore. The hydrogen-powered prototype had its original bodywork replaced with a reflective metal structure covered by layers of frozen water. The complete installation weighs roughly two metric tons and has been publicly assembled only a handful of times.

BMW’s video explores the exhibition in reverse chronological order. You’ll first encounter Mehretu’s BMW M Hybrid V8 and John Baldessari’s BMW M6 GTLM before working backward through the collection. The tour ultimately concludes where the entire idea began: Alexander Calder’s vividly painted BMW 3.0 CSL.

French racing driver and auctioneer Hervé Poulain originally approached Calder about creating the car, with support from then-BMW Motorsport boss Jochen Neerpasch. Poulain subsequently raced it at the 1975 24 Hours of Le Mans. What BMW initially viewed as a one-off experiment instead became one of the automotive world’s longest-running cultural projects. And while BMW isn’t the only automaker to blend art and automotive, it certainly might have the longest-running tradition. The BMW Welt exhibition runs through August 31, 2026. BMW Welt is open daily from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Since it is, after all, the first time ever BMW has brought all 20 cars out together, it’s probably worth checking out if you can.

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So when Insta360 dropped the X6 on August 12, we knew exactly where its first real test would happen: Monterey Car Week.

What’s New on the X6

Insta360 is calling this the biggest leap in the X series’ history, and on paper it backs that up:

• 8K 360 video at 50fps, with a dedicated PureVideo low-light mode
• Dual custom Sony 1/1.1″ square sensors — 33% more sensor area than the X5, roughly 4x the light intake per frame
• Triple AI chip setup: an 8-core 3.3GHz 4nm flagship processor plus two dedicated imaging chips, adding up to 500% more compute than the X5 and 35% lower power draw
• First 360 camera with native in-camera Dolby Vision, along with 10-bit color and I-Log profiles
• 2600mAh battery rated for up to 140 minutes of continuous 8K30 recording
• 47GB of built-in storage — onboard recording for the first time on an X-series camera
• Four 360° omnidirectional windproof mics, including a Hidden Engine Mic mode built specifically to isolate engine sound — which, for what we do, might be the single best feature on the spec sheet
• Starts at $699.99 for the Standard Bundle

That engine-isolating mic alone made this an easy upgrade for us. Anyone who’s tried to capture clean exhaust note over wind and road noise knows how much of a pain that’s normally been.

Why This Matters for Car Content

The X5 already changed how we shot cars — no more choosing between an interior cam and an exterior cam, no more missing the shot because the action happened just outside the frame. With the X6’s bigger sensors and better low-light performance, we’re expecting cleaner footage in the golden-hour lighting that Car Week is famous for, plus sharper detail when we’re pulling stills from 360 footage for social.

One of the upgrades we’re most excited about is the low-light performance. A lot of our best car content happens right at dusk — garage walkthroughs, night cruises, cars and coffee before sunrise — and that’s historically where 360 cameras have struggled the most. With 33% more sensor area than the X5 and roughly 4x the light intake per frame, our early review is backing up Insta360’s claims here: even in poorly lit scenes, with denoising, the X6 footage looks clean instead of grainy. That alone should open up a lot more shooting windows for us at events like this.

We’re also fans of the smaller form factor. Despite packing bigger sensors, a bigger battery, and a more powerful chipset, the X6 actually shrunk down from the X5 — it’s roughly 2 x 3 inches while keeping the same thin, stick-like shape that makes it easy to mount, grip, or tuck into a pocket between shots. That’s a big deal when you’re moving fast through a packed car corral and need something that stays out of the way until you need it.

A Few Other Details Worth Pointing Out

• Hidden Engine Mic — a dedicated mic mode built to isolate engine sound over wind noise, which multiple reviewers flagged as a standout feature for anyone shooting vehicles
• 14.5 stops of dynamic range on the new sensors, which Insta360 says translates to better highlight and shadow retention in mixed lighting
• Star-Ridge cooling system, which Insta360 claims pulls heat 10% more efficiently than other 360 cameras — useful for long shooting sessions in the August heat
• Hyper charging from 0–80% in 24 minutes, handy for topping off between shoots
• A brighter 1200-nit OLED display with an always-on mode, making it easier to check framing in direct sunlight
• On the downside, a few reviewers (TechRadar included) noted the companion app has been buggy at launch, and that 8K/30fps footage burns through storage fast — about 1GB per minute — so the onboard 47GB fills up quicker than you’d expect

We’re Live at Monterey Car Week

Right now we’re on the ground shooting with the X6 for the first time — car corrals, cars and coffee, the concours crowds, all of it. Expect reframed highlight reels, some wild reveal-style shots, and probably a few clips where we lean hard into that new engine audio mode.

Keep an eye on our socials over the next few days — the first cuts from the X6 are coming. The Insta360 X6 is available starting August 12 from the Insta360 Official Store, Amazon, and select retailers, priced from US$699.99.

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Racing References, Not Just Racing Colors

BMW isn’t being subtle about where this design came from. The front end reworks the brand’s shark nose into a single lit unit that merges the kidney grille and headlights, and it’s built around what BMW calls M Yellow Lights, a signature drawn directly from the taped-over headlights on BMW’s GT and Le Mans race cars, including the M Hybrid V8 currently running in the World Endurance Championship. Flanking those are twin three-dimensional Track Lights, repeated at the rear around a floating diffuser.

The front apron itself takes its three-part shape from trimaran sailing boats, a structure that also braces the front splitter. The hood carries a V-shaped air outlet that’s functional rather than decorative, feeding cooling to the electric drivetrain underneath. At the back, a ducktail spoiler sits above that floating diffuser, adding downforce at the rear axle without resorting to a wing, while a deeply recessed Gurney edge stages the BMW logo in its own shadow line. The roof gets its own graphic in BMW M colors, and the side profile leans on short overhangs and heavily flared wheel arches to push the hips out wide, giving the car a planted, muscular stance that’s closer to a touring car than a sedan.

The centerpiece color is a newly developed Monza Red metallic, paired with red-and-blue coded center-lock wheels that echo the M logo directly on the hub. Just as notable is what’s missing: carbon fiber. BMW has swapped it for natural fiber composite across the front splitter, hood vent, diffuser, and roof graphic, the first time the material has appeared in a refined, branded finish rather than its raw woven form. BMW has said this material direction is intended for production M cars, not just the concept.

A Cockpit Stripped Down To Bucket Seats And Harnesses

Inside, the concept trades the usual Neue Klasse airiness for something closer to a GT car. Four newly developed bucket seats, front and rear, use structural elements made from that same natural fiber, upholstered in a two-tone Bathurst Blue and Berry Red Merino leather that maps to BMW M’s color identity. Red five-point harnesses replace conventional belts, and black nubuck leather, a first for any M car, covers the steering wheel, door panels, and roll bar.

The dashboard floats in black knit material and lights up on startup with an M-specific hexagonal pattern. Instrumentation runs through BMW’s Panoramic iDrive setup, powered by iDrive X, with an M-tuned UI that pulls the driver display, red-accented gear selector, and shift paddle graphics into a single sightline rather than scattering them across separate screens. It’s the same panoramic display architecture BMW has been rolling out across the Neue Klasse lineup, but reworked with M-specific fonts, colors, and layouts so the car reads as a performance model the moment it wakes up.

The Next M3 Wears This First

BMW hasn’t confirmed power figures, battery capacity, or range for the concept, and it’s careful to call this a design and engineering preview rather than a production reveal. But the quad-motor layout and the M-specific version of the Heart of Joy control unit are the same architecture expected to underpin the next M3, and BMW has been explicit that this concept is the clearest signal yet of what that car looks like before it arrives around 2027.

After Monterey, the concept moves to the BMW paddock at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca, then closes out the week on the Concept Lawn at Pebble Beach, sharing that stage with the Vision BMW ALPINA. It’s a lot of exposure for a one-off, and that’s the point. BMW wants as many people as possible deciding, ahead of time, whether an electric M3 wearing yellow lights and a ducktail spoiler still counts as an M3. BMW M CEO Frank van Meel assures that this is a real M3…

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Those colors appear across a fairly extensive assortment of outerwear. The headline piece is a multi-paneled leather jacket produced with AVIREX, joined by Braun and Dewitt leather motorcycle jackets. Kith is also offering souvenir jackets, track jackets, and several of its familiar fleece designs, including the Nelson Quarter Zip, Braxton Track Zip, and Nelson Hoodie. More conventional wardrobe options include BMW-inspired graphic T-shirts, knitwear, understated shirts, and matching track pants. Kith says the graphics reference classic BMW design motifs and historically significant vehicles, ensuring the collection does more than simply place two logos on existing apparel.

BMW Accessories, Luggage, and a Detailed 3.0 CSi Model

The partnership extends well beyond clothing. Kith’s latest BMW-branded leather goods include an Overnight Bag, Travel Garment Duffle Bag, cardholders, and watch holders. Depending on the item, buyers can choose from smooth, tumbled, and monogram-embossed materials. Smaller collectibles include car fresheners, ceramic mugs, catchall trays, posters, silk bandanas, a jacquard towel, and a tapestry blanket. Kith has even prepared a co-branded license-plate holder and a set of floor mats specifically designed for the BMW X5. Headwear options include a Sheep Suede Drivers Cap and a Franchise LS produced in collaboration with ’47.

Arguably the most interesting collectible is a 1:18-scale model of the 1972 BMW 3.0 CSi. Finished in Inka Orange, the miniature consists of 169 parts and 290 decorative elements. Details include co-branded packaging and embroidered leather seats, making it substantially more elaborate than the typical dealership gift-shop model. It’s also a bit more historic than any model before it. After all, it’s likely this Inka Orange model car is nearly an exact replica of the Inka Orange 3.0 CSi BMW painstakingly restored for Kith founder Ronnie Fieg. The Kith for BMW 2026 collection launches globally on Monday, August 17 at 11:00 AM.

The BMW X5 Is Still to Come

Clothing may lead this announcement, but automobiles remain central to the wider collaboration. Previous chapters have involved the E30 M3 and current M4 Competition, an electric BMW 1602 tribute and i4 M50 in matching Vitality Green, plus the BMW M1 and XM. Chapter IV turns to the X5. Fieg has already previewed a restored E53 fitted with the S85 V10 from the E60 M5, a six-speed manual, and functioning all-wheel drive. It will be joined by a one-of-one 2027 BMW X5 by Kith wearing Frozen Titanium Silver and special badging. The full X5 collaboration is set to be revealed Saturday, giving BMW fans another reason to watch Kith even if the new wardrobe is not for them.

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Exploring the Graffiti Cullinan — and Kongo

Rolls-Royce makes it a point, generally, to sit down and talk to the artists and artisans behind their cars. Particularly when a special edition rolls around, and especially if an artist is extensively featured as Cyril Kongo was. Today’s video details Cyril Kongo’s beginnings, detailing his early years as a street artist and student. He talks a little bit about how his art helped morph his personality, essentially splitting him into two parts: “Cyril,” the student by day, and “Kongo,” the artist running around tagging walls, streets, and anything else he could write on.

According to the artist, Kongo’s recent projects have centralized around what he dubs the “Kongo-verse.” It’s a good way to summarize the artist’s approach to the graffiti Black Badge Cullinan. The Kongo-verse comprises “numbers, formulas, a planet that doesn’t exist, a pyramid, atoms.” You’ll see a lot of similarity with the shapes that appear on the Cullinan’s graffitied interior components. “You are in my universe, within the Rolls-Royce universe,” the artist tells the camera.

Working with Rolls-Royce is surely a dream collaboration for some. “I like collaboration,” Cyril starts humbly, “because I’m meeting passionate people.” Anyone familiar with the granular detail and truly grueling levels of precision Rolls-Royce commands would be inclined to agree. Although, perhaps “passionate” is an understatement. The artist enjoys a warm moment of soaking up his handiwork for the first time, with the finished car, admiring both the detail and quality. “When you are talking with people who are looking for excellence, they never say no, they always give you an answer.”

The Black Badge Cullinan Remains a One of One

Like we said earlier: the Black Badge Cullinan by Cyril Kongo is a pretty radical step for Rolls-Royce. Before the epic Scintilla debut last year, we saw equally interesting — but perhaps more mainstream — cars that celebrated the Year of the Dragon. Those cars featured a starlight headliner requiring an additional 667 fiber-optic “stars,” arranged in the outline of a dragon. The year prior, Rolls treated us to “La Rose Noire.” The emotional red and black Droptail featured a unique petal motif on the dash and, very fittingly, a champagne chest complemented by two hand-blown crystal champagne flutes.

Kongo’s Black Badge Cullinan remains a one of one example. It’s sold, if you were wondering; besides which, we’re guessing the old adage “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” applies here. Past that, the car is also a testament to what’s possible through the Rolls-Royce Bespoke program. In the past, Kongo’s tackled similar projects in the horology realm; the Richard Mille RM 68-01 Cyril Kongo Tourbillon was an exclusive, 30-piece run that commands upwards of $2 million on the secondhand market.

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BMW M3 From Beginning to Today

The original E30 M3 arrived in 1986 as a homologation special created to win touring-car races. Its high-revving S14 four-cylinder made 200 horsepower in initial European form, while widened bodywork and a large rear wing made its purpose impossible to miss. Later Evolution models added power, but motorsport success established the name. As the video’s narrator says: “Regardless of what came afterwards, we always compare everything to it.” Its successor, the E36 then moved the M3 toward the formula we recognize today. It introduced six-cylinder power, greater refinement, and more everyday usability without abandoning rear-wheel-drive balance. Sedan and convertible variants broadened its appeal. Although, the lower-output U.S. E36 M3 never received the European car’s engine; thus, it arguably never achieved its full performance potential.

For many enthusiasts, the E46 remains the M3 sweet spot. Its naturally aspirated S54 inline-six produced 333 horsepower in U.S. specification and could be paired with a six-speed manual. On-point steering, an 8,000-rpm redline, and muscular but restrained styling helped create the legend. The lighter and sharper M3 CSL pushed that formula even further. The E9X generation then made a dramatic switch to a naturally aspirated V8. BMW’s 4.0-liter S65 produced 414 horsepower in U.S. cars and revved beyond 8,000 rpm, giving the E90 sedan and E92 coupe a character no M3 before or since has replicated. It was also the final naturally aspirated generation of the nameplate.

Turbocharging arrived with the F80 M3, whose S55 inline-six delivered far more torque than the outgoing V8. The M3 became sedan-only as BMW separated the coupe and convertible into the M4 lineup. An occasionally unruly early chassis improved over time through Competition, CS, and other special versions, while performance reached another level entirely. The current G80 has probably been the M3’s most controversial reinvention, largely because of its enormous vertical kidney grilles. Look beyond them and the fundamentals remain compelling: a powerful S58 inline-six, an available six-speed manual, and serious chassis capability. Competition models added M xDrive, while the M3 Touring finally expanded the family overseas.

The BMW M3’s Electric Future Comes to America

The video’s timing is hardly coincidental. The BMW M Concept Neue Klasse previews the design and technology destined for the first electric M3. Based on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, the concept uses four individually controlled electric motors, an M-specific version of the Heart of Joy central computer, and likely range and power figures that would make gas-powered M3s blush. But those are all hush-hush, for now.

BMW unveiled the concept at Le Mans in June. But Monterey Car Week gives North American enthusiasts their first opportunity to see it on home turf. In only minimally less historic surroundings, too. After reminding us how good the previous six M3 generations have been, BMW is ready to show America its dramatically different seventh chapter. The M Neue Klasse Concept will make its North American premiere at the House of M this evening in California. Watch the video below!

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What Could the Final G87 M2 Be?

The rumor comes from ynguldyn, a longtime Bimmerpost insider with a good record of accurately reporting future BMW products and production plans. This time, however, the information is unusually brief: “There will be one more version of G87 M2.” That leaves considerable room for speculation. One possibility is an M2 equivalent of the new M3 CS Handschalter. That car combines several CS upgrades with a six-speed manual transmission, creating a more focused but still enthusiast-friendly sendoff for the G80 M3. Applying the same formula to the M2 would give BMW an opportunity to address one of the biggest criticisms of the existing M2 CS: its lack of a manual gearbox. An M2 CS Handschalter could retain rear-wheel drive while adding weight-saving parts, chassis upgrades, and more power.

Alternatively, BMW could revisit the CS formula with all-wheel drive. The M3 CS, M4 CS, and M3 CS Touring all use M xDrive, so an M2 CS xDrive would fit comfortably within the current CS playbook. It would also become the quickest-accelerating M2 yet. Both options sound nice to us.

But, there is another loose end. BMW created an unusually extensive catalog of M Performance Parts for the G87, including carbon-fiber aerodynamic components, special wheels, a prominent fixed rear wing, and the controversial center-exit exhaust. Most remained standalone add-ons instead of being bundled into a factory special edition. BMW could finally package some of those pieces together, perhaps with unique paint and interior trim, to create a lower-volume model without undertaking major mechanical changes. Perhaps something akin to Japan’s M2 CS Edge, or the first generation BMW M2 Performance Edition.

The most exciting possibility, however, is an M2 CSL. A lighter, more powerful and more aggressively tuned M2 would give the G87 a true halo variant. It also brings parity with its big brother, the G82. The CSL badge would carry enormous expectations. But the M2’s compact dimensions, combined with familiar G8X layout (rear-wheel-drive and S58 power) are an encouraging starting point. It bears mentioning that BMW has not ruled out an M2 CSL outright.

BMW Hasn’t Confirmed Another M2

For now, the only claim is that one more G87 M2 variant is coming. BMW has not announced the car, its name, drivetrain, production timing, or even acknowledged that another version exists. Additionally, any number of these scenarios might fit in with the prototypes caught testing just last month, which included a camo M2 CS. But until BMW says otherwise, any new M2 model — regardless of badging — remains mostly speculation.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Take those two off the board and the conversation actually gets interesting. I went looking for what enthusiasts and historians have actually said about BMW’s other open cars, not just what I already believed, and one answer kept surfacing from people who have no reason to agree with each other: the Z1.

The Pick: BMW Z1

The Z1 shouldn’t work as an answer to “best looking.” It’s a wedge-shaped, plastic-bodied roadster built on E30 3 Series bones, and it’s mostly remembered for a party trick: doors that slide down into the sills instead of swinging open. That reputation undersells it. Strip away the gimmick and look at the actual shape, and the Z1 is one of the tightest, most resolved designs BMW produced in the analog era, which is exactly why writers going back to its 1986 debut keep reaching for words like timeless rather than dated.

Harm Lagaay penned the Z1 in 1986, and what he drew has almost no visual fat on it. According to BMW historians, the brief never really involved designing new engines or a new drivetrain layout, so the styling team could spend its energy on the body instead, and it shows. There are no spoilers, no wings, nothing bolted on to suggest performance the shape doesn’t already imply.

Then there are the doors, which are a genuine piece of design rather than just a novelty. Because the body’s high sills offer crash protection independent of the doors, the Z1 can legally be driven with the doors retracted, which is the only reason BMW could get away with the idea at all. It was only the second production car ever built with retractable doors, after the 1954 Kaiser Darrin, whose doors slid forward into the fenders rather than down into the sills. Drop them on a warm day and the whole car reads differently: a slim strip of sill where a door handle would normally interrupt the surface, nothing to break the line from front fender to rear. It’s one of the few genuinely clean bodysides BMW has ever built.

BMW built roughly 8,000 Z1s between 1988 and 1991, and the reception was hardly lukewarm at the time. The car was shown to the public in 1986 and the response was strong enough that BMW brought it to the 1987 Frankfurt Motor Show properly, where it again received critical acclaim, this time enough to push BMW into production, and reported pre-orders grew from 5,000 to 35,000 within a year, numbers a niche two-seater with no back seat and no badge equity to speak of has no business generating. It never got the sales run to match that appetite, partly because it was never federalized for the US market, which kept it a cult object instead of a widely recognized design. Put a Z1 next to almost anything else BMW built in the late 1980s and it looks like it drove in from a different decade entirely.

Runner Up: BMW 328 Roadster

This is the car that actually set the template the 507 gets credit for. BMW built the 328 from 1936 to 1940, and depending on who you ask, it’s either the most important sports car of the 1930s or simply the best looking one, and there’s a real case that it deserves both titles.

The 328’s design was sleeker than anything BMW had built before it, with tall, floor-to-ceiling kidney grilles, swooping fenders, and curves that make it look closer to a 1950s Le Mans car than to its own pre-war contemporaries. The long hood carries two flared arches into a pair of headlights folded directly into the flowing bodywork, an unusual touch for 1936, when most cars still bolted their lights on as separate objects. The rear wheels sit under fenders that flare out to match the front, and the half-doors exist mostly to satisfy period regulations rather than to actually let you in comfortably. It’s a shape with nowhere for the eye to snag, drawn at a moment when most of the industry was still figuring out that fenders and bodywork could be one continuous idea instead of two.

The 328 backed up the looks with results that made the shape famous on its own terms. BMW’s road-going Roadster weighed just 780 kilograms and made a modest 80 horsepower, which was enough to embarrass supercharged rivals carrying far more power, and only 464 were built in total, which is part of why surviving examples now change hands for serious money at auction. The influence didn’t stop at BMW, either. Designers studying the 328’s dramatically descending fender line have traced its DNA forward into cars like the Jaguar XK120, which tells you how far ahead of the curve this shape actually was in 1936.

Where the 328 loses ground to the Z1, for me, is character. It’s a gorgeous, historically important shape, but it’s gorgeous in a way a dozen other pre-war European roadsters were also reaching for. The Z1 isn’t chasing anyone. It looked like nothing else on sale in 1988 and it still looks like nothing else today, which is a harder trick to pull off than being beautiful in an already crowded lane.

Where That Leaves Everything Else

There’s a long list of BMW convertibles that are good cars and unremarkable shapes: the E30 M3, E93 M3, the F12 M6, the current G29 Z4. None of them are ugly, and none of them are the kind of design people go looking for decades later. The Z1 wins on conviction: a genuinely strange shape BMW committed to fully instead of softening into something safer, backed by demand numbers that proved the market wanted exactly that kind of nerve. The 328 wins on historical weight, the shape that set the standard everything from the 507 to the Jaguar E-Type would later be measured against.

I’d still take the Z1 home first, doors down, sills and all.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

Four more people did the same thing over the next half hour. In a place where an M2 should be wallpaper, where a six-figure BMW barely registers next to what else rolls down that road this week, people kept walking over to ask what it was. I hadn’t even had the car for 48 hours yet, and I already knew what I was going to write.

The BMW M2 CS is in a league of its own.

I want to be upfront about what this is and isn’t. Sean Kealey already put in the week-long review of this G87-generation M2 CS, drove it properly, and gave you the numbers: 523 horsepower, 3.7 seconds to 60, a $99,775 starting price that climbs from there. Go read that if you want the full test. This is two days with the car that left me trying to name something else on sale in America that does what this does. I came up empty.

There’s Nothing Left To Cross-Shop It Against

Six figures for an M2 felt absurd to me the first time I saw the number, and I’ll admit I walked in with that bias fully intact. Then I tried to build a shopping list of alternatives and watched it fall apart almost immediately.

The Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 is dead. Porsche killed the internal-combustion 718 lineup, and with it the one car that could have gone toe-to-toe with the M2 CS on a back road for similar money. The GR Corolla and Civic Type R are terrific, but they’re front-drive-based hot hatches at half the price and a different kind of car entirely. The Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is the closest thing on paper, still offers a manual, and I respect it, but it doesn’t carry the badge weight or the motorsport pedigree that comes with an M car wearing a CS nameplate. The Corvette solves a different problem. So does the Supra.

Not on price. Not on the rear-drive layout. Not on that specific blend of daily comfort and stripped-out intent. Sports coupes at this price usually come with two or three obvious rivals to cross-shop against each other. This one doesn’t, and that’s the part that stuck with me longer than the lap times did.

It Drives Like It’s Got Something To Prove

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Forget the straight-line numbers for a second. The personality is what stuck with me. This thing has a mischievous streak that reminded me of the odd 1M, the E82, that willingness to move around under you that most modern M cars have had tuned out of them in the name of being livable every day. BMW clearly opened up the rear differential and let the back end have more say than usual. That’s been true of every CS before this one, from the M3 CS to the M4 CS: less filtering, more edge, and the M2 CS inherits that character honestly.

Some of it is simply lighter mass doing what lighter mass does. Forged wheels, a carbon roof, less rotational weight up top and at the corners, all of it shows up in how eagerly the nose changes direction rather than on a spec sheet anyone reads twice.

It keeps you honest. Every input matters more than it does in a standard M2, and the car lets you feel the rear axle working before it decides whether to bail you out. Leave MDM on, or even just traction control, and it catches you right at the point things start to go sideways. Literally. Turn DSC all the way off and I have to assume it gets a lot more serious, a lot faster, especially wearing Cup 2 R tires that don’t forgive much once they’re cold or wet. I wasn’t brave enough to find out on a public road in Carmel. That’s a test for a track day, not a canyon run with tourists around the next blind corner.

Two Different Cars, Front And Back

I first saw this car in Abu Dhabi about a year and a half ago, and at the time I wrote off the interior as too digital, one more step toward the screen-and-haptics future every new BMW seemed headed for. Every model that’s launched since has proven that instinct half right. The rest of the lineup kept stripping out buttons. The M2 CS didn’t get the memo, and it’s still covered in physical switchgear, down to actual buttons for the vents. It’s refreshing once you start looking at the new interiors coming with Neue Klasse which are mostly switchless.

The exterior is a split personality. The rear is unapologetic: that carbon ducktail sits right on top of the car’s hips and makes the whole rear three-quarter view look wide and genuinely aggressive, in a way the standard M2 doesn’t manage. The front is comparatively restrained, and it’s the one place I think BMW left something on the table. Yellow racing lights, a real carbon splitter, something to match the attitude of what’s happening out back. As it is, the nose undersells the car a little. I can live with that. The M2 CS does its talking through the rear differential, not the front fascia.

The Stick Shift I Didn’t Miss, And The One I Do

The base M2 still offers a manual gearbox. The CS doesn’t, and BMW has explained why: this car makes enough power that the automatic is the better tool for the job. Purists have a right to be annoyed about that on principle, and there’s a strange footnote that makes the case for them. The old F87 M2 CS from 2020, manual gearbox and all, started at $85,000 new. Clean low-mileage examples have been trading close to $100,000 on Bring a Trailer, which is to say a used manual CS from five years ago costs about what this new automatic one does. Somebody out there is voting with real money.

I didn’t spend two days missing the clutch pedal, for what it’s worth. The ZF eight-speed downshifts exactly when I want it to and disappears the rest of the time, and on a car this focused on what the rear axle is doing, one less thing to manage felt like the right trade. Ask me again after a proper track day, when I’ve had time to actually push the differential around with my right foot instead of a computer doing it for me, and I might sing a different tune.

Where BMW Goes From Here

I haven’t tracked this car. I haven’t lived with it past two days. Call this a two-day impression and not a verdict, then, but it’s one I’d stand behind: nothing else on sale in this country right now is built quite like it, for this money, with this badge.

BMW shouldn’t treat the M2 CS as the final word on the G87. There’s more room to push this platform, and Monterey made the case for it better than I could. This is a town that sees more exotic metal in one week than most cities see in a year, and a compact BMW coupe still managed to pull people off the sidewalk. Build the next one. People are clearly paying attention.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

The new program is part of the BMW M Driving Experience South Africa and takes place at BMW xDrive Park in Midrand, near Johannesburg. Importantly, the facility itself isn’t new — BMW says xDrive Park opened in 2018 — but the X3-focused off-road course expands what drivers can do there.

The BMW X3 Gets Put to Work

Rather than simply sending participants down a gravel road, BMW has constructed a half-day course designed to demonstrate what xDrive and the X3’s electronic driver aids can actually do when pavement disappears. Drivers encounter steep climbs and descents, cross-axle articulation obstacles, side slopes, water crossings, skid-control exercises, and even recovery situations. The idea is to combine driver technique with systems including xDrive all-wheel drive, Dynamic Stability Control, and Hill Descent Control.

And, judging by BMW’s accompanying photos, the X3 doesn’t exactly stay clean. The images show the locally produced SUV climbing uneven dirt obstacles, kicking up dust, and putting considerably more suspension articulation to use than the typical grocery run demands. Here, “locally produced” matters, too. BMW specifically calls the X3 its “local hero,” as the G45 is made in South Africa. Using it as the centerpiece of the course therefore makes considerably more sense than importing an X5 or another larger model simply because it looks more conventionally suited to off-road duty.

The course costs R4,950 (roughly $306 USD) and is limited to 10 people per session. Participants also receive a certificate after completing the program. BMW says the off-road course joins existing South African offerings including Advanced Safety, M Advanced, and M Drift courses.

A Familiar BMW Performance Center Formula

For American BMW fans, the concept should look familiar. BMW’s Performance Driving Centers in the U.S. also combine pavement with dirt. The current BMW Performance Driving Experience offered at both the East and West locations includes time behind the wheel of an X model on an off-road course before participants move onto the track and sample other BMWs through corners and straightaways. The East location in Spartanburg, South Carolina, is particularly appropriate: BMW’s Performance Center sits directly across from the company’s massive U.S. manufacturing plant.

BMW’s fascination with taking its SUVs off pavement stretches much further back. The company says its Driving Experience program launched its first major off-road tour in 2000, taking the original X5 through Morocco’s Atlas Mountains and desert terrain. Later trips ventured into Kenya, Namibia, and Botswana, with BMW Driving Experience South Africa eventually handling regional tours. So, the new X3 course is arguably one of the most authentic extensions of something BMW has been doing for decades. Most owners probably won’t ever ask this much of their X3. Even in my BMW X3 review, off-roading was hardly at the top of our to-do list. But these photos are a good reminder that BMW’s midsize SUV can get a lot dirtier than its usual suburban habitat suggests.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com

AI That Checks Code Written By AI

CodeRabbit essentially acts as an automated reviewer for software changes. Its platform analyzes each “pull request” — a proposed change to a software project — using information from the broader codebase, company standards, previous changes, and isolated testing environments. The goal is to identify bugs, security issues, and architectural problems before new code reaches production. It sounds a little dystopian, but yes — this is the AI tool that checks the AI-written code. In fairness: CodeRabbit checks human-written code, too.

BMW i Ventures sees an independent review system as increasingly important. Rather than relying on the same AI platform to both generate and evaluate software, CodeRabbit can serve as a separate validation layer that works across different coding tools. The venture-capital arm also points to enterprise requirements such as governance, security, compliance, and company-specific coding standards as reasons the technology could become more valuable.

To that end: CodeRabbit is growing quickly. BMW i Ventures says the company’s revenue increased more than fivefold year over year. Meanwhile, Atomico (one of the co-leaders in the Series C) says the software tool has become the most-installed AI code-review application across the major code-hosting platforms. CodeRabbit serves more than 17,000 customers; apparently, BMW among them. BMW i Ventures’ claims the investment follows a two-year collaboration period between the two. Other customers of note include NVIDIA, Indeed, and UC Davis. CodeRabbit is likely one of five separate AI startups to receive funding from BMW i Ventures’ $300 million Fund III, which was announced earlier this year.

CodeRabbit Is Expanding Beyond Code Reviews

The new funding coincides with a broader expansion of CodeRabbit’s platform. Its new “Agentic Change Management” tools are designed not only to review code but also to decide which changes require human attention, explain how proposed changes could affect a larger software system, and monitor deployed code for security problems. That direction could deepen BMW’s interest. Modern cars are increasingly software-defined products. Additionally, BMW depends on enormous software systems throughout engineering, manufacturing, logistics, and its digital services. Faster AI-generated development could be useful, but only if quality stays high. For BMW i Ventures, CodeRabbit is effectively a bet on that second half of the equation. If AI is going to write more code, there may be just as much opportunity in figuring out whether that code can be trusted.

First published by https://www.bmwblog.com