Time To Say Goodbye To The Current BMW X4

Don’t worry, the new model will be here soon.

First introduced in 2014, the BMW X4 has had a short life. According to Bimmertoday via BMWBlog, the current version of the coupe-style crossover is expected to finish production at BMW’s Spartanburg plant as early as March 2018. Don’t be too alarmed, though, because the premium crossover isn’t being killed off for good. Nothing is official yet, but the new second-generation X4 is expected to be revealed the same month at Geneva and go into production at the same factory as its predecessor shortly after.

To be fair, BMW was open about the compact crossover’s lifespan when it was first announced four years ago. At the time, the X3 was given a refresh to mark the second half of its life cycle, so it makes sense for BMW to give its smaller X4 sibling an update as well. The new X4 is expected to share the same CLAR platform as the current 2018 X3, which is now in its third-generation. Internally, the X3 is known as the “G01,” while the new upcoming X4 is reportedly codenamed “G02,” just to reaffirm these model’s similarities. Expect to see some of the current X3’s driver safety assist technology and infotainment systems incorporated into the new X4, as well as a higher-quality interior.

Available powertrains are also likely to mirror the current X3 range, including the potent M40i which packs a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine producing 355 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. No doubt we’ll find out more details at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

Audi Is About To Get A New CEO Because Its Current One Is Still Locked Up

The fallout from Dieselgate continues.

Current and apparently soon to be outgoing Audi CEO Rupert Stadler is at this very moment sitting in jail. He was arrested last month following allegations he attempted to tamper with evidence during the Volkswagen Dieselgate investigation. It doesn’t seem like he’ll be released anytime soon and even if were, it’s not like he can go back to his job as if nothing happened.

Perhaps that’s why, according to Automotive News, the Volkswagen Group is about to appoint BMW purchasing director Markus Duesmann as Audi’s next CEO, effective January 1, 2019. It’s not particularly surprising to hear of a high-level executive being poached by a rival brand.

In fact, current Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess also worked at BMW as purchasing chief until 2015. But why won’t Duesmann start work at Audi earlier? Supposedly it’s because his current contract with BMW doesn’t expire until sometime in the fall and it includes a clause preventing him from going to work for a rival immediately. There’s a short cooling off period it seems.

Duesmann is a mechanical engineer by training and has worked at BMW since 2007. Before that, he worked at Mercedes-Benz as head of Formula 1 powertrain. As for Stadler, well… Volkswagen and Audi rightly claim he’s innocent until proven guilty but the legal process isn’t likely to end anytime soon. Will his case go to trial? Will he strike a plea bargain?

These are questions that can’t be answered and Audi needs to continue going about business as usual. Its sales chief, Bram Schot, is currently filling in as interim CEO until Duesmann is able to get started. Fortunately for Audi, sales remain stellar. Only a few weeks ago did it report that worldwide deliveries increased by 4.5 percent since the start of the year for a total of 949,300 units.

Current BMW 3 Series GT And Wagon Aren't Going Anywhere Just Yet

Both will return for 2019 relatively unchanged, but what about the redesigned sedan?

The next generation BMW 3 Series will debut in the very near future, perhaps as soon as this October at the Paris Motor Show. It’s a big deal when a new 3 Series arrives, a vehicle that’s long been tipped as the benchmark luxury sport sedan. Heck, it literally invented the segment. It also came in various body styles, such as the coupe (now 4 Series), wagon and, for better or worse, the Gran Turismo. According to Cars Direct, both the wagon and GT will continue to be sold alongside the redesigned sedan when it goes on sale sometime next year.

BMW spokesperson Oleg Satanovsky confirmed the news after Car Direct discovered that order guides made clear the 2019 wagon and GT were beginning production later this month. However, nothing was mentioned about the sedan’s status, hence the inquiry to BMW. Here’s what’s happening: the all-new 3 sedan will begin production in November, starting with the 330i and 330i xDrive variants. There’ll also be a new performance model dubbed the M340i and the M340i xDrive, both set to enter production next April. Specs for these models have yet to be released. BMW also confirmed that the 328d turbo diesel wagon will be discontinued when production ends in December. No replacement is planned.

But until production of the new 3 Series sedan kicks off and vehicles arrive in showrooms, the only 2019 BMW 3 Series models you’ll see on dealership lots will be the wagon and/or GT. You won’t be able to place an order for the redesigned sedan until sometime later this year, most likely in late fall or early winter. We've seen plenty of new 3 Series spy shots over the past several months, including the next M3, which isn't expected to debut until a year or so following the regular lineup. Built on BMW's CLAR modular platform, the new 3 Series is, in many ways, a shortened 5 and 7 Series, though it'll have its own distinct personality, of course. It wouldn't be a proper 3 Series if it didn't.

Current BMW 3 Series GT And Wagon Aren't Going Anywhere Just Yet

Both will return for 2019 relatively unchanged, but what about the redesigned sedan?

The next generation BMW 3 Series will debut in the very near future, perhaps as soon as this October at the Paris Motor Show. It’s a big deal when a new 3 Series arrives, a vehicle that’s long been tipped as the benchmark luxury sport sedan. Heck, it literally invented the segment. It also came in various body styles, such as the coupe (now 4 Series), wagon and, for better or worse, the Gran Turismo. According to Cars Direct, both the wagon and GT will continue to be sold alongside the redesigned sedan when it goes on sale sometime next year.

BMW spokesperson Oleg Satanovsky confirmed the news after Car Direct discovered that order guides made clear the 2019 wagon and GT were beginning production later this month. However, nothing was mentioned about the sedan’s status, hence the inquiry to BMW. Here’s what’s happening: the all-new 3 sedan will begin production in November, starting with the 330i and 330i xDrive variants. There’ll also be a new performance model dubbed the M340i and the M340i xDrive, both set to enter production next April. Specs for these models have yet to be released. BMW also confirmed that the 328d turbo diesel wagon will be discontinued when production ends in December. No replacement is planned.

But until production of the new 3 Series sedan kicks off and vehicles arrive in showrooms, the only 2019 BMW 3 Series models you’ll see on dealership lots will be the wagon and/or GT. You won’t be able to place an order for the redesigned sedan until sometime later this year, most likely in late fall or early winter. We've seen plenty of new 3 Series spy shots over the past several months, including the next M3, which isn't expected to debut until a year or so following the regular lineup. Built on BMW's CLAR modular platform, the new 3 Series is, in many ways, a shortened 5 and 7 Series, though it'll have its own distinct personality, of course. It wouldn't be a proper 3 Series if it didn't.