2007 Ford Focus Cruise Control Speed Regulator Servo Unit on 2040-parts.com

BMW goes front-wheel drive for the 2-series Active Tourer

BMW's long-held reputation for producing only rear- and four-wheel drive vehicles comes to an end with the the new 2-series Active Tourer, its first-ever front-wheel-drive production model. The cornerstone of BMW's Geneva show stand next month, the 2-series Active Tourer marks a significant turning point for the German automaker, adopting a transverse-mounted engine and standard FWD. It arrives here in early 2015.

BMW X4 debut at Detroit 2013

The BMW X4 – a coupe version of the X3 aimed at the Range Rover Evoque and Porsche Macan – will debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. The BMW X4 – a baby X6 – has been on the cards for some time. We first reported BMW were planning on building a coupe version of the X3 in early 2010 and by late 2010 we were hearing that BMW had signed off the X4 for production.

MINI: Meet the MINI Family Video

MINI sends us a 2011 family video Many moan that MINI has become a parody under BMW, but the truth is that it’s just become an enormous success with BMW doing what BL tried to do a generation ago – and failed. BL failed to grow and develop the Mini beyond the 1960s, although it had success in the ’60s with badge-engineered Minis (Riley Elf, Wolsely Hornet), Mini Coopers and Countrymans, and even a grown-up Mini – the Austin/Morris 1100. So BMW are really only carrying on what BL did in the ’60s, just in spades.