Designtalk: Light - Magic - Technology with Adrian van Hooydonk and Paul Cocksedge. Highlight Summary.

“Today, our customers expect the cars to work very well but they buy our products for something else, something that is more emotional. With the lamps, we have reached that level where it began to be more than just a functional piece.”

“We try to use the technology in a way that it strengthens the character of the car and becomes a design project in and of itself so that it’s something that you see from afar. And also when you go up closer to the car, there is a lot of stuff that you can discover.”

“We start using light to also create an ambience in the car. It does create an atmosphere … CONTINUED

Much is already known about the BMW i8, but its pricing when it hits the market in 2014 has been the stuff of speculations only.

We previously estimated that the i8 would be priced at over €100,000 (Euro) and this has now been confirmed by Ian Robertson, BMW’s head of sales and marketing in Germany and a board member of BMW North America. Speaking to reporters at the grand opening of the world’s first BMW i Store in London, he confirms that the i8 will sell for “more than €100,000″ (approximately $125,000 USD at current conversion rates) in Europe. Although this pricing doesn’t come as a surprise, it is the first time that BMW officials have confirmed any target price range.

Robertson did not provide any pricing estimate … CONTINUED

The Turner Motorsport Girls get a hot lap of Mid-Ohio in one of the BMW Performance Driving School E92 M3 coupes. Their on-track chauffeur is Matt Mullins, Chief Driving Instructor of BMW Performance Driving School in Greenville, South Carolina.

Nice visual and aural delights. Yeah, we’re talking about the M3 of course!

Bought for £4000, Chris and pals take the 325 for its first gravel test. Many things go wrong. Watch the adventure (or misadventure) that results from their trip to rally this 170hp Alpina engined E30 325i for the first time.

Here’s a first real life look at the Frozen Blue Individual BMW M5 F10 M Performance Special Edition, which is currently on display at the Canary Wharf MotorExpo in London.

Photos and details inside.

Four award-winners spanning a displacement range of 1.6 to 4.0 litres – BMW Group again emerges as the most successful auto manufacturer in the internationally renowned engine contest.

Unbeaten titleholders and triumphant newcomers have secured the BMW Group’s renewed pre-eminence at the 2012 International Engine of the Year Awards. Powerplants guaranteeing efficient power delivery in current BMW and MINI models topped no fewer than four out of eight displacement categories. The quartet of trophy-winners comprised two four-cylinder engines, a straight-six and an eight-cylinder. Scooping up best-in-class wins were the 1.6-litre turbo unit of the MINI John Cooper S, the four-cylinder engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology that drives the new BMW 328i, among others, the straight-six with M TwinPower Turbo of the BMW 1 Series M Coupe, … CONTINUED

Today, the BMW Group presented its first BMW i Store worldwide in London, unveiling a showroom that offers a completely new brand experience focused on sustainable mobility. BMW i Park Lane will officially open its doors on 25th July.

The event to preview the new BMW i Store was hosted by Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Sales and Marketing BMW.

Ian Robertson said: “BMW i Park Lane marks a completely new approach. Situated next to BMW Park Lane and MINI Park Lane, it gives people a perfect opportunity to learn more about electromobility and get close to our future electric and plug-in hybrid BMW i vehicles. This is a further demonstration of our commitment to electromobility.”

The opening of the new BMW i … CONTINUED

Celebrating its premiere at the BMW i Store is the new BMW i Pedelec (Pedal Electric Cycle) Concept – a custom-made complement to the BMW i3 Concept. The ace up the sleeve of the compact bicycle? It can be folded up almost in the blink of an eye and, handily, there is room for two of them in the boot of the BMW i3 Concept.

BMW i has come up with an innovative two-wheeler, which acts as the perfect complement to the BMW i3 Concept and adds a new and convenient layer to personal mobility, particularly in urban areas. The new BMW i Pedelec (Pedal Electric Cycle) Concept is a compact bicycle fitted with an electric motor that tops up the rider’s muscle power with an extra … CONTINUED

Earl Duque of Los Angeles, CA, drove off in a brand new 2012 BMW 3 Series Sedan last week as the winner of the automaker’s “0 to Desir3 in 5.9 Seconds” contest. The contest asked participants to submit a video running approximately 5.9 seconds – a reference to the time it takes the vehicle to go from 0–60 mph – showing how much they “desire” a new BMW 3 Series Sedan.

Duque’s winning video, “Test Drive Nostalgia,” features him and a friend sitting behind the wheel of a car, wistfully daydreaming about the sensation of test driving a BMW 3 Series Sedan. Utilizing green screen technology, Duque seamlessly integrates this scene into a pre-existing BMW 3 Series spot, resulting in a humorous new video. It can be … CONTINUED