A four-door variant has once again joined the M3 stable, and in so doing makes BMW's raciest 3-series not only ergonomically more practical but also financially more palatable, with a base price that undercuts the coupe's by nearly $3000. Happily for bargain shoppers and kid schleppers, the extra doors have not dulled the sensations of this most sensational 3-series.

The biggest difference between the two body styles is that the four-door forgoes the coupe's carbon-fiber roof. So the four-door is heavier, but only by twenty-two pounds. That's not enough to affect the factory's 0-to-60-mph times - 4.7 seconds for both - and certainly not enough to alter this car's character. (And even as a sedan, the M3 is still lighter than its rivals from Audi, Mercedes-Benz, and Lexus.)

Although the M3 sedan can't match the carbon-fiber content of the M3 coupe, the siblings are identical in every other way. The sedan proffers the same visual treats, including deep air intakes, front fender gills, center-exiting exhaust, and eighteen-inch wheels. Inside, there are the same front sport seats with adjustable side bolsters, the fat-rimmed steering wheel, the M-specific trim, and the console-mounted Sport button (it quickens throttle response and reduces steering boost). The optional EDC (electronic damper control) adds another button to control the three-position electronic dampers. The technology package ($3250) includes navigation; EDC; a third, hypersensitive throttle program to the Sport button; and an intermediate dynamic mode to the stability control. The tech package also allows you to call up your favorite combination of the above with its steering-wheel-mounted M Drive button.

Our low-option test car, however, came sans technology package, navigation, adjustable dampers, leather, or even a sunroof. How old-school. But the important hardware was there - the completely M3-specific aluminum suspension, the stiffened body structure, the bigger brakes, and of course, the 4.0-liter V-8 engine.

Lurking under the suggestively bulging hood, the V-8 makes a robust414 hp, but it's actually lighter and more rev-happy than the previous M3's 3.2-liter straight six, reaching its power peak at 8300 rpm, just shy of its 8400-rpm redline. "Our way is to use a high-revving engine," says M3 technical director Bernd Limmer, "which allows us to use a light drivetrain." It also gives the M3 sedan a persona that is the polar opposite of a ground-pounding torque monster like the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG.

The highest-revving four-door you can buy, the M3 is sure to elicit screams of fear and/or delight (depending on the temperament of your passengers) when you wind up its engine to the far reaches of the tach and the scenery starts coming at you like a sucker punch. The M3 was a fantastic partner for a long blast down the endlessly curving and blessedly empty Carmel Valley Road. Oh, and it's also a serene highway cruiser and perfectly polished in town. We didn't miss the whipsaw throttle option, but the available EDC would have mellowed the ride, which could be pretty stiff and jiggly. And were we able to put the DSC into dynamic mode, we could have hung the tail out in relative safety, putting an exclamation point on this car's beautifully balanced chassis. Still, even without all that, the M3 is one sensational car, two doors or four.

Open M3
The third model in the M3 family is the M3 convertible, which was unveiled at the Geneva auto show. Like the 3-series convertible, it has a retractable metal hard top. When it goes on sale in the States this summer, the convertible will usher in the M3's new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, which BMW is calling M DCT Drivelogic. This transmission replaces the much-despised SMG gearbox and will spread to the M3 sedan and coupe shortly after its debut in the droptop.

BMW has created the M1 Homage in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the M1. The design study was unveiled at the 2008 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este held in Cernobbio, Italy.

Produced from 1978 to 1981, the M1 was BMW's first and only mid-engined street car. The project was originally contracted to Lamborghini for chassis development and assembly, but when the Italian firm hit a financial rough patch BMW took over. A total of 456 M1s were built.

The original car was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and was itself based on the 1972 BMW Turbo concept penned by Paul Bracq. BMW has kept the overall proportions and many design cues of the M1 alive on the Homage, including the small kidney grille, hood vents, and rear window louvers. Also present are the original's hidden headlights, but instead of pop-up units the lights on the M1 Homage are tucked under the hood overhang and are only visible when illuminated.

The M1 was powered by a 3.5-liter six-cylinder that was later modified and used in the M5 and M6. No powertrain details were shared for the M1 Homage as the car was built as a design showpiece.

Click below for more images of the M1 Homage.

Okay, so get this: We've been laughing at BMW for years because of its insistence on calling the X5 an SAV. That's Sports Activity Vehicle. It's funny because the X5 is, by anyone else's definition, an SUV. Sport Utility Vehicle.

Why "activity?" Sure, you can do a lot of "activities" in the X5. You can spin its little iDrive controller until the computer locks up (which is fun). You can play with its new-wave shifter (which is a little disturbing, because it's shaped like... well, grab one and you'll know). You can even drive the thing. That's one particular activity that the X5 is really, really good at.

But what's BMW's problem with "utility"? We think the X5 has a huge amount of utility - it seats 7 people, it can tow 6000 pounds, and it can even do some off-roading. That's all very useful stuff. So, sorry BMW, but the X5 is an SUV. And a good one. Deal with it.

The new X6 is based on the X5, but it's not an SUV, either. In fact, it's not even an SAV. It's an SAC - a Sports Activity Coupe. Oh, really? To me, a coupe has two doors (even if it's called a Mercedes-Benz CLS or Volkswagen Passat CC, by the way). I'm going to let the ridiculous name slide for once, because there's one huge truth in the X6's SAC designation: the word "sports."

The X6 is oh-my-God good in corners - to the point that it's downright disturbing. No SAC, no SAV, and certainly no SUV should ever, ever be this good in corners. Especially when it weighs as much as two E30-series M3 (1988-91) coupes. And speaking of M3s, BMW says the V-8 X6 laps Germany's Nürburgring Nordschleife in just over 8 minutes, 30 seconds - about ten seconds slower than the E46-series M3 (2001-2007). Yeah - that one, with a 333-hp 8000-rpm engine and a chassis to die for. That's just ridiculous.

The X6 comes in two trim levels. The $53,275 X6 xDrive35i (no, that's not a joke, that's its real name) comes with that delicious 300-hp, 300-lb-ft twin-turbo in-line six that we adore in the 135i, the 335i, and the 535i. Saddled with the X6's weight (4894 lb), the overachiever of an engine still manages a 6.5-second 0-to-60-mph time. In regular driving, the 3.0-liter's big midrange torque is helpful, but if you catch the engine off-boost, patience is required. Luckily, the two teensy turbos spool up very quickly, so lag is minimal, especially at high revs. But because the turbos are so small, the engine runs out of boost (and therefore power) over 6500 rpm. Sure, it happens in the other 35i-motored cars, too, but you don't notice it as much because you're too busy giggling at how fast you're going.

The X6 xDrive50i starts at $63,775 and has an all-new V-8 under the hood. At 4.4 liters, the engine is smaller than the 4.8-liter in the other 50i-engined cars (the 550i, 650i, and 750i, to name a few) and the X5 4.8i. In place of the displacement, it packs two small turbos in the valley of the engine block's vee, and consequently it makes even more power: 400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. (The normally aspirated 4.8-liter makes 350 hp and 350 lb-ft in the X5). I wish I could say that I like the V-8 as much as I love the 35i motor, but I don't. The engine's power - and its huge torque plateau - are nice, but it experiences a lot more lag than the six-cylinder does, even at high rpm. I'm not a fan of turbo engines because I like instant throttle response, so this V-8 and I got off to a rough start. And speaking of rough starts, I had a few with the V-8: giving a little gas when accelerating off the line results in nothing, nothing, and then way too much power as the turbos spool up.

In normal driving, I preferred both the sound and the responsiveness of the xDrive35i. Its shorter gear ratios mean it feels almost as quick around town as the V-8 (it's not, though-the xDrive50i rips to 60 mph in only 5.3 seconds, according to BMW). Moreover, the ZF 6-speed automatic transmission is so mind-blowingly adept at banging off seamless shifts that I'd rather beat on the slower X6 instead of using the V-8's torque to ooze around town.

The other big news in the X6's driveline is Dynamic Performance Control, an active rear differential that can shuffle engine power (or engine drag) between the two wheels. It works together with the standard xDrive all-wheel-drive system but works like a limited-slip rear differential on steroids. Where a limited-slip diff aims to lock the two axles together in response to a slippage on one side, the DPC differential can actively shuffle power back and forth between the two - no slip is necessary. More important, it doesn't just lock the wheels together, sending up to half the torque to each side; it proactively sends torque from one side to the other. DPC can engage full "lock" in only 400 milliseconds, and at that point, it can take up to 660 lb-ft of torque from one rear wheel and transfer it to the other. That's 1320 lb-ft of torque more on one side of the car than the other, which can be used to steer the X6.

There are two main results: The first is that the X6 doesn't rely so heavily on its DSC stability control when approaching the limit. Rather than cutting power and abruptly applying the brakes to try to turn the car when you are understeering out of a corner, for example, DPC lets the engine stay at full boil, but sends power to the outside rear wheel, which helps to turn the car. So instead of experiencing a head-bobbing, ABS-pump-buzzing, no-engine-power hack-job of a corner, the X6 just flies right through it. The second benefit is that DPC does its torque-vectoring thing in regular driving, helping to steer the car even at normal speeds. This makes the X6 feel a whole lot lighter - which is a good thing, because the V-8 model weighs 5269 pounds. I told you it was as heavy as two E30 M3s. We can't blame DPC for the weight, though. The entire DPC system (including the diff, its two computer-controlled four-disc clutch packs, two planetary gearsets, all the wiring, and the bigger axles it necessitates) weighs only 26 lb more than a standard, open differential.

The aggregate of all of this technology is that the X6 is a complete rocket around a racetrack. Both 35i and 50i models understeer slightly, but they generate truly astonishing grip, brake very well, and accelerate very quickly. It's doubtful that any SUV on the planet could keep up. Frankly, most sporty cars wouldn't stand a chance. (Until, of course, the X6's mass demons overheated the brakes.)

Which begs the question: How many SUV drivers want to beat up Porsches on the back roads?

The fact of the matter is that the X6 is a vehicle that's going to sell based on its looks. And that might be a problem. The X6 looks like an AMC Eagle SX4 with a lift kit. Executive editor Joe DeMatio described its behind as looking like a horny cat with its rear end up in the air. I won't disagree.

The X6 has sports hatch proportions, which works only on a much smaller scale. In fact, if you shrunk the X6 by about 40 percent and lowered it a few inches, its proportions might look like a four-door successor to the late, great, and gorgeous Volkswagen Corrado. But at this size, with what looks like five inches of gap between the wheels and the fenders, the X6 just looks bizarre.

On the bright side, even though it appears from the outside that the X6's back seats would be uninhabitable, it's actually very comfortable back there. Headroom in the back is only about an inch less than in the X5. Of course, the X6 only seats four - and is an inch longer than the X5, which seats seven, so there damn well should be lots of room. And behind the seats, the X6 has a little more cargo room than the X5. Mind you, the sloping roof line would prevent a dishwasher from fitting, but that's the price you pay for beauty. Or so they say.

From the driver's seat, the X6 is the same truck as the X5 - so you have a great stereo, comfortable seats, and iDrive. BMW is phasing out its force-feedback iDrive controllers, and the new crop of metal wheels feel chintzy, adding insult to ergonomic injury. The rest of the driving experience is typical BMW: brilliant. Great steering feels comes through the thick-rimmed steering wheel. That transmission is the best in the world, and despite my niggles about the V-8's power delivery, both engines really are masterpieces. The electronically controlled suspension rides smoothly, and the handling is divine.

The xDrive50i we drove had a sticker price well over $80,000, but it was loaded with every conceivable option, including a rear climate package, a leather-lined dashboard, and the sport pack's twenty-inch rims. At that price, we're not surprised that BMW thinks of the X6 as a low-volume niche product. The idea of a four-seat SUV that performs like a sports car seems like something that nobody ever asked for.

Or maybe it's just history repeating itself. More than twenty years ago, Lamborghini made a truck called the LM 002. It was an outrageously heavy, unbelievably expensive, hideously ugly four-door SUV/pickup-looking-thing with a screaming Countach V-12 engine, four bucket seats, a Nardi steering wheel, and a dog-leg five-speed transmission. I recently drove one in Italy and thought "wow, this is the coolest thing ever!"

But Lamborghini sold only 301 of them. I'm just sayin'.

A new feature will allow BMW drivers to send destination information to their cars from a computer. Already available in Europe and Canada, BMW will offer its MyInfo service to U.S. customers starting with the 2008 X6.

Owners can use the Google Maps interface to find a destination and then transmit the address and an associated phone number to their BMW. Once the driver has used the Send function on the Web site, the information will appear in the MyInfo menu. This new feature allows planning for a trip from home and should also be a welcome alternative to imputing destinations via iDrive. Vehicles equipped with Bluetooth hands free can also use the system to call a destination. MyInfo can store up to ten destinations at a time. The service requires BMW Assist.

The 2008 X6 will arrive at dealers in late summer. For 2009, BMW will expand the MyInfo service to most of its lineup, including X5, X6, and 1-, 3-, 5-, 6-, and 7-series.

We've been covering the BMW 1-series since it debuted in Europe in 2004. Now, finally, the 1-series is on roads here in the United States. We've compiled our coverage of the 1-series from its debut in Europe, to the 135i spyshots, to the 1-series tii concept, all the way up to our most current road tests of the 1-series coupe and convertibles. There's also word that BMW will revive the tii badge for both 1- and 3-series models in the next few years. Feel free to discuss this hot new BMW in the Automobile Magazine forums.

We recently had a short-term 135i automatic coupe in the office, and here's what some of our editors had to say about it.

Marc Noordeloos, Road Test Editor
Man is this car fast! Pick a gear, any gear and there is power everywhere from the glorious twin-turbo. The automatic transmission is very impressive though the torque converter/throttle calibration is very aggressive off the line. The tranny has wonderful, almost DSG-like up and downshifts. Of course, I'd still rather have a manual. The chassis is typical BMW, brilliant but with a slightly choppy ride on bad surfaces and excellent steering, though it's a bit heavy at times. The ride was better than I thought it would be based upon the 130i M-sport I drove in the UK about a year ago. You can feel the new brake differential at work as the 135i likes to slide sideways where a 335i just spins its inside tire.

All of the above said, I still find this car very expensive. I like the idea of a base, 128i but a 135i with options over $40,000? Sorry, but I think a four-door GTI for $25K is a far better deal. Plus, the VW can also handle my friends and family and still is very fun to drive. Don't get me wrong, I love the 135i but I wouldn't spend my own money on one.

Jean Jennings, Editor-in-Chief
NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson says he's never had a speeding ticket because he never drives more than 9 mph over the limit. Well, Jimmie, try getting down the road in a BMW 135i without blasting through your personal invisible fence. I had a thin sweat on my upper lip this morning on the long interstate commute, every time I looked down at the speedo and saw the big bad 9-0 registered. And that was when I was really trying to keep it down to a dull roar. The 135i is oh-so rewarding when you get into the twin turbos, never mind the phalanx of state police now regularly patrolling the zone circling the home of two national car magazines. It roars, it zooms, it zips, all at your command. The automatic works like a dream once you get used to the knobby steering wheel-mounted "paddles." Fingers behind the fat wheel for upshift, thumbs in front for down. Of course, it knows you're going to mess up at first and won't allow me - I mean YOU - to downshift on the freeway at 80.

We have considered never giving this car back, but we want to get the cabrio in the office.

Joe Lorio, Senior Editor
I have now driven three versions of the 1-series: The 128i manual, the 128i automatic, and the 135i automatic. Of the three, I'd say the 128i manual is my favorite. It has the typical, fantastic BMW shifter and clutch, and the non-turbocharged 3.0-liter feels plenty lively in this car. I was not as enamored of the 128i automatic, which had me thinking that for those who insist on an automatic transmission, the turbo engine is the way to go. Getting behind the wheel of the 135i confirmed that opinion. It's ultra-responsive, even if you don't bother with BMW's backwards-logic (to my mind, anyway) shift paddles. This example also seems to have heavier steering than the other cars I drove. Now I need to drive a 135i manual . . .

Joe will get his chance soon enough when our Four Seasons 135i arrives. We'll be sure to keep you updated on our time with BMW's new coupe both here and in the magazine.