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CASCAIS, Portugal—BMW is one of the more advanced automakers when it comes to electrification. Its current portfolio of electric vehicles includes the iX and i7 , both of which have the edge on the competition in their respective classes—not bad for cars that use an underlying architecture that was designed to be powertrain-agnostic. Engineers, back at the corporate base in Munich, have been hard at work on its next platform, though, which will be just for battery EVs and will debut with next year's Neue Klasse.

Last year, we saw a preview of what the Neue Klasse sedan should look like when it goes on sale in 2025. Now, we've seen the Vision Neue Klasse X, which will morph next year into BMW's next electric crossover, probably with the iX3 nameplate. It will be an important car for the German automaker; crossovers and SUVs fail to get any less popular with the car-buying public, and demand for the production version of the Neue Klasse X will surely outstrip that for the four-door car.

BMW would rather call its X cars "Sports Activity Vehicles" rather than SUVs or crossovers and argues that it invented the breed with the original X5. That car was a handsome machine, and the Neue Klasse X keeps those classic two-box proportions and adorns them with bold angular creases that emphasize the wheel arches and create some negative space lower down the car's side that has the effect of reducing its visual bulk.

Enlarge / BMW calls the X2 a Sport Activity Coupe. (credit: Jonathan Gitlin)

Last week, we told you about our first drive in the new Mini Countryman John Cooper Works, Mini's new little crossover. This week, it's the turn of a related model, built on the same vehicle architecture: BMW's new X2 crossover, or "Sports Activity Coupe" in BMW-speak. As we'll find out, the BMW shares more than one trait with the Countryman JCW.

BMW had an array of X2 M35is, all painted the same "Frozen Tampa Bay" shade of green, which starts in the US at $51,400. There's a less-powerful $42,000 X2 xDrive28i coming here as well, but North American customers will not be offered the battery-electric iX2—BMW's product planners evidently didn't think importing the diminutive EV would be profitable. Outside the US, BMW expects 1 in 5 X2s to be electric.

The first-generation X2 (and the more upright-looking X1) were divisive cars even by BMW standards. The new one is slightly bigger than before, at 179.3 inches (4,554 mm) long, 72.6 inches (1,844 mm) wide, and 62.6 inches (1,590 mm) tall. That translates to more rear legroom and more cargo volume at the back, but it's not a massive machine—a touch bigger than the Audi Q3 but a bit smaller than a Mercedes-Benz GLB .

Enlarge / It wasn't the best weather for riding, but we braved the elements anyway to try out this adorable-looking machine. (credit: Daniel Kraus for BMW)

While I wouldn't say the BMW CE 02 has universal appeal, there is something incredibly compelling about the thing. It doesn't matter if you've ever thrown a leg over a motorcycle or scooter or whether a two-wheeled means of conveyance makes any sense for your mobility needs.

Take one look, and you'll probably want one.

Unfortunately, reading the particulars of the bike reduces its appeal dramatically. With a top speed of just 59 mph (95 km/h), a range of only 56 miles (90 km), and a recoil-generating base price of $7,599, the CE 02 is a tricky proposition.

Enlarge / Until now, remote parking systems have mostly required the parking lot or garage to fit expensive sensors and equipment. BMW's approach is different, requiring nothing that isn't already on the car. (credit: Tim Stevens)

If I had a dollar for every automated self-parking demo I've seen over the years, many of which happened at CES, I'd probably have enough money to tip a Las Vegas valet, folks whose jobs are still very secure.

But that might actually be changing soon. Given all those earlier demos that went nowhere, I wasn't particularly enthused when I heard that BMW and Valeo were demonstrating yet another implementation of a car parking itself for the 2024 CES in Las Vegas.

However, after a quick chat with the folks behind the technology and getting a chance to try it myself, I realized I was wrong. Remote Valet is impressive not only for what it can do but because it does it without any technology more advanced than what's already found in today's production cars.

Enlarge / A Porsche 963, one of the four different kinds of hybrid prototype racing cars built to the LMDh rules, running in IMSA's GTP class at the 2023 Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October. (credit: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The crowd streamed onto the track before the race, seizing their last chance to see the brightly liveried cars up close. Daytona had been busy in January, but the crowd at Road Atlanta seemed even larger. To be honest, though, the race the fans were here to see would not be one for the ages. A 52-car grid packed into just 2.8 miles of race track promised potential trouble, and the 10-hour race saw 14 interruptions by the safety car, never getting into a rhythm. But I’m not sure that mattered much; the main draw for many in attendance that Saturday was simply seeing this new era of hybrid prototypes in person, and on that score, everyone left with smiles.

We’ve spilled plenty of pixels over the past 18 months or so delving into some of the minutiae of this new class of racing car, variously known as LMDh or GTP . Briefly, these are purpose-built racing cars, which start with a carbon-fiber spine from one of four racecar constructors and then add an engine, bodywork, and software from one of the four OEMs that participate, and then the same Xtrac gearbox, Williams Advanced Engineering lithium-ion battery, and Bosch electric motor as a way to keep development costs reasonable.

The rules purposely limit the amount of aerodynamic downforce a car can generate relative to the amount of drag it creates, and they positively encourage each car maker to give these race cars styling that calls out to their road-going products.

Greetings again! Thought I would share a few more sickk screenshots of my sicckkk BMW on Need For Speed Unbound. This the latest NFS game atm, and it's pretty fun. Most fun NFS game I ever played, times by two! Also best car or vehicle game I have at the moment too. Beats SnowRunner for entertainment right now, for sure.

Whattaya say? Cool er wat?!

#cars #games #nfs #needforspeed #binboez #screenshots #bmw