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The 2019 BMW Z4 M40iHandout / BMW Cuts at BMW mean a raft of vehicles from its lineup are scheduled to be axed, and the executioners list may include a lot of our favourites, Automobile reports.Say good-bye to the next-generation Z4 (not the current one). The joint venture between Toyota and BMW will be the last youll see of the open-top sports car, if the magazines report can be believed.Convertible and coupe versions of the 8 Series two-door will apparently also be leaving us, leaving only the Gran Coupe (four-door). The regular-wheelbase 7 Series will allegedly be nixed, leaving only the long-wheelbase.The reason for the death of so many models is simple yet complicated, but it all revolves around money. BMW barely makes any profit on vehicles under 40,000 Euros, which pretty much ends everything smaller than a 3 Series that isnt a performance car. The rear-wheel-drive 1 Series, 2 Series, and lower trim 3 Series models could all be axed, Automobile says, and the small X2 CUV is also likely to have a shorter lifespan.The brand has also been in a decline the last few years, with shares decreasing 47 per cent since 2015. The car divisions earnings dropped by 22 per cent, and the return on investment fell from 9.2 to 7.2 percent; that number is estimated to drop another 4.5 to 6.5 per cent for 2019. BMW is also in a serious bind over reducing the carbon emissions of its whole fleet 25 per cent by 2021, lest it incur heavy fines; thats also contributing to the death of some less-fuel efficient cars and needless gas-powered ones.Although a lot of models are expected to die, there are still new vehicles planned. A new X8 with M variant is coming, as well as a more conventional replacement for the i3 that wont be all
Origin: BMW may not build a successor to the Z4 or 8 Series Coupe

BMW is on a tear when it comes to electrifying its product portfolio. By the end of this year it wants to have 500,000 electric vehicles on the road around the world. Most will be hybrid or plug-in hybrids, along with the i3.The next step is to launch another 25 electrified rides by 2023, two years earlier than the companyd laid out in its original mission statement.The mix will include a plug-in version of the X5 SAV and an all-electric version of the X3the iX3 will launch next year.Eventually, the M performance division will also be turning to electrification. That future was revealed late June in the form of the Vision M Next Concept. It is set to be the first to marry the performance M badge with a hybrid powertrain.Its a radical-looking vehicle with i8-like scissor doors and laser-wire technology for both the headlights and taillights. It also uses facial recognition technology to unlock the car as the driver approaches.Pressing the touch sensor on the scissor door sees it swing open to reveal a minimalist cabinit blends a funky-looking interior with an F1-like steering wheel and truly neat gauge cluster. The drive modes are changed on the steering wheel like an F1 racer, while the key information like revs, speed, energy management and even the drivers heart rate are incorporated into the multi-panel curved glass display. Naturally, it features the latest autonomous capabilitythe iNext will include a Level 3 autonomous capability, so expect more of the Vision M Next.The Vision M has two core driving modes, Ease and Boost. Ease is where the riders take a back seat and let the Vision M Next to do the driving. Pieter Nota, the board member responsible for customers, brands and service, said future BMW models will continue to have a steering wheel. This is needed to support the Boost mode. It takes the plug-in hybrid powertrain and turns it over to the driver.And a serious drive it promises to be. The Power PHEV drive system gives the driver a choice between an electric all-wheel drive setup or a rear-wheel drive setup with either all-electric or turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine motivators. The system twists out 600 horsepower and has a top speed of 300 kilometres an hour. The proof of the M side of its personality is found in the run from rest to 100 km/hat three seconds, it will wow potential customers. On the other hand, it also offers an electric-only driving range of 100 kilometres.Asked what the likelihood of a Vision M Next-inspired production car might be, Nota was non-committal. However, he did not rule it out. It does make sense, as the concept takes the current i8 and ramps it up in all areas so it would seem like a natural fit for the
Origin: BMW’s new Vision M Next Concept looks like a hybrid-electric M1 successor