Spy Shots: BMW Puts 5-Series Gran Turismo Under the Knife

There's so much you can do to improve the looks of a car like the 5-Series Gran Turismo (GT), and judging by these latest spy photos, BMW isn't really in the mood for any extensive modifications for the car's mid-life update.

Instead, the exterior refresh simply tweaks the front and rear bumpers along with the respective light clusters, and possibly the grille, bringing all these elements in line with BMW's more recent presentations like the F30 3-Series and the F20 1-Series. Understandably, the same will apply to the rest of the 5-Series range, the sedan and Touring models.

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Spied: New BMW i3 Drops More Camo, See it Side to Side With the Concept

The clock is ticking for the presentation of the first production model of BMW's newly formed "i" sub-brand, the i3 supermini that will be followed by the more expensive and upscale i8 sports coupe. Sales of the i3 hatchback are scheduled to start in the first quarter next year with BMW to offer the car with standard plug-in electric or optional range extender-assisted, electric-drive powertrains.

In these fresh spy shots that landed in our email box today, the i3 has shed sections of the swirly disguise from glasshouse and the front and rear aprons. To understand what has changed from the original concept displayed at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, we placed the images of the prototype next to the study.

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Spied: BMW X1 Prototype with Electric Motor Trots Out for Testing

When the BMW Group took the decision to electrify and hybridize its automobile lineup a few years back, it wasn't playing around.

Today, the Bavarian carmaker offers two pure electric models (albeit only as a lease in limited numbers as trial cars), the 1-Series-based ActiveE and the MINI E, and several hybrids, such as the ActiveHybrid 3, 5 and 7. Later this year, it will enhance its range with the i3 all-electric hatchback and from 2014, with the i8 hybrid sports car.

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BMW Asks If You Can Identify the New Model in This Sketch

When they're not blasting us with covered up or smoked teasers of future models on their social media sites, automakers and their respective marketing agencies tend to get interactive with viewers.

Such is the case with BMW and this sketch of one of its new / upcoming models, which was shared on the Bavarian brand's German FaceBook page with the following question in its native language: "Welcher BMW ist hier in einer frühen Design-Skizze zu sehen?", which Google translates to, "Which BMW is seen here in an early design sketch?".

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Scoop: New BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe Promises to be a Prettier Take on the 3-Series Sedan

Not content with covering all the mainstream and even niche ends of the compact executive segment with the new 3-Series Sedan, Touring and Gran Turismo, and in the coming months, the 4-Series Coupe and Convertible models as well, BMW is now carving a…niche within a niche, with a sixth body style, the 4-Series Gran Coupe.

Whereas the 3-Series Gran Turismo is designed as an alternative to the 3-Series Sedan and Touring models, the new 4-Series Gran Coupe promises to combine the practicality of the 3-Series Sedan's four doors with the longer wheelbase of the 3-Series Gran Turismo and the looks of the 4-Series Coupe.

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Scoop: BMW Testers Feel the Cold in New 4-Series Convertible

The last thing you want to do on a cold day is to drive around in a convertible model with its top down, but if you're an automotive tester, practicing things that most regular drivers will never do, is part of the job.

Enter the workday of BMW's engineers, who were photographed by our spies running around in a 4-Series Cabriolet prototype with its metallic roof in the wrong position for this time of year in Northern Europe.

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