2010 BMW 5 Series GT, an Expensive Hatchback

BMW announced the pricing for its all-new 2010 550i Gran Turismo; it starts at $63,900, before a $825 destination charge. That may sound like a lot of money at first, but the 2010 550i sedan starts at $60,400 and doesn’t come packing the twin-turbo V-8 found in the GT, which is also equipped with the company’s first-ever eight-speed automatic. The 400-horsepower hatchback can get to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds, which is fast. It's so fast that people might not look closely at the design; instead they could focus on the GT's unique features like the split rear hatch, which can open like a traditional hatchback or a car trunk.

We haven’t tested the GT yet, but we've had plenty of seat time behind the wheel of the $67,050 X6, which packs the same engine but with a six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. That sport-tuned SUV is a blast to drive despite its polarizing looks, so maybe the 550i GT will win people over with what’s under its skin, too.

Full option pricing is below.The 550i Gran Turismo is slated to go on sale next month.

BMW Offering Holiday Cash

The second that Halloween candy went on sale in stores, the Christmas decorations were rolled out. So it is for holiday incentive offers. Automakers like to associate them with winter, making a cash-back offer sound like a gift you’d find under the tree. Getting in on the act this year is BMW, which is offering at least $1,500 cash back on every 2010 model if you finance through BMW Credit.

Many models have $2,500 cash-back offers, and the two diesel BMWs, the 335d and the X5 xDrive 35d, still have $4,500 in cash back as the company is trying to push diesel onto luxury buyers. For a full list of the cash-back offers, click below. They expire Jan. 4, 2010, which should be in time for Valentine’s Day decorations to hit store shelves.

Consumer Reports' Top 10 Automakers

Today, Consumer Reports released the results of its annual car reliability survey, which includes more than 1.4 million vehicles. This is one of the most important publications of the year for consumers interested in a car’s reliability. There were few surprises in terms of which makes are most and least reliable, with Scion maintaining the top spot. Porsche, Saab, Suzuki and Pontiac saw the biggest gains while Lincoln and Mini took the biggest hits. Check out Consumer Reports full report if you’re a subscriber. We list the top 10 most and least reliable automakers below.

Luxury Car Sales Rebound in September

Do you ever watch the business news and wonder who’s making money in the stock market when most people you know are cutting back? Inexplicably, luxury automakers saw sales bounce back in September.

While sales of Toyota were down 19% in September, Lexus saw sales go up 7%; that’s mostly because of the new RX crossover, which had an uptick of 70%.

Ford sales were down 6%, but sales at its Swedish Volvo brand were up 16%, thanks largely to the new XC60 crossover.

With relatively no new models in its lineup, BMW sales were up 3%.

Even at GM where sales were down 45%, Cadillac sales were down just 8% because of swift sales of the redesigned SRX crossover.

Through Ian's Lens: 2009 BMW Z4

When I was 8, I wanted the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. When I turned 14, any Lamborghini would have done. Now, as I slide ever closer to 35, the perfect second car for my family must fit my current set of “midlife” needs. The prerequisites? This car must be nimble and powerful, have four to six cylinders, two seats, cargo space for suitcases and camera bags, and it must look aesthetically refreshing yet classically stylish. A tall order? Maybe...

Enter the completely redesigned 2009 BMW Z4. It may not be my absolute dream car, but it comes as close as any luxury-priced modern roadster can. With a completely new look, the ‘09 Z4 announces its presence quickly with an elongated nose that gives the new Z4 the powerful stance of a performance coupe rather than a roofless roadster. Coupled with this pronounced snout is a flawlessly designed retractable hardtop that’s hidden (when down) by a raised rear end above twin tailpipes under a slight bumper. All these design cues are leaps and bounds from the previous design, which left a lot to be desired aesthetically (and don’t get me started on how ugly the soft-top was on the roadster).

The Z4 can now be called a gracefully balanced car from bumper to bumper. My favorite angle? The profile. From the side, you can see just how perfectly weighted the car really is. And let’s be honest, it would totally look sweet in the garage next to my station wagon. Unless it were white. I’d probably bring it back to the dealer if it were white.

Cars.com Reviews the 2009 BMW Z4

It may be that the 2009 BMW Z4 will have trouble finding buyers right now — after all, it’s a completely discretionary purchase. Then again, Cars.com reviewer Kelsey Mays found a good deal of day-to-day drivability in the convertible coup. Allow him to at least lay out the argument that the Z4 wouldn’t be a complete adult-toy purchase in his full review.

2009 BMW Z4 Review

Recall Alert: 2009 BMW Z4

BMW has issued a recall for an unspecified number of Z4 30i and 35i vehicles from the 2009 model year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The vehicles affected are those built between March 10 and March 19, 2009.

The recall is due to a defective crimp connector in a belt tensioner wiring plug. The defective connector could lead to increased electrical resistance of that connection, which could cause the seat belt tensioner to not deploy in a crash. This could lead to injury of the seat’s occupant.

BMW has yet to provide NHTSA with details about the fix, but owners may contact the automaker at 800-831-1117. They may also reach the NHTSA vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7

Following the launch of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 will be a hybrid version of the 7 Series luxury sedan, which will go on sale in the spring of 2010. Unlike the X6’s full hybrid setup, the ActiveHybrid 7 will feature a mild hybrid system. That means the efficiency gains are smaller, but BMW says there will still be a 15% gain in fuel economy. The 750i gets 17 mpg, so the hybrid should bump that to 19 or 20 mpg. It will also feature an auto start-stop function that will shut the engine off when at a standing stop. The company will offer both a standard version and a long-wheelbase model of the ActiveHybrid 7. There are also specially designed wheels that add some aerodynamic efficiency.

Of course, buyers of this car — the 750i starts at $80,300 — likely won’t care about the efficiency of the ActiveHybrid, which makes us wonder why it needs to exist. While the ActiveHybrid X6 will be the most powerful hybrid on the market and is aimed at driving enthusiasts, the 7 isn’t the same package. Sure, BMW says it’ll put out 455 hp and 516 pounds-feet of torque, but no one is thrashing a 7 Series with regularity. Instead, the ActiveHybrid 7 will top the lineup in price and will likely be more of a status symbol.

More photos below.

2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6

BMW has released a variety of new models and engines in the U.S., including turbocharged V-8s, diesels and now hybrids. The first hybrid to go on sale in the U.S. will be the 2010 ActiveHybrid X6 SUV. The pricey X6 won’t be a hybrid to challenge the Toyota Prius; no, BMW has teamed the hybrid system here with its top-of-the-line twin-turbo V-8, which puts out 400 hp on its own. The full hybrid system has two electric motors good for bumping that power to 480 hp. Torque is a whopping 575 pounds-feet.

While that’s more than three times the power of a Toyota Prius, the BMW can do something the Prius cannot: It travels on just electric power up to 1.6 miles at speeds up to 37 mph. The Prius can only manage 25 mph for about a mile.

Of course, folks buying the ActiveHybrid X6 will care more about the zero to 60 time of 5.4 seconds than the 20% better fuel economy versus the non-hybrid V-8. Official numbers aren’t available yet, but considering the non-hybrid X5 with the twin-turbo V-8 gets 15 mpg combined, a 20% bump would be 18 mpg. That would qualify it for Clunker status.

We’ll have more information on pricing and official mileage closer to the on-sale date in late 2009. More photos below.

Cars.com Compares Small Luxury Crossovers

Maybe you’ve decided you want to buy a luxury car but don’t quite want to spend the money for a hulking beast of an SUV. That’s why the compact luxury crossover segment was invented. In this case, Cars.com compares two of the segment’s staples and one newcomer, as the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2 and Volvo XC60 are stacked side by side in multiple categories. Find out which was the editors’ overall pick in this Cars.comparison.

Cars.comparison: Downsized Luxury Crossovers

2009|BMW|X3

2009|Land Rover|LR2

2010|Volvo|XC60