Not to be outdone by the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS, Porsche Panamera, Aston Martin Rapide or Audi A7, BMW will reportedly be building a production version of the Gran Coupe concept that debuted at this year’s Beijing Motor Show. It may be a late arrival to the growing segment of swoopy luxury sedans, but BMW will indeed poise the Gran Coupe to offer just as much in the way of technology and refinement as the lot of its competitors.

Based on the next-generation 6 Series, the Gran Coupe is set to launch sometime in 2012 and will share its powertrains with what we’re seeing in the 5, 6, and 7 Series BMWs, including a possible hybrid variant. Naturally, the production Gran Coupe will slot between the 5 and 7 Series in terms of size and price, and if the overall design doesn’t change too much, it’ll certainly be an attractive addition to the BMW lineup.

Seventy years ago, BMW’s racing division celebrated its greatest racing triumph so far in the world of motor sports by winning first, third, fifth and sixth places at the 1940 Mille Miglia with its classic 328.

To honor this anniversary, BMW Group’s Italian arm has created a special edition version of the firm’s hardtop roadster called the Z4 sDrive35is Mille Miglia, of which only 99 examples will be sold in Italy.

Based on the standard Z4 sDrive35is that’s powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six with 340HP, the Mille Miglia edition comes equipped with an M Sports aerodynamics package and 19-inch alloy wheels in a dark chrome shade, while the body is finished in a matte silver color called ‘Polaris’.

Other exterior highlights include the ‘Mille Miglia’ badges and the matte black kidney grilles.

Inside, the most noticeable feature of the Z4 sDrive35is Mille Miglia are the sports seats covered in Alcantara and leather with contrasting red stitching. The car also gets an M Sport steering wheel, unique floor mats, ‘Mille Miglia’ badges and special decorative trim.

This is officially the release of the 5-Series Touring (see our previous post here) and the car’s exactly what you think it is in every way: a station wagon version of BMW’s 5-Series, and a damn sight prettier than the postmodern 5GT.

That means that just about anything available on the 2011 5-Series saloon (Variable Damper Control, 8-Speed Sport automatic gearbox, EfficientDynaics technology) will also be offered on the wagon.

The four engines at launch will be the 520d (184HP 2.0L diesel), 530d (245HP 3.0L diesel), 523i (204HP 3.0L petrol), and 535i (306HP 3.0L turbo petrol). Being a touring model, it’s obviously meant to be a more utilitarian take on the 5-Series.

Taking this into consideration, everything needed to get the kids to the vet or the dog to school is available: split-folding rear seat (40/20/40), luggage cover attached to the rear hatch, unique opening rear hatch window, load-leveling suspension, and roof rails (available in matte aluminum, matte black, or gloss black).

The Touring 5-er’s storage space has grown by 60 liters to 560 liters (19.8 cu ft) with the seats up, or 1,670 liters (59 cu ft) with the seats folded down. Also, BMW seems to have fixed the issue of the rear seats’ lean-in to the cargo area.

If necessary, the seats can be fixed in a more-upright position, adding 30 liters (1.06 cu ft) of space in the rear, while keeping the rear seats functional and straightening your kids’ spines. They call it “Extended Storage”; I call it a free trip to the chiropractor.

Like other upcoming BMW models, EfficientDynamics plays a key role in the car’s…efficiency.

That means Start/Stop tech, a gear shift indicator for those people who can drive with two feet, and, “completing the panoply [Noun: a magnificent or impressive array] of BMW’s…EfficientDynamics package are Brake Energy Regeneration, Active Aerodynamics, Low rolling resistance tires, Electric Power Steering and lightweight engineering throughout the vehicle.”

With the newest generation, BMW debuts a few 5-Series Touring firsts: “The BMW 520d Touring is the first 5 Series to come with Auto Start-Stop, reducing the engine idle period when coming to a short stop”. The Touring can also be fitted with “four-wheel Integral Active Steering”, which helps cut the turning radius.

If you live in Europe, BMW’s latest executive tourer goes on sale in September

To fill the gap in the 3-series lineup between the 300-hp 335i and the 414-hp M3, BMW is introducing the new 335is coupe and convertible. We were unaware that said gap needed to be filled, but we’re told that the 335i is seen in the U.S. as just an ordinary 3-series, and, as such, there’s room for something more exotic than a 335i but less outlandish than an M3. Now that we’ve been given the chance to drive the 335is coupe, we’re coming around to accepting this whole gap idea.

More Power and a Body Kit and …

Conceptually similar to the 330i Performance Package model that was available as part of the previous-generation 3-series lineup, the 335is doesn’t go so far as to threaten the M3’s supremacy, but it definitely ups the sportiness quotient. To that end, the 335is gets 320 hp and 332 lb-ft torque from the twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six engine, and an overboost function allows for seven-second blasts of 370 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the regular-grade 2011 335i, the 335is sticks with the older twin-turbo engine for the simple reason that BMW engineers had more experience tuning it. This same engine can also be found in the Z4 sDrive35is that was introduced at this month’s Detroit auto show. In the Z4, the engine makes 335 hp; a more restrictive intake on the 3-series accounts for the 15-hp difference.

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A little after a leaked brochure gave us our first taste of the lightly refreshed 2011 3-Series Coupe and Convertible models, BMW rushed out an official release and a whole bunch of pictures. For the 2011 model year, the Bavarian automaker’s bread-and-butter coupe and cabriolet models receive some minor cosmetic touches and updated powerplants.

The most notable – that is, if you’re a hardcore bimmer fan- changes on the outside concern the widened kidney grille, reshaped LED headlamps, front and rear bumpers with restyled lower fascias, new exterior mirrors and finally, reworked tail light cluster with a new color scheme.

According to BMW, these modifications slightly extend the front and rear overhangs by 1.14 and 0.12 inches respectively.

The only change in the cabin concerns the convertible models and the use of sun-reflective technology to mitigate temperatures on leather seating, armrest surfaces, headrests, and gear shifter. BMW says that this new treatment is able to reduce surface temperatures on dark interior colors by up to 20 Celsius degrees (36 Fahrenheit degrees) and by as much as Celsius degrees (27 Fahrenheit degrees)on light-colored upholstery.

In North America (we’ll bring you details on the Euro spec models shortly), the 2011 3-Series Coupe and Convertible models will be offered once again in two flavors, the 328i and 335i.

As noted in our previous post, the 2011 335i is fitted with BMW’s new twin scroll single turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six, designated N55, that replaces the previous model’s N54 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight six.

BMW says that even though output has remained the same as before at 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, the new single turbo engine is more responsive, more fuel efficient, and cleaner-running than its predecessor.

The rear-wheel drive 335i Coupe and Convertible accelerate from 0 – 60 mph (96km/h) in just 5.3 (5.5 coupe automatic) seconds and 5.5 (5.7 cabrio automatic) seconds, respectively, when equipped with a six speed manual gearbox.

The all-wheel drive 335i xDrive coupe is slightly faster at 5.2 seconds (5.3 sec for the automatic model).

The 328i’s 230 horsepower, 200 lb-ft, 3.0-liter inline-6 engine has been carried over unchanged from the 2010 model.

No word yet on the sporty 335is variants with a tweaked 3.0-liter twin-turbo churning out 322HP that were mentioned in the leaked sales leaflet.

In the U.S. and Canada, the 2011 3 Series Coupe and Convertible models will go on sale in Spring 2010, with pricing set to be announced closer to the on-sale date.