JUNE 19, 2024

The original - and still our favorite - Autoextremist logo. 

The AE Quote of the Century: Everybody loves The High-Octane Truth. Until they don't. -WG 

(BMW images)
The new 2025 BMW M2 adds more power, greater visual impact, and innovative equipment and digital features. Front and center in this fresh round of updates is the 20HP added to its output: the high-revving inline 6-cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology now tops out at 473HP. There are new design accents for the exterior and interior - including a BMW Curved Display featuring iDrive 8.5 with M-specific graphics - a broadened exterior color range, and the introduction of BMW Operating System 8.5 to support the latest generation of BMW iDrive. The 2025 BMW M2 retains its classic driver’s car concept of a straight-six engine, 6-speed manual gearbox, and rear-wheel-drive – a unique proposition among its rivals – and takes it to a new stage of evolution. The new BMW M2 will be built alongside the new BMW 2 Series Coupe at BMW Group Plant San Luis Potosí in Mexico. It will be launched worldwide with a production phase-in beginning in August 2024. The base MSRP is $64,900 + $1,175 destination and handling.

 

Editor's Note: Check out Peter's podcast with Andrea Hiott of Forever Motoring here. -WG 

Letter from L.A.

By Tom Pease

Beverly Hills. This Sunday was the 29th iteration of the annual Rodeo Drive Concours D'Elegance, the free event that closes the shopping area of Rodeo to show off some pretty cool cars. This year was sponsored by O’Gara Coach, which showed off the Lucid line of electric cars, and the upcoming “Beverly Hills Cop 4.” As is usual, it was a warm morning and crowded even upon opening so I skipped the Lucid display (I can see it at Century City mall) and the movie stuff (I’m still owed a refund for BH Cop 3). But there was much serious eye candy, including a Bugatti Type 57, a rare Kaiser Darrin with a factory (removable) hardtop, a gorgeous Rolls Silver Wraith convertible, and the annual appearance of Beverly Hills’ first fire engine, a 1928 Ahrens-Fox that was one of only five built, in service until 1966, and kept in showroom condition at the Rexford Drive fire station. The (stunning) 300SL Cabriolet looked almost pedestrian by comparison.

If you’re in SoCal on Father’s Day next year plan on stopping by. But bring a hat and sunscreen.

The AE Song of the Week:

 
I've never known a girl like you before
Now just like in a song from days of yore
Here you come a-knockin', knockin' on my door
And I've never met a girl like you before

You give me just a taste, so I want more
Now my hands are bleeding and my knees are raw
'Cause now you've got me crawlin', crawlin' on the floor
And I've never known a girl like you before

You've made me acknowledge the devil in me
I hope to God I'm talkin' metaphorically
Hope that I'm talkin' allegorically
Know that I'm talkin' about the way I feel

And I've never known a girl like you before
Never, never, never, never
Never known a girl like you before

This old town's changed so much
Don't feel that I belong
Too many protest singers, not enough protest songs
And now you've come along, yes, you've come along
And I never met a girl like you before

It's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right
Yeah, it's all right

"A Girl Like You" by Edwyn Collins from the album "Gorgeous George" (1994).* Written by Edwyn Stephen Collins. Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind. Watch the Official Video here. 

*Edwyn Collins is a Scottish musician who grew to fame as frontman of the post-punk band "Orange Juice." "A Girl Like You," which is an Iggy Pop tribute, was his biggest solo hit. Paul Cook, drummer of the Sex Pistols, played the vibraphone on this track. The drum track is sampled from Len Barry's 1965 hit "1-2-3." (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)

Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG