BMW will not be building an M4 Gran Coupe. That’s the word straight from M brand sales chief Jörg Bartels’ mouth.

Those yearning for a bustle butt sedan with a 430hp twin-turbo straight-six may be disappointed, but as Bartels told Australia’s Cars Guide, it’s just a matter of logistics.

The current 3-Series sedan — and thus the M3 — are built at BMW’s Regensburg factory while the 4-Series coupe and M4 are built in Munich. The 4-Series Gran Coupe is built in Dingolfing, and it would not make financial sense for BMW to make the necessary changes to a third plant in order to birth more Ms.

Bartels did say that the idea was considered, but it would require too much effort to modify the lines to accommodate the added structural and drivetrain variations on those lines, and BMW did not see the Gran Coupe selling in enough numbers to make it worthwhile. Thus, the idea was scrapped, along with plans for the M version of a 3-Series Gran Turismo.

So it appears that are at least some limits to BMW’s ever-expanding count of body style and drivetrain combos. Still, the current generation of M branded cars will see one more variant, the M4 convertible planned for 2015.

An ambitious California-based start-up named Cruise Automation has announced it is in the final stages of developing an autonomous highway driving system called RP-1.

Cruise’s RP-1 is far less advanced than the self-driving technology that Google has spent years developing. Relying on the company’s own maps, the system is centered around a roof-mounted sensor pod that uses lasers, cameras and sensors to scope out the road ahead and send data to a computer mounted in the trunk. The computer evaluates the data and automatically adjusts the steering, the throttle and the brakes in order to keep the car in its lane.

The RP-1 has its fair share of limitations. It can’t change lanes, it can’t maneuver around traffic and it doesn’t work in the rain, in dense fog or in the dark.

“Car companies tend to be a lot more cautious in rolling out new technologies because potential problems that can lead to recalls puts their brand at substantial risk,” explained Vogt. “Being a start-up, we operate much leaner and can move faster because we can take a more straightforward approach in protecting ourselves against any liability.”

France’s Citroën has fully unveiled the DS 6WR crossover that it previewed at last April’s Beijing Motor Show. Designed to boost the firm’s presence in China, the DS 6WR is boldly aimed at the Audi Q3 and the BMW X1.

The DS 6WR wears an upscale design that borrows a noticeable amount of design cues from the Wild Rubis concept that was presented at last year’s edition of the Shanghai Motor Show. It wears a muscular front end with a bulged hood, sharp LED headlights and the firm’s trademarked “DS Wings” radiator grille. The back end features horizontal tail lamps inspired by the DS5 hatchback.

Newly-published pictures reveal the DS 6WR packs an opulent cabin with acres of leather upholstery, LED ambient lighting and imitation brushed aluminum trim on the center console, the dashboard and the four-spoke steering wheel. A digital instrument cluster that includes a configurable screen comes standard, and most models are equipped with a small touch screen on the center stack that runs the latest generation of Citroën’s infotainment system.

Power for the crossover comes from a selection of gasoline-burning four-cylinder engines lifted from the brand’s parts bin including a 1.6-liter unit that generates 200 horsepower. The crossover is only offered with front-wheel drive but Citroën’s Grip Control technology helps improve traction in challenging driving conditions.

The DS 6WR will be built in Shenzhen, China, and sold exclusively on the local market where DS-badged cars are distributed in standalone showrooms. Pricing information will be published closer to its on-sale date.

Live images by Ronan Glon.

Nissan has announced the pricing details and trim levels for the new Pulsar, a hatchback with which the automaker intends to take on the perennial C segment favorite, the VW Golf.

Four trim levels and a starting price of $27,446 for the UK market — undercutting the VW stalwart by $1,682 — will begin the assault. The entry level Visia trim comes standard with aircon, a 5-inch color screen, steering wheel mounted controls and Bluetooth.

The Acenta trim, comparable to a Golf SE, comes with a additional mod cons: Nissan’s collision avoidance system, automatic lights and wipers, and smart keys.

The n-tec is Nissan’s challenge to the Golf GT. It adds 17-inch wheels, LED lights, a color back-up camera and a NissanConnect infotainment system that contains smartphone integration and Google’s Send-to-Car technology. At $32,594, it is a significantly better value than the Golf’s $39,458.

Finally, the Tekna tosses in a host of safety features including lane departure warnings, blind spot monitors and Nissan’s class leading moving object sensors for parking assistance.

Though engine choices are currently limited to two engines rather than VW’s ten, the 113hp 1.2-liter ekes out 10 more hp than the VW 1.2. The other option, a 1.5-liter common rail diesel, provides 108hp and 192 lb-ft of torque (the VW’s top-rated 1.6 oil-burner has the same 108hp rating, but with 8 fewer lb-ft).

Where the Pulsar is lacking is a diesel four in the 2.0-liter range, but a turbo 1.6 will join the lineup in early 2015, churning out 187hp and 177 lb-ft. The range should help Nissan with its stated goal of matching the Golf’s specs, but will need further oomph to take on the Golf GTI. The Pulsar will debut this fall, but will not reach US shores.

Chrysler will be selling a rebadged Mitsubishi compact sedan in Mexico. The announcement this week comes hot on the heels of a similar report regarding the Chinese market.

Though the exact car has not been named, Chrysler de Mexico did affirm that the four-door offering would compete in the hot-selling B segment, meaning it is most likely be the new Mitsubishi Mirage G4. Though Mitsubishi has said it would not sell the Mirage G4 in the US, it will be offered in Canada and now, it seems, to our neighbors to the south. It makes sense though: Mexico’s B segment sales comprised nearly one quarter of all the country’s new car transactions in 2013.

In Canada, the Mirage will be sold with the same 1.2-liter, 74hp three-cylinder that powers the US-spec Mirage hatchback. A choice of 5-speed manual or CVT transfers power to the front wheels, but its main selling point is a claimed 44 highway mpg.

Though it was reported that in China the Chrysler version would be slightly altered for a more upscale feel, it’s not known if that would be the case in Mexico. Chrysler has had a long history of selling rebadged Mitsubishi products in North America, starting with the Dodge Colt series (actually RWD Mitsubishi Galants) in the US market in 1970. Sales of the new sedan will begin as early as November 2014.

Peugeot has published a full set of details about the 2008 DKR, a purpose-designed race car built to spearhead the automaker’s return to the iconic Dakar Rally after a 25-year hiatus.

Driven by experienced pilots Carlos Sainz and Cyril Depres, the 2008 DKR features a carbon fiber body bolted to tubular steel frame. It features a menacing look with angular headlights similar to the ones found on the regular-production 2008, a thin radiator grille and black alloy wheels mounted on off-road competition tires manufactured by Michelin. A two-tone flat paint job wraps up the murdered-out look, while a coupe-like silhouette adds a sporty touch to the overall appearance.

Power for the 2008 DKR comes from a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged diesel-burning V6 rated at 340 horsepower and an impressive 590 lb-ft. of torque. Mounted behind the passenger compartment, the twin-turbo mill spins the rear wheels via a six-speed sequential gearbox.

Although critics are skeptical Peugeot can win Dakar with a two-wheel drive car, engineers believe the 2008 DKR has the potential to perform better than four-wheel drive racers entered in the event by competing automakers.

“Given the off-road capability of two-wheel drive transmission and its ability to run on sand, that’s the choice we ultimately went for. It enabled us to fit bigger wheels and also to benefit from more suspension travel,” explained Jean-Christophe Pailler, Peugeot Sport’s Project Leader.

The 2008 DKR is scheduled to make its competition debut in January of 2015 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It will face stiff competition from an eclectic field of rivals including a heavily-modified MINI Countryman that has placed first in every edition of the grueling race since 2012.

Live images by Ronan Glon.

Several low-resolution spy shots have prematurely revealed the production version of the Kia K4 concept that bowed last April at the Beijing Motor Show.

Expected to retain the K4 nameplate, the 186-inch long sedan is being designed exclusively for the Chinese market. The spy shots indicate the car is nearly identical to the concept that bowed in Beijing but it features a more realistic radiator grille, a less aggressive bumper and smaller wheels.

Borrowing a page from the Mercedes-Benz playbook, Kia will ask K4 buyers whether they want a sporty-looking grille with mesh inserts or a more elegant unit with horizontal slats.

The K4 will boast a well-appointed cockpit available with a wide array of electronic equipment including a rear-view camera, the latest generation of Kia’s UVO infotainment system and a push-button ignition.

Power for the K4 will likely come from a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that spins the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Other engine options will include a naturally-aspirated 1.8-liter four-banger rated at 146 horsepower and 129 lb-ft. of torque and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder that generates 162 horsepower and 143 lb-ft. of torque. The 2.0-liter unit will reportedly be offered with a six-speed manual transmission.

Sources indicate the K4 will start at 140,000 yuan (approximately $22,500) and top out at 180,000 yuan (roughly $29,000). At the time of writing Kia is not planning on selling the sedan outside of China.

Look for full details about the Kia K4 to emerge next fall.

Tesla Motors’ safety record may have been slightly tarnished by an alleged car thief behind the wheel of a Model S in West Hollywood.

The car was reportedly stolen from a Tesla store, initiating a high-speed chase that reached 100 mph before the Model S struck another car and slammed into multiple light poles, according to NBC Los Angeles.

The Model S was said to have been split in half by the poles, sending the back end into the corner of a synagogue entrance where it appears to have been securely wedged above the ground. The front end of the car consequently ignited, reportedly with explosion sounds that may have been caused by bursting battery cells.

“I have never seen half of a car wedged into a building before,” Sheriff Lt. Michael White told the news outlet.

The alleged thief is reportedly in critical condition, while occupants in the Honda were in serious condition. Several pursuing officers were also reportedly injured when their cruiser struck a median.

The accident adds to a handful of high-profile accidents that resulted in fire, though Tesla argues that its vehicles have a much better safety record than competing gasoline-powered models on the road. Specifically, the fire risk is said to be five times lower than the average car.

The company has nonetheless modified the Model S to include additional protections in front of the battery, with a reinforced titanium plate under the module to prevent road debris from piercing the cells.

The Model S driver in West Hollywood was ejected from the vehicle. It is unclear if they were wearing a seatbelt during the chase.