PARIS (AP) — The Latest on the Paris Auto Show (all times local):
10 a.m.
BMW says drivers will be able to use their smartphones to unlock and start the engine of its new Series 3 models.
The German manufacturer has unveiled the latest iteration of the 3, its best-selling model that has sold more than 50 million units, at the Paris auto show.
BMW says the car is 55 kilograms lighter and more aerodynamic than its predecessors, has far better fuel efficiency, and has a revised interior and a digital keyboard operated by the driver’s smartphone.
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8:10 a.m.
All-electric vehicles with zero emissions are among the stars of the Paris Motor Show — rubbing shoulders with the fossil-fuel burning SUVs that many car buyers love.
Volkswagen’s Audi and Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz both on Tuesday showed off battery-powered SUVs for affluent customers.
Mercedes also had a new, bigger version of its conventionally powered GLE sport-utility, while BMW offers a new version of its X-5 SUV that has been a pillar of sales and earnings.
The model mix at the show underlined the contradictions pulling at the industry. The European Union and China are pushing for more electric and hybrid vehicles to reduce greenhouse gases and pollution, while consumers like SUVs and remain reluctant to buy electrics due to cost and range limitations.
