Sunday Drive: BMW Explores New Design Language, AI V12s, and a Barn-Find Time Capsule

I’ve been ping-ponging between press cars and pit garages long enough to know a proper “slow news Sunday” when I see one—this isn’t that. The headline for me? BMW Explores New Design Language with Alpina in tow, a shift that could calm the grille wars and bring back the quietly confident BMW many of us fell for. Around that, we’ve got a real-world EV vs hybrid fork in the road, a reminder that crash labs save lives, an “AI hypercar” that still belts a V12 aria, a Chevy barn find that smells like paraffin and memories, plus motorsport drama from Indonesia to NASCAR overtime. Grab coffee. Maybe two.

Quick Spec Face-Off: MG S5 EV vs Hyundai Kona Hybrid

CarExpert lined up the MG S5 EV against the Hyundai Kona Hybrid—both small SUVs hunting the same parking spaces with very different toolkits. One’s fully electric; the other sips fuel and dodges plug-in faff. When I last ran a Kona Hybrid across gnarly suburban speed humps, I noticed right away how the suspension shrugged off chatter and the hybrid system glued the stop-start shuffle into one smooth motion. It’s a tidy, low-stress commuter.

The MG’s pitch is obvious: ditch petrol, enjoy instant torque, and get that quietly satisfying “I passed three gas stations without stopping” vibe. The trick is living the charging routine. If you’ve got a driveway socket or reliable overnight charging, it’s a breeze. If you don’t… well, the romance fades on your third late-night hunt for a functioning public charger.

Which would I take for a week of inner-city errands and Saturday sport runs? The Kona Hybrid if my building has no chargers; the MG if I’ve got even a humble 7kW wallbox. Either way, check the boot shape (strollers and golf bags can be the real deciders).

Design Desk: BMW Explores New Design Language at BMW and Alpina

Autocar sat down with BMW’s new design lead for the brand and Alpina, who said, “I’m not here to provoke.” That line landed. For a few years, BMW has been swinging for the fences with mega-grilles and extrovert creases. Alpina, by contrast, has always been the tasteful dinner jacket to BMW M’s track suit. The promise here sounds like a recalibration—confidence without shock value, preserving Alpina’s quiet-speed ethos while keeping BMW modern and distinct.

I’ve lived with an E39 (still the platonic ideal for a 5 Series) and the latest i5 earlier this year. I’m not clamoring for nostalgia, but I do want consistency: clean sightlines, intuitive controls, and a stance that whispers “driver’s car” before it shouts “statement piece.” If this new era restores a touch of that understated competence, I’m all for it.

• Cleaner surfacing: fewer lines doing more work, with real tension in the metal rather than shouting.
• Cabin clarity: physical controls where they matter (climate), digital where it helps (navigation, driver aids).
• Alpina’s signature: multi-spoke wheels, subtle lips and splitters, and that “200 mph in a silk tie” vibe.

Why BMW Explores New Design Language matters to enthusiasts

Because it can reset priorities. Steering feel and visibility often move with design choices: slimmer pillars, lower cowl, saner wheel sizes. If Munich rolls back the cosplay and focuses on proportion and purity, the driving improves before you even start the engine. And yes, please, a seating position that doesn’t feel like you’re perched on a bar stool wearing 22s.

Behind the Crash Barriers: “Crash Day” Lessons

Another Autocar piece spent time at a crash day—yep, exactly what it sounds like. It reminded me of my last visit to a safety lab: the smell of pyrotechnic pretensioners, the eerie quiet before the sled fires, then a weirdly polite thud as tons of kit do violent work. You watch data teams swarm the wreck like pit crews, then do it all again.

• Why it matters: sensors, algorithms, and structures are tuned in real time from those impacts.
• What I look for: consistent airbag coverage, smart restraint logic (minimizing double impacts), and post-crash door operability.
• Owner tip: after any shunt—big or small—get your seat belts checked. Pretensioners can partially deploy without obvious clues.

The “AI Hypercar” With a V12: Don’t Panic

Motor1’s take on the Vittori “AI hypercar” made me smile—not because of the buzzword, but because it still rocks a V12. If AI here is driver coaching, predictive setups, and active aero that reads the road, that’s closer to a friendly engineer riding shotgun than Skynet overriding your fun. The key is an off switch and transparency—show me what it’s changing and why.

• Old-school charm: natural aspiration (reportedly) and a crescendo that a flat-plane turbo can’t fake.
• New-school assist: data-driven lap learning, possibly adaptive aero and damping that pre-loads for corners.
• What I’ll check first: pedal feel and latency. If the car thinks before it breathes, the magic goes missing.

Barn Find of the Day: 1950 Chevy, Miles Like a 3-Year-Old Hyundai

Carscoops found a 1950 Chevy dually that’s done fewer miles than your neighbor’s 2019 hatchback. It’s the kind of truck you roll out of a dim shed, blink into the sun, and immediately wonder if the tires are older than you. The charm is obvious—period gauges, honest sheetmetal, and a stance that looks ready to tow America—but it’s the preservation that sells it.

If you’re tempted:

• Budget for the invisible: brake lines, fuel tank, seals, and the cooling system. Rubber ages even in perfect stillness.
• Resist over-restoring: a sympathetic mechanical refresh with patina left intact can be worth more—and feel truer.
• Drive plan: keep speeds modest until the steering box and drums are dialed. These trucks like a measured hand.

Weekend Motorsports: Titles Clinched, Playoff Nerves

Moto3: Rueda wraps the 2025 title in Indonesia

Autosport reports KTM Ajo’s José Antonio Rueda sealed the 2025 Moto3 championship with a win in Indonesia. Consistency and calm—he’s been racing like a rider who knows where the points live. Textbook stuff, capped with a statement victory.

NASCAR Xfinity: Overtime chaos, playoff suspense

Road & Track captured the vibe: overtime finish, bubble math, and a paddock refreshing timing screens like stock traders mid-flash crash. Connor Zilisch chalked up his 10th win—impressive poise for a young gun—while the final playoff slot waits on officialdom and replays. If you love pressure-cooker endings, this was your snackable drama.

What BMW Explores New Design Language Means for Shoppers

• Expect evolution, not revolution: cleaner lines, better visibility, and (hopefully) fewer gimmicks.
• Alpina faithful: your sleeper sedans and SUVs should stay subtle, swift, and long-legged.
• Tech balance: physical buttons returning where fingers want them most would be a very BMW kind of progress.

What It Means for Shoppers This Week

• City dwellers: if you can charge at home, the MG’s EV proposition is compelling; if not, the Kona Hybrid keeps life simple.
• Design-watchers: BMW Explores New Design Language likely means refinement over provocation—expect evolved, not explosive, changes.
• Safety-minded: new cars learn from every lab smash; software updates can quietly improve protection.
• Enthusiasts: AI can coach without killing the thrill—provided the human remains the editor-in-chief.

Conclusion: BMW Explores New Design Language, Without Losing the Plot

This week’s through-line is balance: electric versus hybrid pragmatism, AI assists with analog heartbeats, daring design tempered by restraint. BMW Explores New Design Language feels like an olive branch to drivers who want poise over provocation. Whether you’re shopping, wrenching, or watching lap times flicker, the right kind of progress usually feels effortless. When it doesn’t, the good stuff comes with an off switch.

FAQ

• What does “BMW Explores New Design Language” actually change? Expect cleaner shapes, better cabin ergonomics, and fewer headline-grabbing flourishes—especially on Alpina models, which should remain understated rockets.
• Is the MG S5 EV a better buy than the Hyundai Kona Hybrid? Depends on charging access. With reliable overnight charging, the EV’s running costs and smoothness win. Without it, the Kona Hybrid’s simplicity and efficiency are hard to beat.
• What is an “AI hypercar” in practice? Typically, driver coaching, predictive chassis/aero adjustments, and smarter traction/energy management—features that augment the driver rather than override them.
• How should I approach a low-mileage barn find? Verify mileage with documentation, inspect for dry rot and corrosion, refresh safety-critical systems first, and preserve original finishes where possible.
• Do crash lab results affect my car after I buy it? Often, yes—manufacturers can tweak software calibrations and update safety systems based on new data. Check for service campaigns or over-the-air updates.