BMW has taken the wraps off its beefy new R 1300 R that packs plenty of power, electronics, and premium componentry to carve up the streets in style. It's yours for a starting price of US$22,320.

It even had Italian styling, prepping it for a would-be battle with some of the best in the grand touring business.

What quite a lot of gearheads may not remember is that there was a time when the Volkswagen Group went absolutely crazy with ...