The concept car ActiveHybrid 5 has under its hood a sophisticated hybrid setup that involves a 6-cylinder gasoline direct injected and twin turbocharged engine paired with a lithium ion battery dependent electric motor.

The electric motor of this green car registers 54 horsepower and is linked to the gasoline engine via a special clutch. When the driver hits the brakes or when the car is coasting, the electric motor will be activated as a generator to charge the batteries.

The hybrid system is similar to the setup of the ActiveHybrid 7 where the electric motor is paired with a V8. According to BMW designers, the technology allows one to save about 10% of fuel and it also permits all-electric driving in the city streets. It also makes use of a stop-start technology to save more fuel. Weather control is also controlled by the battery and does not depend on the engine.

BWM also linked the navigation system with the software that controls the consumption of energy of the motor, battery, and the engine. The car may for example depend on the battery more when cruising down a downhill route and the system is designed to recharged it as it passes on that section of the road.

BMW has not released any figures about fuel economy or power outputs but expect for updates as soon as we hear about them.

There is something about this concept that is both classic and modern. I don’t know, something about it strikes me as being evocative of a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost, and believe me when I say that is an absolutely enormous compliment.

Way back when this was revealed, it was done in the days leading up to the Mille Miglia, a contemporary road race designed for those cars which originally competed in the first event, which took place between the years of 1933 and 1957. As it happened, back then the fastest time was set by the BMW 328, which got an average of more than 100 miles per hour in 1940.

Last year, an insider gave the auto world a hint that BMW is developing a green sports car that will be to the liking of the concept M1 Homage. The M1 Homage is like a back to the future to the BMW classic designs. The concept has the core design of the original M1 but a daring design fit for the future.

The car manufacturer aims to build a concept car that will be using the latest technologies of EfficientDynamics of BMW. Aside from the efficient engine, the car will also display sustainable design and innovative use of elements to produce the car.

The end goal of BMW is to make a sports car that showcases the most advanced BMW environmental technologies. It might be a 2-seater vehicle. The expected release of the sports car will be by 2012 and is expected to only have a limited production run.

The BWM concept can have a potential market head on collision with the Gullwing of Mercedes Benz and the R8 of Audi.

“The X1 will be manufactured on a new platform resulting from that of the 1-Series; the engine line-up will feature the 120i (170bhp) and 130i (265bhp) petrol units, and 120d (177bhp) and 123d (204bhp) Diesels, with BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system.“

I’ll be road-testing this one as soon as it comes out because I really love the look. Keep your eyes on the blog!

The contract to build the PAS has been awarded to BMW’s Dingolfin, one of the world’s most advanced institutions in the world.

It’s a audified version of the Z4 Coupe, and I’m loving it.

Great work Stéphane!

A great way of celebrating the 30th anniversary of the M1.

Anyway, designers Jai Ho Yoo and Lukas Vanek passed the class – and I’m sure Sci-Fi lovers will LOVE this too.

Click photo for full size view.

The results these ambitious and obviously talented students came up with are breathtaking and disturbing. Beautiful – yes. Do I hope to see these kind of cars take over the streets in under ten years – no way!

Anwyway, we will be zooming in on some of the designs over the next couple BMWTalk posts, so keep your eyes peeled!