BMW Z5: A New Design Study for a Mid-Engined Supercar

Feast your eyes on the BMW Z5, a conceptual study for a mid-engined supercar created by a pair of young Turkish designers named Ismet ?evik and Fatih Tezel. There"s no description attached to the pictures, but if we counted the number of cylinders correctly, the designers built the concept with a V8 engine in mind. If you have any thoughts about the styling, you can leave them in the comments section below.

Source: Nobile-ot & Nobile-ot

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ItalDesign?s Nazca Reborn in Sabino Leerentveld Homage

Ever since the demise of BMW?s M1 in 1981, designers and illustrators alike have speculated on the look of a possible successor to the Bavarian automaker?s only mass produced, mid-engined vehicle. Some ? like industry stalwart ItalDesign ? have gone so far to build full scale, drivable mock-ups.

One such speculative mock-up was ItalDesign?s Nazca M12 of 1991 featuring a mid-mounted V12 and BMW?s ubiquitous rear wheel drive. The Italian design house also presented a race-spec version of the car called the Nazca C2 at the 1992 Tokyo Motor Show, followed by a Spyder model in 1993.

Now, twenty years later, Dutch designer Sabino Leerentveld has resurrected the Nazca C2 in the form of this rather slick homage.

With its sculpted aerodynamic flanks, EfficientDynamics-inspired nose and pillars cleverly secreted behind its massive glasshouse, Leerentveld?s Nazca homage is quite a wonder to behold. In fact, one could also most say it"s more production ready than ItalDesign?s 2008 concept. And, dare I say it, slightly less fussy in the styling department.

As always, you shouldn?t take my word for it. Check out our gallery below and deliver your verdict in the comments.

By Tristan Hankins

Source: Sabino Leerentveld

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BMW’s Vision ED-based Sports Car Likely to Cost Around US $200,000

Back in November, BMW confirmed that a hybrid sports car based on its Vision EfficientDynamics Concept would enter production in 2013. However, the Bavarian automaker did not disclose any details about the price of its "green" performance machine. Now, according to a report from InsideLine [IL] citing the BMW Sales and Marketing Director, Ian Robertson, the production version will cost a little under £150,000 [or US$234,000 / €177,000] in the UK, which suggests a price tag of around $200,000 for the States.

Speaking at the BMW 1-Series M Coupe’s launch event in London, Mr. Robertson said the price would be "less than £150,000 ($240,000)" adding that "we [BMW] haven"t finalized price point yet, but it will compete with Ferraris and high-end Porsches".

Should this be the case, the Vision ED will be cheaper than the 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS E-Cell, rumored to cost around $250,000 when it hits the market in 2012.

The concept car boasts a 1.5-liter diesel engine and two electric motors for a total system output of 328 horsepower. The sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes just 4.8 seconds, while average fuel consumption is an equally impressive 62.6 mpg US.

The company official also stated that the road legal version will "redefine how we look at high-performance sports cars", so it’s possible that the diesel-electric setup will be kept.

By Csaba Daradics

Via: Inside Line

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New Video of BMW"s Vision ED Prototype Sports Car

At the end of last week, BMW informed us that its Vision EfficientDynamics [ED] green sports car concept would become a reality and be available for sale as early as 2013. Along with the announcement and the release of new photographic material, the Bavarian automaker also published a fresh video featuring an early prototype version of the diesel-electric-powered Vision ED. To watch the new promotional film, hit the jump below.

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BMW Officially Confirms New Sportscar based on Vision ED Concept for 2013

A little over a year after the presentation of the Vision EfficientDynamics [ED] concept study at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, and following a month-long tease of what turned out to be an early prototype mule with the body of a 6-Series of the plug-in hybrid on the "Dontblogaboutthis" website (see pictures below), BMW today officially confirmed plans to build a production version of the eco-friendly sports car.

"There was a widespread desire to put the car on the road, and the realisation of this desire is moving considerably closer," the Bavarian firm said in a statement. And by this, BMW means it will have the Vision ED on the road and ready for sale in 2013.

"By developing a sports car based on the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept study for serial production, the Munich-based premium automobile manufacturer underscores its position as a global leader in the production of sporty vehicles with exemplary efficiency," said BMW.

Set to stand out as a technological tour de force, the production model will keep the 2+2 seater concept"s innovative plug-in hybrid system. We"ll remind you that the Frankfurt show car combined a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo diesel producing 163HP and 214 lb-ft of torque located behind the back seats, with two electric motors.

The first is positioned between the diesel engine and the six-speed double clutch transmission delivering a continuous output of 33HP and 214 lb-ft, and up to 51HP momentarily. The second electric motor is located in the front of the vehicle and churns out a continuous output of 80HP and peak torque of 162 lb-ft. It can produce 112HP for up to 30 seconds, and, for a 10-second "burst," 139HP.

According to BMW, the system"s overall output is rated at 328-horsepower (241 kW). This allows performance figures at the level of a sports car -think M3- with 4.8 seconds for the 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint, while returning city-car efficiency with an average fuel consumption of 3.76 litters/100 kilometers, equal to 62.6 mpg US / 75.1 mpg UK, and a CO2 emission rating of just 99 grams per kilometer.

The Vision ED is fitted with a lithium-polymer battery housed centrally in a longitudinal chassis element that can be fully charged at a conventional power socket within two and half hours. BMW says the use of electrical energy alone permits zero-emissions motoring with a range of some 50 kilometres or 31 miles, while a 24-litre diesel tank extends the total driving range up to 700 kilometres or 435 miles.

BMW didn"t give a price for the production model but it is expected to be the most expensive car in the firm"s range.

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