LISBON, Portugal — As proof that car companies no longer make showcars just for giggles, a senior BMW authority out of Munich has assured Inside Line that the Vision EfficientDynamics plug-in pure hybrid 2+2 concept car rolled out in September at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show is earmarked for production. No ifs, ands or buts.

Reaction to the 356-horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque plug-in electric (one lithium-polymer battery stack + two electric motors) with dedicated lighter-weight three-cylinder diesel range-extending engine mounted amidships has been off the charts. Now we're all waiting for more details and, of course, that sticky price issue.

Our executive source goes on to say that total volume is being debated, but that it will fall between 5,000 and 10,000 units. The prototype's powertrain and basic sub-3,000-pound assembly will remain intact, but, says the source, "there will be less of the synthetic glass and more solid structure added to the final design." Uh-oh. We know why these alterations are needed, but does this mean it's going to migrate toward being a sort of sleek Toyota Prius? Let's hope not.

When we asked if this could finally be BMW's second true production supercar after the Giugiaro M1, the response was a firm "quite probably." So maybe our Prius/Honda Insight fears are overreaching. It'd be nice to maintain that 0.22 drag coefficient and the hellacious looks.

IL also learned that the BMW future product engineers are also noodling nonstop with the hybrid drive system in order to make our test of the Vision EfficientDynamics prototype this summer in southern France a real-world high-speed thrill. It should be even quicker than the previously quoted 4.8 seconds to 62 mph.

"And that name that the marketing people forced on us," says our mole, "that's going to change for sure." -- http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=346102

It's not a mid engined rival for the R8. Our customers do not want an interpretation of the Audi R8.
It will be a high end Coupe and Roadster . It will not be a supercar per se and it will not exceed power wise cars of this class.

It's all about moving the game on and taking the next step.
The car will feature lightweight materials and also the latest "Efficient Dynamics" technology with engines that will be strictly adhered to this model. The concept is more of a radical update of the Z8.
As seen on the initial idea of the "California Spyder".