BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept – Frankfurt catchup

BMW has revealed the Vision EffecientDynamics Concept at Frankfurt, featuring a 1.5 litre turbo-diesel and 2 electric motors.

There is little to beat the sound of a burbling V8. Or the wail of a V10 reaching the upper limits of its rev range. Or even the bark of a V12 – especially a Ferrari V12 – at full flow. But those may soon be sounds that are as rare as the sound of a steam engine flying under a bridge if Governments around the world continue to push car makers down the eco route.

CO2 targets – and the received wisdom that somehow the planet is dying because we drive cars – means car makers have to respond to the mood and produce ‘Eco’ cars. Which is a problem for makers of prestige and performance cars. How do they square the circle? One way is to do what BMW has done and develop a car that offers the performance of a full blown M3 but with minimal CO2 emissions and economy that would do an eco-box justice.

And that’s what the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept is. A 2+2 Sports Car (will we be able to say Sports Car for much longer, or will the Eco-Police make it illegal?) with a tiny 1.5 litre, 3 pot turbo diesel mated to a pair of electric motors – one at each axle. The combination makes for a total of 351bhp and 590lb/ft of torque. The Vision ED will hit 60 mpg in about 4.6 seconds and a top speed of a limited 155mph. It’ll do 75mpg and emits car-makers favourite emissions point – 99g/km.

BMW has thrown its whole box of tricks at the Vision ED, and the specs are might impressive. Will it make it to production? Not likely in this form, but it will lay the basis for future ‘Eco’ performance cars.

We’ve already covered the techie bits on the Vision ED before, but if you have a couple of weeks to spare you can read the Press Release for the Vision EfficientDynamics. There is also a huge gallery of pictures of the BMW Vision ED to pore over.

And reflect on just what stunning creations BMW could have come up with had they used the Vision’s budget to do what they should be doing – building real cars. But there’s no denying the Vision ED is a huge achievement.

But I’m a cynical dinosaur and don’t like being fed propaganda. Which is all the ‘Cars kill the Planet’ mantra is.

That’ll put the Cat amongst the Pigeons.