Super Concept Cars Blog

The super saloons, as our UK friends call them, are back together for a new photo comparison. Just days ago, BMW unveiled the new F10 BMW M5 Concept, the super-sporty luxury sedan that joins the 5 Series family later this year.

The new M5 also joins some tough competitors in the super sporty sedan segment. Mercedes-Benz brings to the table the E63 AMG, while Ingolstadt-based Audi throws into the fight the RS6. Official tech specs of the new M5 are unknown at the moment, but we know the F10 M5 will be powered by a new V8 TwinPower Turbocharged engine that is rumored to produce 560-565 horsepower. The engine is matted to a 7-speed M DCT with Drivelogic transmission. A manual transmission will most likely be offered as well.

Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG has under the hood a 6.2 liter V8 naturally aspirated engine with 525 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque. The V8 NA engine is matted to the AMG Speedshift MCT 7-speed.

Last, but not least, the Aud RS6 is powered by a twin-turbo 5.0 liter V10 engine with a whooping 580 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque.

Styling wise, each car has its own strengths and the choice can be quite subjective. So let’s just outline some of the design cues. The F10 BMW M5 builds atop the safer and more stylish design of the new 5 Series. The design language is easier on the eye than the previous E60 generation and the M5 enhances its aggressiveness to the M-specific levels.

The E63 AMG follows the recent design language from Mercedes with square design cues, double-headlamps and LEDs integrated in the front bumper. Just like the M5, the rear bumper sports the twin dual-exhausts, but shaped differently.

Audi RS6 is in our opinion in need of a redesign. The front-end is less aggressive than we would like to see and the car mostly stands out due to its amazing power. The front-end brings out the LEDs seen on all the recent Audis; same principle applies at the rear-end.

As always with a new BMW that launches on the market, we prepared a photo comparison against its competitors.

What is it?
BMW 6 Series Coupe Concept

What’s special about it?
It may be called the BMW 6 Series Coupe Concept, but there’s little doubt that the car shown at the 2010 Paris Auto Show is a barely cloaked preview of the exterior styling and luxurious interior of the upcoming third-generation 6 Series.

In place of the more muscular look of the current BMW 6 Series, the new concept introduces a more sinewy appearance in keeping with BMW’s latest design lineage. We’ve seen it already on the new 5 Series and 7 Series, and now the BMW 6 Series is looking to deliver a knockout blow to the Jaguar XJ, Maserati GranTurismo and Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe — cars the German carmaker’s design boss, Adrian von Hooydonk, identifies among the new 6 Series’ more keener coupe rivals.

Central to the new car’s styling is its more tautly drawn sheet metal — something von Hooydonk says helps lighten its appearance while stretching its profile. Next to the old model, the new 6 Series, code-named F12, does appear longer, wider and lower.

BMW’s design team has also reinterpreted many classic design elements. The kidney grille, for example, now tilts subtly forward. The signature swage line down the flanks is higher than before and provides a more defined shoulder line. The so-called Hofmeister kick at the base of the C-pillar is also reworked as part of a move to adorn the new 6 Series with added chrome around its frameless side windows — a feature lacking on today’s model.

“We have drawn a good deal of inspiration from classic BMW models like the 3.0 CSi,” said von Hooydonk of the new design during an exclusive preview attended by Inside Line in Munich, Germany, adding, “Our goal was to create a distinctive yet elegant-looking car.”

The 6 Series’ new look is, however, not without controversy, having largely been unveiled on the German carmaker’s earlier Gran Coupe concept, which insiders at BMW’s Munich headquarters in Germany continue to bill as a rival to the new Audi A7 and Mercedes-Benz CLS.

The two concepts share the same basic appearance and elements of their detailing, although von Hooydonk says the design was first developed for the two-door 6 Series coupe before being adapted to suit the four-door Gran Coupe. Only subtle differences separate the front and rear end appearance of the two cars, fueling rumors that the Gran Coupe may be called the 6 Series GT if or when it reaches showrooms.

Inside, the new 6 Series coupe retains the same 2+2 seating layout as its predecessor. Up front, an asymmetrical dashboard and high-set center console provide the driver with an all-encompassing seating position. The various controls and switchgear are largely 5 Series sourced, although the trims are unique. At the rear are two separate seats that fold forward to reveal a generously dimensioned trunk.

BMW has not released any detailed information about the mechanical layout of the third-generation 6 Series, preferring instead to focus on its sharp new styling for now. It’s no great secret, though, that the new model, like its predecessors, sits on the same rear-wheel-drive platform as the 5 Series.

Among the engines planned to power the new coupe is a 300-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder in a base 635i model and a 400-hp twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 in a successor to the 650i. These are also expected to power its cloth-roof-flaunting convertible sibling, set to be revealed at the Geneva auto show in March 2011.

Both engines will come as standard with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a series of EfficientDynamics features, including brake energy recuperation and automatic stop/start.

Also planned, but not likely to see North American showrooms until 2012 following a reveal at next year’s Frankfurt auto show is a new M6 running BMW’s M division’s 555-hp twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 mated to a seven-speed double-clutch gearbox.

Expect to see the production version of the 2012 BMW 6 Series in U.S. dealers by the middle of next year.

Coming to the next North American Auto Show in Detroit, BMW will show a 1 Series based EV called the Concept ActiveE. This is yet another piece of evidence that all of the big auto manufacturers will be getting into making electric vehicles in one way or another. And, since this is a BMW, it looks like they’re tying to keep it as fun to drive as possible.

Let’s deal with the specifics first, and then we can talk about the potential impact after that. The BMW Concept ActiveE is rear wheel drive and that means it should be fun to drive, especially when you consider all the torque that electric motors can churn out. And speaking of the EV 1-Series is powered by synchronous electric motor that is all new and was designed and will be purpose built for this car. The motor develops 125 kW/170 bhp, and puts out a maximum torque of 250 Nm / 184 lb-ft. The electric motor gets its juice from a lithium-ion battery pack that was jointly developed by BMW and SB LiMotive (a German electronics firm). The custom tailored battery features a new stable temperature regulating function that optimizes the battery packs performance.

Weight? Well, as for all things EV, it’s kind of on the porky side. The BMW Concept ActiveE tips weighs 1,800 kilograms or 3900 lbs. Given the size of the BMW 1 Series, that is pretty hefty, but not all that bad for an EV.

In wanting to bring the performance up to BMW standards, they have kept the center of gravity low and have kept weight distribution as even as possible. When you add this to the rear drive layout, then it’s easy to believe that the BMW Concept ActiveE ” … has everything it requires to provide the dynamic driving properties and agile handling in the style of the BMW 1 Series,” as BMW says.

Performance-wise, the little EV should scoot from zero to 100 km/h (62mph) in less than 9 seconds, and tops out at an electronically limited to 145 km/h (90 mph). BMW says that the “real-world range” should be about 160 km / 100 miles on a single charge, depending on conditions.

And speaking of charging, keeping the lithium-ion battery pack topped up is handled via conventional power outlets at public charging stations or at a special wall box at home. In Europe, the battery pack can be fully charged at a 50 ampere high-current power outlet in as little as 3 hours. And in North America, using a 32 ampere continuous high-current residential wall box, the charge time is around 4.5 hours.

The ActiveE is just a concept, says BMW, but I wouldn’t be too surprised to see this one on the road soon.

The preceding days there have been some information about BMW’s latest concept car spy photos, recently finally had come from official sources, the concept car has been officially named as the Vision EfficientDynamics, the corresponding names of the BMW in recent years has been stressed Efficient Dynamics (dynamic) system, this car will be the Frankfurt auto show debut.

Its design sets the theme for a series of upcoming BMW road cars and proves BMW is discarding the worst excesses of the flame design theory in favor of a lighter, less heavy, more aggressive look.

BMW uses a diesel-electric hybrid system and the layout is more conventional, with the engine up front, driving the rear wheels through the M3’s Getrag double-clutch six-speed gearbox.

The engine, with 163 horsepower and 214 lb-ft. of torque, is all aluminum and produces more power than the 116d’s existing 2.0-liter turbo-diesel BMW engine.

The engine gets crushing acceleration by using two electric motors ahead of the gearbox. One of these drives the front wheels under acceleration and the other helps the diesel engine out by adding its torque to the rear axles.

While the motor for the rear wheels produces only 33 horsepower, it has 214 lb-ft. of torque (or, as much again as the diesel engine in its strongest part of the rev range), though it can be over boosted to 51 horsepower.

The front motor is a different type, producing more power (80 horsepower), but less torque (162 lb-ft.), even though it can flit to over 134 horsepower in hard acceleration.

The battery pack to power the electric motors sits inside the chassis tunnel and weighs 187 lbs. and, like the Benz concept, it is a Lithium-ion unit. Inside, the battery has 98 lithium polymer cells which generate 364 Volts and can store 10.8kW/h of electricity.
The strange thing is that the battery is charged as the car is running from the engine and from regenerative braking, or it can be charged as a plug-in from normal 220 Volt/16 Amp systems in two-and-a-half hours.

BMW claims, then, that the car produces 356 horsepower and 590 lb-ft. of torque and, given that it weighs only 3,075 lbs., it will be something of a rocket in a straight line.

It is claiming 0-62 mph times of just 4.8 seconds and it has been limited to 155 mph – both numbers that bring to mind the M3. Almost the exact opposite of the M3, though, is how many resources it consumes to get its performance.

BMW insists its concept will stretch to 75.1 mpg Imperial (about 63 mpg U.S.) with a CO2 number below 100 g/km and, it says, people should be prepared for consumption and emission numbers like this to become more common from its brand as hybrid drive systems infiltrate its range of cars.

The car is also capable of running as either a pure diesel or a pure electric car, where it gets a range of 31 miles before the diesel offers another 400 miles of driving on its 6.6 gallon tank.

Ushering in a new design era
As the first car of the new, Adrian von Hooydonk era of design at BMW, it also offers strong hints about where BMW wants to take its super critical new-generation 3- and 5-Series. von Hooydonk has taken over as the BMW Group’s design boss and has used the Vision EfficientDynamics to experiment with acres of glass, an all-new interior concept.

At 181 inches long, the slinky concept has four seats and, at 74 inches wide and 48.8 inches tall, is only just bigger than the existing 3-Series coupe.

Plug-In Electric Concept Car is the new wave.

The new wave of concept cars: Rechargeable electric cars

Nissan Launches ‘LEAF’ Electric Car

Nissan has just unveiled a new zero emissions vehicle that is slated to go on sale in Japan, Europe and the United States next year. Called the LEAF, this C-segment (sub-compact) car is powered by an electric motor and lithium-ion battery packs. Nissan says it will be able to drive 100 miles on a single charge. The batteries will be able to be charged up to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes with a special quick charger, or in roughly eight hours through a standard 200V outlet. Nissan says that through extensive research the 100 mile range will be suitable for 70 percent of car buyers.

Output from the lithium-ion battery packs is rated at 80kW/280Nm, (107-hp and 207 ft-lbs of torque), which should make this sub-compact a sporty little car.

Pricing has yet to be released but Nissan aims to give the LEAF an MSRP competitive with well-equipped C-segment cars. That should put it near the $20,000 mark. The car will also qualify for government rebates and tax incentives desigend to help promote the sale of fuel-efficient cars.

“Our car had to be the world’s first, medium-sized, practical EV that motorists could afford and would want to use every day. And that’s what we’ve created. The styling will identify not only Nissan LEAF but also the owner as a participant in the new era of zero-emission mobility,” said the LEAF product boss Masato Inoue.

The first LEAFs will be built at Nissan’s plant in Oppama, Japan with plans to also start production soon at the company’s Smyrna, Tennessee plant. The LEAF is the first of three electric vehicles that Nissan plans to launch in the next few years.

 ”The Nissan LEAF is a tremendous accomplishment – one in with all Nissan employees can take great pride,” said Nissan President Carlos Ghosn. “We have been working tirelessly to make this day a reality – the unveiling of a real-world car that has zero – not simply reduced – emissions. It’s the first step in what is sure to be an exciting journey – for people all over the world, for Nissan and for the industry.”

BMW’s Green Four-Door Coupe

BMW’s plans for the Frankfurt Auto Show are coming into clearer focus this week as prior reports of a green-themed Coupe have been shucked aside by the company’s PR folks.

While BMW plans a 50th-anniversary celebration for the MINI brand, a worldwide reveal of the new Rolls-Royce Ghost, and a new generation of the venerable BMW 5-Series sedan, it’s also planning a stunning four-door coupe concept that could go green–in the form of a small three-cylinder turbocharged engine, according to a speculative piece today in AutoExpress.

The angular coupe, they report, is dubbed the EfficientDynamics Vision. A sleek drawing predicts what could show up on the BMW stand in Frankfurt, but there’s nothing to prepare showgoers for the unexpected drivetrain underneath the hood.

The new concept will sport a three-cylinder turbocharged engine, as the story goes. It’ll also have hybrid power to propel it.

If it pans out, the new concept and its drivetrain would likely share its lithium-ion battery pack with the new BMW 7-Series Hybrid also due at the Frankfurt show. It would also provide the German automaker with a cohesive green theme–particularly if those other reports about an “i-Setta” electric city car prove true.

TheCarConnection and Motor Authority will be in Frankfurt to show you more from the show floor; you can bookmark our Frankfurt Auto Show tag and come back here often for previews and updates prior to show week.

Mazda MX-5 Superlight concept car

Mazda added lightness to this speedster-style Miata that will appear at Frankfurt.

To celebrate 20 years of selling the world’s most popular roadster, Mazda has built a special version of the Miata to display at this year’s Frankfurt auto show.

The idea is to emphasize the lightweight nature of the MX-5, and to that end the Superlight wears neither roof nor windshield. Instead it’s a sexy speedster-style iteration of the iconic roadster with smooth body lines and roll bars integrated behind the headrests. The bare interior is home to racing bucket seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel . . . and not much else.

A few days ago on BMW’s concept car has just been exposed according to spy, but regret that the car was too wrapped.  A master map is now a BMW concept car of the imaginary map, which is designed according to the body line of PS products, including reference to the headlamps, Line, part of the roof line and grille outline, it can be said to see nature still relatively high.

With Frankfurt fast approaching, automakers are beginning to bring their latest creations out of hiding to put the final touches on them. This poses a problem as it is no easy task to keep a full sized vehicle hidden from prying eyes. This time, it was BMW who was caught in the act of moving a new vehicle, and I must say it looks interesting.

According to Dr. Klaus Draeger, BMW has been planning on unveiling a “sustainable sports car concept” at Frankfurt. Dr. Draeger is currently a member of BMW’s management board.

Assuming this is the concept in question; it will likely feature a myriad of BMW’s existing Efficient Dynamics technologies along with anything else they have managed to cook up.

The images suggest a new front end profile, as well as a more aggressive stance. Both of which could end up on the next generation 3-Series as it is only 2 years away. Of particular interest is the slope of the rear glass, which could mean a touring style hatchback as well.

Along with the new styling, BMW could also use this platform to debut some of the new power plants we have been hearing about for the past 6 months or so. Included in this could be the rumored inline-3 cylinder turbocharged engine connected to an electric drive system.

The concept will bow to the public next month at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Looking at some of the controversial recent designs coming out of BMW, many enthusiasts might think that it’s not hard to imagine that study hall doodles would be preferable.

Not exactly a schoolboy anymore, Iulian Bumbu has applied skills learned at a Milanese automotive design program to a BMW etude.

The car looks like it could actually be possible, wearing design cues that echo the recently redone Z4. The renderings call to mind the recently scuttled Concept CS from BMW’s own pens, depicting a car that’s extra-wide, super-low, and ultra aggressive. In any case, BMW could do worse than this flight of fancy.

The BMW S.X concept by designer Iulian Bumbu, a graduate of the Transportation Design Course at the Scuola Politecnica di Design (SPD) in Milan. This BMW S.X Concept represents the next generation luxury sports coupe from BMW could look like. And it would be well positioned to take over where the current 6 Series BMW. This design has high-mount brake lights incorporated into the edges of the rear window and the lateral vents located just behind the front wheels.