At the BMW 5 Series International Media Launch, Dr. Klaus Draeger, BMW AG board member for Research & Development, confirmed for Automotive News what we reported as a rumor just a few weeks back. A hybrid version of the new BMW 5 Series will be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March.
It will be the first hybrid based on the 5 Series, the same as the 7 Hybrid was for the flagship. But here is where it gets interesting. It will drop the large, powerful V8 engine seen in the ActiveHybrid X6 and ActiveHybrid 7, and it will be powered by a six cylinder engine outputting 218 horsepower coupled with 40 ponies coming from an electric motor.
It will be featured in the same Bluewater metallic, now specific to the hybrid concepts and will showcases several aerodynamic elements: lower ride height, more sculptured skirts and aerodynamically enhanced wheel covers aimed at lowering drag.
Clearly BMW has high expectations for the 5 Series line-up, as reinforced by Adrian Von Hooydonk in an interview with us who said “the 5 Series is the core of the brand”. Dr. Draeger mentions something along the same line, ““is the way a BMW sedan should be with aesthetics and efficient dynamics”.
The production version of the ActiveHybrid 5 is scheduled to debut in late 2010.
[Source: Automotive News ]
Author: Horatiu B.
Source: http://www.bmwblog.com/2010/01/23/bmw-a ... otor-show/