Take a good look at the spy shot above. The car you see is obviously a MINI of some sort, though nobody seems quite sure what to make of it. There’s certainly a possibility that it’s nothing more than a clay mock-up of a possible design direction that didn’t make it into production, but it could also be some sort of early prototype for a future vehicle. L’Automobile Magazine , the French site that the images originate from, seems to believe that this is a new version of the MINI Cooper that will be ready sometime in 2011. If so, it’s clear that the car’s basic shape will remain the same while details like the droopy front grille and oval-shaped head lamps will be borrowed from the MINI Crossover Concept that debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 2008. According to World Car Fans and BMWBlog , there also exists the possibility that this is the upcoming Megacity electric vehicle , an eco-friendly offshoot of the MINI family that’s part of parent company BMW’s Project i initiative. So, just what is this thing exactly? Dunno. We’re taking the wait-and-see approach. [Source: L'Automobile Magazine - translated ] Filed under: BMW , MINI , Spy Shots Spy Shots: Could this be the face of BMW’s Project i? originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Thu, 14 May 2009 15:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read  |  Permalink  |  Email this  |  Comments

Filed under: EV/Plug-in , BMW Over at the BMW Blog , they have managed to get hold of a copy of what is believed to be BMW’s 2009 product introduction roadmap. The Munich automaker will be introducing a wide array of new production vehicles next year including a new Z4 roadster and hybrid versions of both the new 7-series sedan and the X6 “whatever it is.” Perhaps most interestingly, the roadmap indicates that two different electrically-driven concepts will appear next year. Earlier this year, BMW unveiled the MINI E as the first product of it’s Project i, which is meant to develop urban electric vehicles. The second output of the project is expected to be the Concept eDrive. This time, instead of the MINI, either the 1 or 3 series will form the basis. Beyond electric drive not much else is known, but given the relative speed with which the MINI E was developed, this will probably go a step beyond that first draft, perhaps using battery technology specifically developed for automotive use. The second new EV is dubbed the Z Vision Concept. In BMW nomenclature, the Z models are all two seat roadsters and this should carry forward to the new concept. This smaller electric sports car is also thought to be based on the 1-series with a dual cockpit layout and no windshield. No word on which shows will host the debuts of these cars but Geneva is likely to be one of them. Thanks to Horatiu for the tip! Related : ABG Quick Drive: Battery-powered MINI-E w/VIDEO LA 2008: Live reveal of the MINI E Gallery: Quick Drive: MINI E Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc. [Source: BMW Blog.com ] BMW may show two different electric concepts in 2009 originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds . Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments