BMW has not announced the Concept Active Tourer will be a production model, but speculation from reputable sources has been that it would, and BMW does have a dedicated Web page to drum up interest for the car.

The diesel 3-Series is just one of several diesels the German automaker has pending for the U.S. in the next couple years, or less.

New Kind of Car

The Concept Active Tourer is essentially a hatchback laden with user interface technology as well as high-tech under the hood.

The elongated, wedge-shaped vehicle is meant to be sporty, fun, and makes clever utilization of space inside. As part of the 1-Series lineup, it departs from BMW tradition by being front-wheel-drive.

It’s powered by a 1.5-liter, transversely mounted 3-cylinder gas engine paired with an electric motor and lithium-ion battery pack which BMW says delivers up to 95 mpg.

Both powertrains work in conjunction as per hybrid fashion, or the electric motor can propel the car independently for an estimated 18-20 miles.

Performance for the concept has been reported at 190 horsepower with 0-62 mph time of under eight seconds with top speed of 124 mph.

The concept uses a “Suspended Particle Device” technology in the glass roof to create what it calls “Cool Shade” technology. Essentially, the opaque glass roof can be switched to crystal clear at the touch of a button.

Inside is a host of gee-whiz user interfaces including a 10.25-inch LCD display in place of analog gauges.

Popular Diesel

BMW enthusiast forums have been anticipating the arrival of BMW’s 328d – which looks just like a 328i except for the badging – and the car will be here to be seen March 27 as a four-door and a wagon.

It is believed the car will be offered also in its xDrive all-wheel-drive format although BMW did not state this in its announcement today.

What BMW did say is it will be motivated by its TwinPower turbo 4-cylinder engine delivering 180 horsepower and 280 pounds-feet of torque.

Fuel economy on the U.S. EPA cycle could equal or exceed 40 mpg, but BMW said more accurate estimates will be made closer to its time of launch.

BMW says the car will achieve a new benchmark with all the driving dynamics expected of a 3-Series along with efficiency of the diesel powertrain that has proven so successful in Europe.

The post BMW To Show Pending 328d Diesels and Plug-in Concept Active Tourer In New York This Month appeared first on HybridCars.com.

These include a hybrid concept vehicle, the BMW Concept Active Tourer; as well as BMW Night Vision, a driver assistance system part of the BMW ConnectedDrive suite of products.

BMW Concept Active Tourer

The BMW Concept Active Tourer’s role is to give an initial glimpse of further innovations in store for BMWs in the premium compact segment.

With this study, BMW said it will showcase a raft of pioneering solutions for the interior as well as in its drive concept. Comfort and functionality are resourcefully combined with dynamics and style, while a plug-in hybrid drive guarantees highest levels of efficiency.

BMW designed the interior of the Concept Active Tourer with a raised seating position, generous space for driver and passengers, as well as a flexibly extendable luggage compartment.

According to BMW, the drive system comprises a three-cylinder gas engine and a synchronous electric motor producing a combined output of 140 kilowatt / 190 horsepower to propel the BMW Concept Active Tourer from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than eight seconds.

BMW expects the concept to have an average fuel consumption of less than 2.5 liters per 100 kilometers (over 113 mpg imp) and CO2 emissions below 60 grams per kilometer.

BMW Night Vision

BMW Night Vision is a driver assistance system part of the BMW ConnectedDrive suit of products.

BMW states Night Vision will make a significant contribution to accident avoidance after dark with the help of a sub-system called BMW Dynamic Light Spot.

Available starting in the summer 2013, BMW Night Vision will also feature a specific animal recognition system that extends beyond the reach of the main headlights beam. An infrared thermal imaging camera mounted in the BMW kidney grille is able to detect heat-emitting objects from a distance of 100 meters (328 feet), while distinguishing between humans and animals by the level of heat.

If BMW Night Vision anticipates a potential collision with an animal, the Dynamic Light Spots start to flash at the animal in a targeted manner. The instrument display simultaneously flags up the symbol of a deer. In the event of acute danger, the on-board system will additionally emits an acoustic warning.

BMW i3 with range-extending solutions

Additionally, the BMW i3 Concept Coupe will mark its European premiere in Geneva, while the BMW i8 Concept Spyder will also makes an appearance.

Vehicle range and charging infrastructure are a frequent subject of discussion as key factors in electric mobility. BMW states that with its eDrive powertrain, the BMW i3 is designed to require a battery recharge just once every two to three days in typical commuting use. That equates to a range of between 130 and 160 kilometers (80 to 100 miles).

The drive system and all other vehicle functions in the BMW i3 are powered by a high-voltage lithium-iron battery, a hallmark of which is that its energy output – and thus the vehicle’s range – is less vulnerable to temperature fluctuations than is generally the case with such batteries today.

Another priority when it came to designing the BMW i3, said BMW, was to reduce the energy consumption of electrical components in the car, while the use of various driving modes can boost the range by up to 25 per cent.

With BMW saying that the BMW i3 is also the world’s first fully networked electric vehicle, drivers are repeatedly updated with realistic estimates of the car’s range. If desired, they can also ask the system to display charging stations in the vicinity of the destination, with a further press of a button sufficing to reserve a slot.

The system also informs the driver how long it will take to charge the vehicle for the return journey or to travel to a further destination.

An optional range extender is also available, increasing the driving range to approximately 300 kilometers (186 miles).

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