[Mark]

Edmunds' InsideLine blog has gotten a sit down with BMW sales and marketing director, Ian Robertson who told them exclusively that the Vision EfficientDynamics car will indeed go on sale and would be priced near the $200K price mark and intent on competing with Ferrari and Porsche. More then likely the car is being priced to compete directly with the forthcoming Mercedes-Benz SLS E-Cell.

The car would also "redefine how we look at high-performance sports cars," when it enters production in 2013. It truly is a ground breaking super car proposal as the previously announced official specs reveal. the car is part of the Project i initiative at BMW, and as such will be built in Leipzig alongside the Megacity Vehicle.

Mr. Robertson also told InsideLine that the production car will indeed stay true to the concept car that was originally shown at the 2009 Frankfurt autoshow and countless shows since. The Vision ED car is likely to appear at the BMW Sponsored 2012 Olympics in London.

Read the full story at InsideLine: http://www.insideline.com/bmw/bmw-vi...near-200k.html

[Brian135i]

Wow!

[M3roar]

yeah wow, no thanks... Id so much rather get an R8 now.... I mean cool idea BMW but its just not even a 100k worth car to me. But then again people did pay WAY too much for the LS-F so Im sure people will buy.

[conradb]

I will be interested to see what real performance figures this car makes before I call the $200k price mark ridiculous.

[RX7guy]

A lot of competition in that price range

Gallardo, 458 Italia, R8 v10, porsche 911 turbo/GT2, Merc SLS, and Aston Martin vantage v12 or DB9.

Good luck BMW.. Make it light, pure, fast and RWD and go back to your roots.

[wilstave]

umm...how is this car competing with the supercar line-up when it's only pushing out 328hp and doing 0-60 in 4.8s?

Just wondering...

[antzcrashing]

Though like many I cannot even really comprehend the purchase of a $100K or 200k car, I think many are missing the point that BMW is targeting the super rich with car collections.

So that when a collector is bored of the same old high performance combustion engine car, he may seek a unique alternative. There are enough Jay Lenos and Jerry Seinfelds out there to sell a limited number.

And at the same time they establish themselves as pioneers of the environmentally friendly performance car.

Details on the Mercedes competition:
http://www.insideline.com/mercedes-b...rst-drive.html

[BenTrovato]

It's also a "green" vehicle. There a lot of people out there that do not mind paying an excessive fee for exclusivity as well as being seen as environmentally friendly.

I will still look at these people as fools, but it doesn't matter. lol

[antzcrashing]

Originally Posted by BenTrovato

It's also a "green" vehicle. There a lot of people out there that do not mind paying an excessive fee for exclusivity as well as being seen as environmentally friendly.

I will still look at these people as fools, but it doesn't matter. lol

I think this car follows what I call the "Prius Model", a marketing technique in which a car was created which only is offered in "Green" as a drivetrain. It is successful because the buyer does not have the combustion engine alternative of the same model, which would be faster and more practical. Instead a premium is paid for the novelty/exclusivity.

Honda has alternative fuel cars too, but you never hear about them. Because hardly anyone will buy the civic hybrid when the petrol civic is nearly as fuel efficient and much cheaper.

Toyota and Honda both have great engineers on these cars, but Toyota also has excellent marketing.

[Frosty]

....in the eco-uber-car, BMW has the design and asthetics won in a landslide for what it is worth imho ~Frost

[Eccentric]

i like the price. its refreshing to see bmw not playing the HP game with its competitors.

[Shazmonkee]

+1

[lasovan]

+1

[BMWPower06]

If the new 1 ///M is anything to to go by, then this VED will definitely be a disappointment. Initial estimates of engine/hp figures do not excite me...especially at $200k

[BMWPower06]

Originally Posted by Eccentric

i like the price. its refreshing to see bmw not playing the HP game with its competitors.

ha would u pay 200k for a car that makes less hp and is about as quick as a 1 M?

[3XTR3M3]

Any indication of weight?

[graider]

told you LFA is cheap.

[335iTrace]

I can understand if this car is very limited, and actually preforms like it needs to... but a 4.8 0-60.... whats the point if its green... its slow

Do you know how wicked a M3 or a 335 can be for $200k?

[iveman89]

is this the same car that does 0-60 in 4.8s easily? and the same car that get 60+ mpg? audi r8 and 458 italia get 17 mpg and gallardo get 20. BMW is a bit conservative with there numbers aswell. and $200,000 M3 and 335 are still just 335 and M3...

[AndreyATC]

4.8 seems like a very conservative number, like with other BMWs
It has good HP, even better Tq numbers and it's much lighter than other BMWs
Combined with efficiency and looks, it's a great car

[M3_WC]

62.5 mpg

31 mile range on electric.

435 mile range on diesel.

[M3_WC]

Originally Posted by 335iTrace

I can understand if this car is very limited, and actually preforms like it needs to... but a 4.8 0-60.... whats the point if its green... its slow

It is called evolution. You have to start somewhere. Imagine 10-20 years from now.