During the BMW press conference at the New York Auto Show last week, BMW North America president and CEO Tom Purves made a nice swipe at the earlier announcement from Mercedes about those clean diesel SUVs. While Purves talked about the BMW's ActiveHybrid and clean diesel systems in general, he also said the following (listen for it starting at about a minute into the video after the jump):

I heard earlier this morning our friends from Stuttgart talking about the cleanest diesel. We're delighted the industry as a whole is approaching this whole field together. You can also get the cleanest diesel from BMW, but you get performance, too.

There were many chuckles.

The BMW X6 ActiveHybrid is a concept slated to blend a few automotive categories (it's a CUVish four-door coupe). We got our first look at this Two-Mode hybrid family member last fall in Frankfurt, when BMW was still calling this a concept vehicle. The X6 ActiveHybrid is moving to production, though, and World Car Fans has gotten their hands on some spy photos of the vehicle at a gas station (slightly ironic, that, considering that the hybrid system is supposedly going to improve fuel economy by 20 percent). The most obvious thing to notice it the X6's new hood bulge. I wonder if it's just happy to see us. See more of the X6 hybrid at World Car Fans.


[Source: World Car Fans h/t to Domenick]

The ActiveHybrid system is the result of BMW's collaboration with GM and the former DaimlerChrysler, the Global Hybrid Cooperation. Their goal has been to engineer a modular two-mode hybrid system that can be modified in its behavior and function to suit the dynamics customary to the brand using it. Obviously, BMW is using it to fuel its proclaimed image of providing "Sheer Driving Pleasure," meaning sport performance preferred over economy. Nonetheless, the German engineers who obviously wrote the press release say the system functions seamlessly and provides the perfect blend of sport and economy based on the demands of the driver (how this is different from the system in the Lexus LS600h L we don't know, but we'll wait for our first drive to see.)

I wouldn't fly too fast and loose with the word "perfect," however. Exactly how the system works is nearly impossible to decipher, but it does include no less than three planetary gear sets to engage and disengage the right motors at the right time. The motors are "high-powered," though no figures are quoted. In fact, despite the system being so complicated, it is only expected to reap a 20 percent fuel economy increase. Not that that isn't swell and all, but I start to wonder if perhaps it was over-engineered when the press release says that the first electric motor acts as a generator connected to the ICE, feeding the battery pack or the second electric motor. As efficient as new electric motors are, they still lose about 20 percent to heat at least. That's 40 percent of your power gone from those two energy conversions.

The release also claims that the X6 is the perfect vehicle to debut this technology with because it combines the looks of a coupe, practicality of a sedan and off-road capability of the other X models into its own created niche. Well, if this is the only BMW to get the ActiveHybrid system for a while, at least there's one reason for people to buy Chris Bangle's BMontiac X-Aztek.

Get out your decoder rings and read the press release after the jump.

[Source: BMW]

Welcome to the second edition of the video round up. Three more videos of concept cars fresh from the Frankfurt Auto Show floor. The video above is BMW's X6 ActiveHybrid concept. BMW thinks it will be more efficient to use two electric motors. Below the fold is video of the interior of the Nissan Mixim concept. Also below the fold is a video of Volkswagen's up! concept exterior design.

[Source: Google Video, Youtube]