2009 Frankfurt Auto Show: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics

The Ultimate Driving Machine. That's the tag which BMW has ascribed to itself. And while the Bavarian automaker offers several sporty models, it lacks what industry insiders refer to as a "halo vehicle". That is, one model that sums up with the brand stands for. But they're said to be working on a new supercar – to rival the likes of the Audi R8 and Mercedes SLS AMG – and this could hint at the direction they could take it.

Called the Vision EfficientDynamics, we initially brought you details of the concept car a couple of weeks ago in the ramp-up to the Frankfurt Auto Show, where BMW finally took the wraps off the enticing new concept. But while its competitors continue building bigger and more powerful performance machines, BMW's concept takes a different approach. The engine is a tiny 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbo-diesel, coupled to an electric motor for hybrid propulsion. Lightweight construction helps the Vision get up to sixty in just 4.8 seconds while returning 62.6 miles per gallon on the European cycle, figures which, combined, its rivals can only dream of. And so can we, but in the meantime we've got photos from the concept's debut in Frankfurt. Just click on the thumbnails below.