The BMW Megacity model, which should eventually appear under a different brand, looks like it will take on the same premium label as the mother ship, so to speak. According to sources cited by Autocar, the BMW Megacity will be expensive when it’s released, such that it could cost more than the Nissan Leaf on the UK market, even after government incentives have been taken into account.

The source said: “BMW is a premium product and electric mobility will not be cheap,” but no mention was made of the new brand and how it will sit in relation to the BMW premium segment. It makes sense that BMW as a brand, would be more expensive than the Nissan Leaf, and it looks like BMW is investing in some serious technology for its electric citycar model.

It will have carbonfibre components including the passenger cell and an aluminium chassis, while BMW is also simplifying the things that can go wrong, with a singe-speed gearbox and robust electric motor. It’s planning that only the battery pack will have a limited life, and these small innovations should make the Megacity cheaper and quicker to build. We’ll be interested to hear more about this model as information emerges, especially as to its target market and competitors.

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Far be it from us to suggest there is some confusion over at the BMW group over the Mini brand, but reports are that a new Mini citycar concept will be revealed at the Detroit auto show as Mini goes back to its small car roots. According to Automotive News, Mini is working on a model that will become the BMW group’s smallest vehicle, with brand head Wolfgang Armbrecht saying that “the next spectacular idea from the Mini brand” will be presented in coming months.

He says: “We have always been motivated by the idea to build a small spacious car,” which makes perfect sense in terms of the Mini brand. Autocar has interpreted this as Mini creating a concept similar in size to the original Mini, which would compete with models such as the Toyota iQ. While the Mini Countryman was looking like a success, taking Mini into a new and larger niche, according to some reports, internally there is concern that the Mini brand will lose its uniqueness by going big.

A new Mini small citycar probably makes a lot of sense, although a premium price tag may have to be reconsidered if it is to be a success. But these kinds of urban models are increasingly popular in Europe and while a Mini is already quite small, it’s not really a citycar scale. There is no real comment either, as to how this new Mini concept might fit with the BMW Megacity project and that new brand under development.

Continue reading: Mini going bigger or smaller? New BMW 1 Series and Mini citycar concept

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A near production version of the BMW Megacity vehicle will be prepared for show at the 2012 London Olympics. If they wanted some publicity for their new electric car, what better way to get it than at one of the world’s biggest events? The Megacity will be an electric citycar model which should go on sale in 2013.

The idea for BMW in presenting it at the London Olympics is that it will prove that BMW is a market leader in electric cars. It’s a line that will probably work with most punters and we have no doubt that BMW will produce a very nice electric car - but so far it’s a bit behind in the game compared to some other manufacturers (Nissan and Renault to name two).

The BMW Megacity should be a rear-wheel-drive car with a 100 kW motor powered by batteries. BMW is planning a carbon fibre cell to keep weight down, and it should have some storage/boot space despite its citycar dimensions. We can’t wait to see it and are expecting a fancy but appropriately German launch around Olympic time in 2012 - it will be marketed under a new sub-brand so perhaps BMW will have a surprise new look marketing campaign for us.

Source | WCF

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BMW claims that it’s Megacity Vehicle (MCV) will be the world’s first mass-produced car with a carbon fibre passenger cell. The company has invested in R&D into the viability of using carbon fibre and has come to the conclusion that for its Megacity Vehicle, it can afford to make the entire passenger compartment out of the expensive material.

However, it has also finished testing on an X5 which was built from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) and constructed back in 2003. While it seems less viable to be producing sports utility vehicles from the material, the X5 completed about 40,000 km of tests, with a focus on weight reduction and safety.

While we get a little skeptical about the neat sound-grabs produced by companies to make their products sound revolutionary, BMW looks like it might be putting its money where its mouth is. Martin Arlt’s words sound very utopian:

“In the future, leadership in the premium segment will belong to whichever manufacturer builds its products in the most efficient and resource-friendly way – and offers its customers the most advanced and exciting solutions for eco-friendly personal mobility.”

But maybe we’re finally getting to a stage where companies are deciding that they can afford utopia. The Audi A1 has been a successful little splash so far for Audi, but it lacks any of the real innovation (and revolution?) that BMW seems to want to put on its MCV. Expect a fall-out and some serious competition on its way….

Continue reading: BMW carbon fiber MegaCity and X5

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Mini has started development on what is so far dubbed its Mini Minor city car project. The model would be in direct competition with the Smart ForTwo and would be developed alongside the already mooted BMW Megacity project. It would also be designed as a lower-cost model and would make use of technology already available to BMW to keep costs down.

Previously, Mini was skeptical about making this kind of model profitable and had stuck to its successful, premium three-door model. But since then, BMW has committed to developing a three-cylinder engine and new production techniques, meaning Mini can see its way forward to a low-cost city car.

There are no definite plans yet, and a prototype could still be 12 months away. There is no news as to whether it will be a four or two-seater, and whether it will have a front or rear engine. What is certain is that it will be shorter than the current Mini, possibly by about 700mm, but still longer by 300mm than the Smart.

Source | Autocar

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After news that no Volkswagen Polo R will be developed in order to favour the new Audi S1 and a Volkswagen Jetta R model, we also learn that the S1 will have front wheel drive instead of all-wheel drive in a move likely to anger purist Audi fans. While the Audi S1 will be equipped with a 1.4 TFSI engine and 180 hp, the front-wheel drive option should keep prices down; although we reported yesterday that we could be looking at starting prices of about 29,000 euros for the S1.

In the meantime, the new Audi A2 is planned to be an ‘electric only’ model when it’s launched in 2012. The company is preparing itself to compete against the new BMW Megacity model which will be available only the following year in 2013. The Audi A1 and A2 will share some components, including the steel monocoque structure which will replace the expensive spaceframe from the original A2.

We had originally thought that the BMW Megacity (still under development) would be a showdown with the A1, but it’s clear Audi is preparing the A2 as the true competitor from the drivetrain point of view. Depending on style, although the A2 is set to follow the previous model, it won’t be until the BMW Megacity emerges that we can really start to check out the competitors.

New Audi A2 renderings

Source | World Car Fans and Autocar

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