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BMW-Toyota partnership to spawn hybrid supercar

BMW and Toyota inked a partnership some time ago to develop green technology, and while we were excited by the idea of a reborn Supra with BMW's carbon fiber reinforced plastic slashing the curb weight or an ultra-efficient, hybridized 1 Series, the joint efforts have been rather limited. That's set to change, though, according to a report from Australia.
Motoring reports that the partners have come to terms on a sports car. And not just any sports car, but a lightweight, hybridized model, with a six-figure price tag. Lending a bit of street cred to that idea is the site's claim that Toyota is currently carrying out durability testing on the BMW i8. According to the site, the new model will slot into the spot left by the Lexus LFA, although based on the language used, it's unclear if this is the Tokyo-bound vehicle we mentioned several months ago.
Details on this potential car are limited, although Motoring claims it will use a Toyota hybrid system mated up to a BMW gas engine - likely the 4.4-liter, twin-turbo V8 found in the M5 and M6. That sounds pretty amazing to us, but we'd still advise taking this with a grain of salt. What would you like to see out of a joint-venture supercar from Toyota and BMW? Let us know in Comments, and have your say on the prospects of a hybridized, twin-turbocharged V8.

BMW's next-century concept mentions no powertrain, and we're sad

So the Ultimate Driving Machine might soon become the Ultimate Machine Driver. We get it, that's the way things are moving. For its part, BMW still plans to involve a driver in its next-century designs, as foretold by the Vision Next 100 concept it unveiled at its centenary celebration kickoff event. But what gets us is that BMW, Bayerische Motoren Werke, the company known for delivering some of the most sorted powertrains – gasoline and otherwise – over the last century makes no mention of the future of propulsion when presenting its idea of the next 100 years on the road. Maybe it's the fact we just don't know what will power our cars even 10 years down the line; locking into one concept or another could look bad in hindsight. But the whole, er, concept of a concept is to look at what might be possible, not avoid sticky issues. Where are the in-hub motors, the wireless charging mats, the onboard fusion reactors we were promised in Back to the Future Part II? This is an opportunity to offer innovative solutions. Skipping over the power was a mistake, and one that makes me a little disappointed in the company. I'd have liked to see BMW go big with a bold prediction, or even just admit that gas will be gone and some form of electrification will take its place by 2116. We're okay with electric motors as long as they don't drain the life out of cars, and they don't have to, which is something companies like Tesla and even BMW have proven. Here's hoping one of BMW's other centenary concepts will pick up where the Vision Next 100 fell short. Related Video: Featured Gallery BMW Vision Next 100 Concept Green BMW bmw vision next 100 concept

Europe's BMW 1 Series hatch caught looking fresh faced

Hey, remember the BMW 1 Series? Yes, German brand's successors to the US-market coupe and convertible have one-upped the old car to wear the 2 Series designation now, but in other markets, our No. 1 crush still lives on, and as evidenced in these spy shots, the entry-level hatch appears to be undergoing a modest facelift.
We've spotted prototypes of the refreshed 1 Series before, with the majority of the car's changes focused around the front fascia. This time around, we're seeing the three-door variant, with wheels seemingly fitting of a Sport or even M Sport trim.
Of course, this One's not for US, as the small BMW isn't slated to come to our market anytime soon. Click through the gallery above to see what we're missing.