CL 600

The launch of the new CL-Class in autumn 2006 will be the culmination of a Mercedes-Benz coupé tradition going back over 50 years. The two-door model combines peerless exclusivity and charismatic design with the sort of cutting-edge technology that no other manufacturer can match worldwide. The luxury Coupé raises the bar in terms of vehicle safety with the PRE-SAFE® brakes: the unique system automatically brakes the Coupé before an imminent rear-end collision. Furthermore, Mercedes innovations such as the Active Body Control (ABC) suspension system, the Intelligent Light System with five light-ing functions and PRE-SAFE® anticipatory occupant protection all come as standard. Two powerful engines with 8 or 12 cylinders are available, delivering a notable increase in output and torque. Thanks to their exemplary smoothness they also live up to the Mercedes heritage of superb motoring refinement.

The large Mercedes Coupés have been synonymous with style and exclusivity in the automotive industry for decades. They set the standard in terms of design and equipment, combine exemplary safety with an outstanding level of comfort and assured handling. In short, Mercedes Coupés are extraordinary dream cars - automobile classics.

The new CL-Class is another Mercedes-Benz masterpiece. Just as the luxury coupé points the way to the future with its innovative technology, the design has also set the mould for a new Mercedes style. Its hallmark is the interaction between distinctive tightly drawn lines with large, unruffled surfaces. This design idiom lends the Coupé its own particular expressive power, emphasising the calm and power of its powerful, self-confident nature.

Familiar Mercedes features have been given a contemporary twist, resulting in a harmonious blend of the classic and contemporary. Examples include the hallmark Mercedes radiator grille with its wide chrome louvres and the design of the C-pillar. The unique, slightly downwards-tapering pillar configuration is a typical feature of the large Mercedes Coupés whose roots go right back to the 1950s: in 1956 the 220 S/SE Coupé (W 180/W 128 model series) first captured attention with this striking C-pillar design, and a few years later the concept was further refined in the suc-cessor model, the 220 SE Coupé (W 111/112).

Other design features which were already acclaimed back then have also been reinterpreted for the CL-Class, keeping alive the large coupé tradition of the Mercedes-Benz brand: the fully retractable side windows, for instance, whose continuous aperture is not interrupted by a B-pillar, and the large, curving panoramic rear window. In the early days this was a typical styling feature of the Mercedes Coupés, and in its stylistically evolved form for the new CL-Class it is just as appealing as in the 220 SE Coupé of 1961.

Interior: equipment for even the most discerning driver

Style finds its way into the interior too: the large side window aperture draws the eye to the stylish dashboard, exquisite wood trim and soft leather upholstery. In an instant you realise that everything in the interior of the new CL-Class is designed for comfort and relaxation. The atmosphere is reminiscent of an exclusive club: take a seat and enjoy. Five stylish colour combinations are available; automatic climate control, COMAND with car radio and CD/DVD player as well as a glass sunroof are all part of the standard specification, elements that come together to deliver a unique motoring and comfort experience.

In the top-of-the-line CL 600 the Exclusive PASSION leather appointments, specially selected poplar wood and an Alcantara roof liner with quilted seams provide the finishing touches to an exquisite first-class ambience, a look and feel also echoed in the seats with their designo styling, the chromed door sill panels and floor mats with leather edging. The standard specification also includes dynamic multicontour seats with massage function and seat ventilation, the hard-disc navigation system COMAND APS, the LOGIC7® surround sound system with DVD changer and the KEYLESS-GO access and drive authorisation system.

Compared with the outgoing model, the new Mercedes-Benz top-of-the-range coupé has grown slightly in every dimension. 5065 millimetres long, 1871 millimetres wide and 1418 millimetres high, the body is 75 millimetres longer, 14 millimetres wider and 20 millimetres higher than before, providing even more comfort and space on all four seats. The boot capacity has been increased by 40 litres to 490 litres (VDA measuring method).

Control system: fewer switches for more functions

A newly developed control system, which has already been successfully implemented in the S Class worldwide, refines driver-vehicle interaction even further. Above all, it provides convenient, rapid access to frequently used functions such as car radio, DVD player, car phone or navigation system. Depending on the driver's own preference, these systems can be controlled using switches in the centre console, pressing a button on the multifunction steering wheel or using the COMAND controller on the centre console. This central control unit is linked to the large, pivoting COMAND colour display next to the instrument cluster, providing access to the user-friendly main and sub-menus that activate the various functions.

The standard-fit automatic climate control with four independently adjustable temperature zones is also integrated into the new control system. The driver and front passenger can select temperature, air distribution and other settings either using the COMAND controller and menu-based control, or by means of an attractively styled switch array beneath the air vents. The COMAND system allows other individual climate settings to be adjusted such as air distribution and the footwell temperature.

The newly developed integral seats in the CL-Class provide maximum individual seating comfort. "Integral" means that all components of the seat-belt system are in-corporated directly into the seat; hence the seats form an important component in the occupant protection system. The standard specification already provides electric adjustment of the fore-aft setting, inclination of the seat and backrest, seat height, head restraint and length of the front seat cushions. Pneumatic lumbar supports allow the driver and front passenger to adjust the backrest contour to suit their build and consequently reduce the strain on the back muscles.

Optional extras include luxury seats with active ventilation (standard in the CL 600) that provide even more individual comfort, along with the further enhanced multi-contour seats with nine air cushions, and dynamic multicontour seats with massage function (standard in the CL 600).

The driver and front passenger seats with multicontour function have been awarded the AGR ("healthy back campaign") seal of approval.

Active Body Control: the perfect combination of dynamism and comfort

The standard specification in the new Mercedes Coupé features technological innovations that no other manufacturer can match anywhere in the world. First and foremost is the Active Body Control (ABC) suspension system, which in its latest, even more sophisticated guise delivers unprecedented handling dynamics while offering an equally appreciable improvement in ride comfort. Based on sensor signals and using specially designed hydraulic cylinders at the axles, ABC all but entirely eliminates the customary pitch and roll of the body that occur when moving off, cornering and braking. ABC responds with split-second speed to ensure the body damping is adjusted instantly to any situation. At speeds above 60 km/h, ABC lowers the body by up to ten millimetres to reduce drag and improve handling stability.

Intelligent Light System: five lighting functions to match driving and weather conditions

The Intelligent Light System, which makes driving even safer in the dark, is equally unique. Together with bi-xenon headlamps it forms part of the standard specification for the new CL-Class and provides five different lighting functions that are activated to match driving and weather conditions: the new country road mode illuminates the driver's-side edge of the road more widely and brightly than the existing low-beam headlamps. Motorway mode, which comes on automatically when driving above 90 km/h, delivers a uniform cone of light that illuminates the entire road width. In the centre of this cone the driver is able to see around 50 metres further. The enhanced fog lamps are also new, which Mercedes-Benz uses to provide better orientation in adverse weather conditions. Active light function and cornering light function are also part of the standard-fit Intelligent Light System on the CL Class.

PRE-SAFE®: automatic partial braking before an impending accident

Mercedes-Benz is the world's first car brand to develop an anticipatory occupant protection system that recognises a potential accident situation in its early stages and takes anticipatory occupant protection measures: PRE-SAFE® is standard-fit on the new CL-Class. During emergency braking or when skidding is imminent, the system moves the passenger seat into the most favourable position so that seat belts and airbags have maximum effect on impact. It also inflates air cushions in the dynamic multicontour seats (standard in the CL 600), which envelop and support the driver and front passenger. PRE-SAFE® also closes the side windows and the sunroof in critical situations where high lateral dynamics are generated.

Mercedes-Benz has just made this multi-award-winning anticipatory protection system even better in the CL-Class with the newly developed PRE-SAFE® brakes. They operate in tandem with Brake Assist PLUS (BAS PLUS), which warns the driver of an imminent rear-end collision with visual and audible signals and automatically calculates the required braking pressure to prevent an accident. This braking-power support is available as soon as the brake pedal is operated. If the driver does not react to the BAS PLUS warnings, the PRE-SAFE® brakes trigger automatic partial braking where an accident is imminent and slow the CL Class down using around 40 percent of the total braking power.

The automatic partial braking provides the driver with another clear warning to act. If the driver then immediately applies the brakes, the maximum braking force is available and the accident can - depending on the situation - be averted at the last moment. If an accident is unavoidable, the PRE-SAFE® brakes reduce the impact severity and, in turn, the risk of injury to the vehicle occupants.

As with Brake Assist PLUS, the new PRE-SAFE® brakes also utilise state-of-the-art radar technology to scan the situation in front of the car and detect a potential accident. Two short-range radar sensors with a range of 30 metres and a scanning angle of 80° are located behind the front bumper fascia on the CL-Class. The additional long-range radar in the radiator grille has a range of 150 metres.

Mercedes-Benz also offers BAS PLUS and PRE-SAFE® brakes in conjunction with the optional DISTRONIC PLUS proximity cruise control.

Assistance systems: radar sensors make parking child's play

The newly developed parking guidance system (optional extra) also works on the basis of radar technology: the sensors measure the length of a parking space when driving past and show on the cockpit display whether there is sufficient space to park. Once reverse gear is engaged, the display then includes a symbolic representation of the parking manoeuvre; guide lines show the required steering angle and indicate the path into the parking space.

Night view assist with infrared headlamps, reversing camera, voice control for car radio, DVD changer and navigation as well as tyre pressure monitoring system are other optional Mercedes assistance systems for increased handling safety and comfort.

Engines: eight and twelve-cylinder powerplants with noticeably more power

The new luxury Coupé is ready for any challenge on motorways and rural roads thanks to Mercedes' most powerful engines to date. The eight-cylinder powerplant in the CL 500 delivers 285 kW/388 hp and generates a maximum torque of 530 Newton metres from 2800 rpm. As such the newly developed engine outperforms the existing V8 unit by 26 percent in terms of output and 15 percent when it comes to torque. Equipped with four-valve technology, variably adjustable shifting camshafts, a two-stage intake module and tumble flaps in the intake ducts, the new V8 is among the most advanced, powerful engines in its displacement class. The CL 500 accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 5.4 seconds (previous model: 6.3 seconds).

An ultra-modern biturbo twelve-cylinder engine under the bonnet of the new CL 600 generates its impressive power. Mercedes engineers have enhanced numerous de-tails of the power unit and, compared to the predecessor model, have increased out-put by 12 kW/17 hp to 380 kW/517 hp. The maximum torque, already on tap from 1900 rpm, has been improved further by 30 Newton metres to 830 Newton metres and remains constant up to 3500 rpm. The new CL 600 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds (previous model: 4.8 seconds). And despite the significant per-formance boost the V12 engine consumes 0.4 litres less fuel than the previous CL 600 per 100 kilometres.

Mercedes-Benz has combined the standard-fit automatic transmission with the new DIRECT SELECT gearshift: the driver can select the transmission settings "P", "N", "R" and "D" by nudging a lever on the steering column. Operating commands are transmitted electronically by wire.

Tradition: seven generations of the Mercedes-Benz Coupé

The new CL-Class ushers in the seventh generation of the large Mercedes Coupés. The two-door model replaces the world-beating outgoing model, which joins the ranks of the best-selling luxury coupés with around 46,800 units sold. The history of the large Mercedes Coupés stretches back to 1952 when Mercedes Benz launched the legendary 300 S Coupé - a "car for the world's elite" was the verdict of the motoring press in its day. In 1956 it was followed by the 220 S Coupé as part of the W 180 model series, which fired the public's imagination with its unitised "Pon-toon" body in particular. And in 1961 the220 SEb Coupé (W 111 model series) took up the baton with its stylish elongated body.

In 1981 the SEC Coupés from the C 126 model series were based on the then S Class and remained in the Mercedes-Benz line-up for 10 years with over 74,000 units produced. In 1992 the Geneva Motor Show was host to the launch of the successor model (C 140 model series), powered for the first time by a 290 kW/394 hp twelve-cylinder engine. The predecessor to the new CL-Class Coupé celebrated its world premiere in March 1999, setting new standards with leading edge Mercedes innovations such as the Active Body Control (ABC) suspension system and bi-xenon headlamps.

Mercedes-Benz has built over 178,000 luxury coupés since 1952.

C-Class

The new Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Superior safety, comfort and agility

Safety, comfort, agility: these are the outstanding attributes of the new C-Class. The Saloon excels with a many-faceted product concept which meets the expectations of various customer target groups. With the AVANTGARDE, ELEGANCE and CLASSIC lines, Mercedes-Benz offers three individual models whose emphasis is on either comfort or agility. All model variants share the latest, state-of-the-art technology. This includes the newly developed AGILITY CONTROL package with situation-responsive shock absorber control, the Intelligent Light System with five different lighting functions and the PRE-SAFE® preventive occupant protection system. There is a choice of four and six-cylinder engines with up to 13 percent more output than the preceding model, accompanied by up an to six percent lower fuel consumption.

With a length of 4581 millimetres, the Saloon is 55 millimetres longer than its predecessor. The body width has increased by 42 mm to 1770 millimetres, and the wheelbase by 45 mm to 2760 millimetres. These dimensions create the conditions for a generously sized interior, and therefore more comfort. The front shoulder room has increased by 40 millimetres, for example.

The design of the new C-Class is based on the modern Mercedes idiom, which reflects the technical superiority of automobiles bearing the star with taut lines and large, tranquil surfaces. The pronounced wedge-shape of the front end serves to emphasise attributes such as agility and performance. For the first time in a Mercedes salon, the radiator grille is used as a distinguishing feature to position the model variants more clearly. Three extended, horizontal louvres and a big centrally positioned Mercedes star characterise the AVANTGARDE model as a traditional design feature of sporty Mercedes models. Together with the sporty, high-quality appointments, this feature emphasises the youthful, agile appearance of this C-Class. This sporty presence can be enhanced even further with the AMG sports package, which includes striking front and rear aprons plus side skirts.

In the ELEGANCE model Mercedes-Benz employs a three-dimensional, louvred radiator grille with a high-gloss paint finish to accentuate other brand-typical attributes such as comfort and luxury. The CLASSIC model in the new C-Class is intentionally more restrained and traditional, but offers the same technical innovations as the other two model variants.

This "product-in-product" concept enables Mercedes customers to accentuate individual choices, and configure the C-Class to suit their personal taste and lifestyle even more emphatically than before. All the models offer the same, extraordinary driving experience that the Saloon provides by virtue of further technical improvements. Both by its outstanding long-distance comfort and its dynamic handling, the C-Class sets new standards in this market segment.

Shock absorbers automatically adapt to the driving situation

AGILITY CONTROL - this is the term used by Mercedes-Benz for all new and further developments that improve both comfort and agility in equal measure. This standard package includes the AGILITY CONTROL suspension, which controls the shock absorber forces according to the driving situation: when driving normally with low shock absorber impulses, the damping forces are automatically reduced for a noticeable improvement in ride comfort - but without any compromise in handling safety. When driving more dynamically, the maximum damping forces are set and the car is effectively stabilised. The AGILITY CONTROL steering of the new C-Class has a ratio of 14.5, and is therefore six percent more direct than the steering of the preceding model. The likewise included AGILITY CONTROL gearshift reflects the sporty character of the C-Class with a short travel and precise shifts.

Mercedes-Benz has also developed the ADVANCED AGILITY package with a sporty driving mode, which will become optionally available from autumn 2007. This offers the driver a choice of two gearshift programmes: Sport and Comfort. Within these programmes the shock absorber for each wheel has infinitely variable electronic control. A newly developed speed-sensitive steering with a more direct ratio, variable centring and adaptation of the accelerator characteristics and automatic transmission shift points is also included in the package.

ADAPTIVE BRAKE is another new development in the area of running gear technology. This is based on the technology of the S-Class and provides additional support functions for even more safety and comfort. Examples include Start-Off Assist for uphill gradients, priming the braking system in critical situations and light contact to dry the brake discs in wet conditions.

Output of the supercharged four-cylinder engines increased by up to 13 percent

With a remarkable boost in output by up to 13 percent and an increase of around 18 percent in torque, the engines also do more than their bit to create the lively nature of the new C-Class. The four and six-cylinder units not only excel with powerful responsiveness, but also contribute to the excellent ride comfort of the Saloon with their improved smoothness.

Mercedes-Benz has paid particular attention to further development of the four-cylinder engines. In the petrol range, the output of the entry-level C 180 KOMPRESSOR has increased from the previous 105 kW/143 hp to 115 kW/156 hp, with maximum torque improved by 4.5 percent from 220 to 230 newton metres, while the C 200 KOMPRESSOR develops 15 kW/20 hp more than before. It has an output of 135 kW/184 hp and generates its maximum torque of 250 newton metres from 2800 rpm. These modified engines considerably improve the performance and fuel consumption of the four-cylinder models. When accelerating from standstill to 100 km/h, the C 200 KOMPRESSOR is 0.5 seconds faster than its predecessor. Improvements in fuel consumption are equally impressive: the C 180 KOMPRESSOR consumes 0.3 litres per 100 kilometres less than before, while the combined fuel consumption of the C 200 KOMPRESSOR has been reduced by 0.5 litres per 100 kilometres.

Fuel consumption of the four-cylinder CDI engines reduced by 0.3 litres

Further development of the four-cylinder units was also the main focus for the diesel engines. The engineers in Stuttgart have made further improvements to the engine, turbocharger and common-rail direct injection, modifying more than 90 components. As a result of these measures the new C 200 CDI has eleven percent more output than the preceding model, with 100 kW/136 hp versus the previous 90 kW/122 hp. The C 220 CDI develops a peak output of 125 kW/170 hp (previously 110 kW/150 hp), and generates a torque of 400 newton metres from 2000 rpm - around 18 percent more than before. Fuel consumption has been reduced by up to 0.3 litres per 100 kilometres: in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), the C 200 CDI and C 220 CDI are able to travel 100 kilometres on just 6.1 litres of fuel.

The modern V6-engines in the C-Class range remain unchanged, with a choice of three petrol units developing 150 kW/204 hp, 170 kW/231 hp and 200 kW/272 hp. The six-cylinder of the new C 320 CDI has an output of 165 kW/224 hp. With the exception of the C 350, all models in the new C-Class are equipped with a six-speed transmission featuring AGILITY CONTROL gearshift as standard. The top-of-the-range C 350 has 7G-TRONIC, the world's only seven-speed automatic transmission, as standard equipment. This is also available for the other six-cylinder C-Class models on request.

The latest Mercedes inventions ensure maximum safety

During the course of its development, the new C-Class successfully passed more than 100 crash tests, including the particularly demanding, in-house impact tests of which some go well beyond the legal requirements. Passing these is a precondition for the highest accolade in automobile safety: the Mercedes star. Occupant protection is based on an intelligently designed bodyshell, 70 percent of which consists of high-strength and ultra high-strength steel. Compared to the previous series, Mercedes-Benz has enlarged the deformation zones even further and improved energy flows. The front-end structure of the new C-Class has four independently acting impact levels, which enable forces to be distributed over a wide area while bypassing the passenger cell.

The safety technology in the interior has been complemented with the very latest protection systems. Seven airbags are included as standard equipment: two adaptive airbags for the driver and front passenger, a kneebag for the driver, two sidebags in the front seat backrests and two large windowbags which extend from the A to the C-pillar during a side impact. The driver, front passenger and the passengers on the outer rear seats also benefit from belt tensioners and belt force limiters as standard. The standard head restraints operate on the NECK PRO principle: during a rear-end collision the padded surfaces are pushed forward within milliseconds to support the heads of the driver and front passenger at an early stage. This significantly reduces the risk of a whiplash injury.

Mercedes-Benz has developed flashing brake lights as a major help in reducing rear-end collisions, and these are also standard equipment in the new C-Class. If the driver needs to brake hard at speeds in excess of 50 km/h, the brake lights flash rapidly to warn drivers following behind.

PRE-SAFE® is another special feature of the new Mercedes Saloon. This preventive occupant protection system (optional) is linked to active safety systems such as ESP® and Brake Assist, and is able to recognise critical driving manoeuvres at a very early stage. If the C-Class is in danger of crashing as a result of heavy under or oversteering, or if the driver needs to brake very heavily in a dangerous situation, PRE-SAFE® activates certain systems as a precaution to prepare the vehicle and its occupants for an impending accident. Accordingly the passive safety phase does not begin when the impact has already occurred, but before an impending collision.

The Intelligent Light System developed by Mercedes-Benz is also available in this vehicle class for the first time. Powerful bi-xenon headlamps provide five different lighting functions suited to typical driving and weather conditions: country mode, motorway mode, enhanced foglamps, the Active Light System and cornering lights. Yet another important contribution by Mercedes-Benz to safer driving in poor visibility.

Interior design "cast from a single mould"

When developing the cockpit, Mercedes designers took their lead from the sporty sector and included clearly laid-out dial instruments such as may be found in roadsters or coupés. Silver-coloured bezels, black dial faces, white markings and glowing orange needles perfectly combine form with function for a high value impression and easy legibility.

Equally clearly laid out and well-arranged, the two-tone dashboard and centre console of the new C-Class form a harmonious unit in line with the "design cast from a single mould" principle. The same applies to the integration of the colour display at the upper centre of the dashboard. This is perfectly positioned within the driver's line of vision, but can also be covered or folded away as required, without switching off the radio, navigation system or other units linked to the display. If the pivoting cover of the display aperture is closed, the infotainment units continue to operate.

New control concept for clarity and comfort

The central colour display is part of the new control and display concept which the new C-Class has adopted from the luxury-class Mercedes models. Its major advantage is rapid access to frequently used functions, which means that the driver does not need to relearn, is able to maintain familiar habits and feels at home immediately. All the control and display elements necessary and important during a journey are located in the cockpit, i.e. in immediate proximity to the driver.

In the same way, linking the standard multifunction steering wheel with the instrument cluster is an important precondition for rapid access to a wide range of information and functions in the driver's direct line of vision. Other functions such as infotainment are shown by the display at the centre of the dashboard. The driver and front passenger are able to control the radio, navigation system or telephone by using a controller on the centre console, or access the main menus using direct selection keys.

COMAND provides voice operation, a music server and DVD navigation

The Audio 20, Audio 50 APS and COMAND APS systems are a range of newly developed, optional infotainment units for C-Class passengers. They all feature a keypad for entering telephone numbers and radio frequencies, as well as a Bluetooth interface which wirelessly connects the mobile phone to the hands-free system. In the Audio 50 APS, the route guidance information - some of it as a visually attractive automatic junction zoom display - is shown by means of arrows on the fixed colour display (4.9-inch) in the dashboard. An integral 6-CD changer and the LINGUATRONIC voice control system are available on request.

The multimedia system COMAND APS offers even more functions than before in the new C-Class. One new feature is a Europe-wide navigation system whose data are stored on a hard disc (30 gigabytes). The high-resolution maps are shown on a colour display (7-inch) which pivots away and disappears beneath a cover at the touch of a button. Other functions of COMAND APS include a music server with a four-gigabyte memory, a DVD-player for video and audio, and the LINGUATRONIC voice control system, which Mercedes-Benz has likewise improved further: the driver no longer needs to spell out the names of countries, towns or roads, but is able to speak them as whole words. The voice control system is just as convenient when selecting radio stations or entries in the telephone directory.

The C-Class is the bestseller in the Mercedes lineup

The new C-Class Salon replaces a model series of which more than 1.4 million units have been sold since spring 2000. All in all, Mercedes-Benz has delivered more than two million of the Saloon, Estate and Sports Coupé models in the previous C-Class to customers all over the world. This makes the C-Class the bestseller in the Mercedes-Benz passenger car range. Germany is the largest market for the C-Class, accounting for around 30 percent of worldwide sales.

B.M.W

BMW CONCEPT CS

Introducing the BMW Concept CS, Germany's leading manufacturer of premium automobiles is presenting the vision of a unique four-door car which combines the exclusivity of a genuine luxury Gran Turismo with the fascinating thrill of a high-performance sports car. This unique combination never seen before offers the perspective to enjoy sheer driving pleasure in a dimension quite unprecedented in the world of motoring. Indeed, the BMW Concept CS is a new definition of design culture. Concentrating on powerful, expressive design, materials of the highest quality, and quality of finish in perfection, this unique new model offers a completely new understanding of premium quality. And within its interior, the BMW Concept CS combines stylish luxury with the most uncompromising ambience full of class and value.

Through its design alone, the BMW Concept CS underlines the supreme skill and competence of the BMW brand in developing the most sporting and dynamic cars offering ample space for more than two occupants. The most spectacular rendition of this heritage at BMW is the BMW M5, which established a brand-new segment in the world of motoring more than two decades ago and is acknowledged to this day as the benchmark in high-performance saloon motoring.

Now the know-how BMW has acquired over the years and decades comes together with the worldwide fame of the company as a manufacturer of premium automobiles, the BMW Concept CS thus offering the best of both worlds.

BMW is using the skills and competence established over such a long time to combine the most fascinating highlights of sporting performance and sophisticated luxury in an unprecedented new concept. Hence, the BMW Concept CS impressively proves how the successful strategy of the sporting four-door may be carried over consistently into the luxury performance segment.

Exterior design: where qualities typical of BMW all come together.

More than any other saloon in the past, the BMW Concept CS bears out all the highlights of optimum performance through the design of its body alone. The low-slung, dynamically stretched silhouette, the long engine compartment lid and stylish lines and contours accentuating rear-wheel drive technology simply perfect for sports motoring, all set clear standards for supreme dynamics in a new dimension of out-standing vehicles. Through its supreme presence, stylish elegance, and challenging dynamism, the BMW Concept CS, in a nutshell, offers truly unique design language with highly individual aesthetic features never seen before.

Precisely this explains why all the elementary values of the BMW brand are concentrated in the BMW Concept CS, superior dynamics and sophisticated elegance all being borne out together through the authentic style and design of the car. Clearly, therefore, the BMW Concept CS is the pacemaker leading into a new category of values typical and characteristic of the BMW brand.

Design culture and dynamics of the highest standard.

Offering a synthesis of features unique to the BMW brand, the BMW Concept CS introduces new, tempting highlights in a particularly demanding segment of the market. This unique model combines the qualities of a luxury saloon and a high-performance sports car in one, raising this superiority to a new, unprecedented level. As a result, the BMW Concept CS adds an unparalleled touch of sporting dynamism to the conventional culture of a saloon, offering the driver and passengers the complete dynamic potential of such unique power on four full-sized single seats.

While the conventional saloon focuses primarily on driving comfort, the BMW Concept CS sends out a clear message of active, dynamic motoring. A message which reaches all the car's occupants, with the generous feeling of space in this four-door being supplemented by a sporting and low seating position enjoyed not only by the driver and front passenger, but also by the passengers at the rear on their own single seats. For this reason alone, the BMW Concept CS is, not least, the vision of a sports car for the ambitious driver offering the passengers the same experience of sporting performance and luxurious pleasure.

Individual style meets exclusive class.

The innovative, unique driving experience offered by the BMW Concept CS is appropriately reflected by all the car's interior features, the design of the interior and the various technical innovations interacting perfectly with one another. The ambience of the interior is indeed just as unique as the character and body design of this one-off sporting four-seater, offering all the occupants a brand-new experience of aesthetic style and design. And it almost goes without saying that within the car the occupants enjoy such unique exclusivity in particular style on four single seats.

The innovative design and finish of both the surfaces and controls is further accentuated by the use of top-quality materials and quality of finish enhanced to perfection. Unnecessary opulence is replaced by highly focused luxury, together with an exemplary standard of detail and elegance. The precision that has gone into the development and production of all components is obvious at very first sight, clearly expressing BMW's dedication to supreme performance in every respect.

Style and unique aesthetics of BMW.

Measuring 5.10 metres or 200.8 inches in length, the BMW Concept CS is dominated by dynamically flowing lines. From the BMW kidney grille standing out powerfully to the front, the eyes of the beholder move back along the low-slung and sleek engine compartment lid, subsequently meandering along the side-line and roof-line all the way to the deliberately short rear-end with its clear-cut air flow spoiler.

The dynamically stretched silhouette of the car proudly boasts a wide range of features typical of the character of a particularly sporting, avantgarde automobile. All of these features clearly bear testimony to excellent aerodynamics as well as a low centre of gravity helping to promote superior agility on the road. And at the same time the carefully modelled transitions between the body sections are a clear symbol of the car's nimble character and performance, despite its size.

Four doors with a unique, sporting and low body line.

The sporting, low-slung silhouette of the car is further accentuated by body height of just 1.36 metres or 53.5 inches. A further important feature is the gentle taper of the roof-line at the rear serving again to smoothly stretch the proportions of the entire car.

The re-interpreted contour line, as seen from the side, serves to emphasise the technical concept of rear-wheel drive so crucial to dynamic performance on the road. Subdividing the silhouette of the car into various sections, the contour line stretches from the beginning of the A-pillar in a gentle, rising movement all the way up above the front door, gradually petering out beneath the rear side window. Then the contour line starts again in the lower section of the rear door, first running parallel to the wheel cut-out in a powerful arch. From there the rear contour line is continued as a straight line also rising slightly up to the rear end of the car.

The roof-line likewise tapering out gently to the rear also provides a brand-new effect when looking at the car from the side, adding a touch never seen before on a saloon. The striking contour of the C-pillar, in turn, provides an additional visual highlight of attractive clarity, the transition of the C-pillar into the rear section of the car tapering out at a lower angle than the steeper rear window rising up from its base point. This creates a unique expression of classic notchback design highly individualised and varying according to your angle of vision. At the bottom, the C-pillar offers a new, enhanced interpretation of the reverse line sweeping to the front known by tradition as the "Hofmeister kick". And last but not least, a gentle and extremely attractive light-edge stands out above the side window precisely where the C-pillar merges into the roof-line.

Characteristic front-end design consistently enhanced.

The front-end design of the BMW Concept CS is a particularly striking example of the consistent enhancement of BMW's design language. Here the BMW kidney grille stands out as a powerful element typical of the BMW brand and naturally a famous icon of body design, giving the car its unique look and emphasising the flow of air into the engine. Indeed, the kidney grille is not only the central, but also the dominating element in the design of the entire front end.

Through its dimensions alone, as well as its position slightly inclined to the front, the kidney grille establishes a clear link to classic BMW sports cars. All further elements at the front end of the car are angled in the direction of travel and designed as a genuine sculpture around the kidney grille, with all directly adjacent surfaces being modelled in concave design.

Significant functional features add further meaning to this special look of the car, with the BMW kidney grille serving as the primary supply of air to the engine. The two recesses in the front side panels, in turn, help to cool the brakes on the car. And since a power unit befitting the dynamic character of such a sports saloon most probably requires an ample flow of cooling air, the need for an extra-large kidney grille is obvious at first sight. Applying the philosophy that "form follows function", the contours on the engine compartment typical of a BMW have developed into a genuine sign of distinction born out of technical needs and requirements. On the BMW Concept CS, the powerdome as a further highlight in design extends over the power unit as a particularly large, almost awe-inspiring design feature.

The engine compartment lid is supported at either side by headlight units merging flush into the design of the car and resting flat on the side panels, extending far back into the front wings. The slender space thus left over above the extra-large wheel arches underlies the agility and, accordingly, the athletic performance of the car.

Innovative headlight technology.

Within the dynamic, low-slung headlight units featured in the BMW Concept CS, particularly innovative technology serves to generate a powerful and consistent light beam: Innovative LED reverse-projection lights bundle their light on a reflection area from where the beam is conveyed smoothly, consistently and with utmost precision to the road ahead. This provides a particularly homogenous area of illumination without the slightest dazzling effect, since the oncoming motorist does not look directly at the projectors.

The short front overhang of the body creates yet another sign confirming the sporting concept of the car, showing the connoisseur clearly that the engine may be placed behind the front wheel suspension. Obviously, such arrangement of the engine serves once again to make the car particularly agile and dynamic on the road.

The extra-large wheel arches offer space for big 21-inch wheels - again exceptional proportions alluding clearly to an extremely high standard of steering precision and tracking stability. And the rear wheel arches are powerfully chiselled to perfection even more than the wheel arches at the front, with the car growing wider towards the rear end, again accentuating the transmission of power to the rear wheels so typical of BMW.

Dynamic roof-line guiding your eyes - and the air flowing by.

The sculptural design language so characteristic of the BMW Concept CS in its body design allows unique interplay of concave and convex surfaces, reflecting and guiding the light on and around the car in exactly the right way. One example in this context is the exterior mirrors on this unique car blending harmoniously with the side-view, the mirrors through their design alone repeating the overall look and lines of the car. The door handlers are integrated into the flanks of the BMW Concept CS even more discreetly: Housed within a chrome-bar running to the rear at the height of the contour line, the door handlers controlled by sensors move out only when really needed.

Yet another innovation in the design of this saloon is the centrepiece along the roof line of the BMW Concept CS slightly drawn in at the rear. This exceptional contour design visible only from behind but nevertheless unusually powerful in its look optimises the flow of air in and around the roof area. The aerodynamic touch established in this way underlines the overall sporting impression of the car and serves at the same time as yet another feature of sculptural design and perfection.

Sculptural design for truly unique style.

Given all these features, the BMW Concept CS is a modern counterpart to the conventional notchback design of a "regular" four-door. Indeed, never before on a saloon have the individual body sections merged so smoothly into one another, creating a low-slung and stretched appearance. And this impression of all-round perfection with supreme harmony of looks from every angle is further enhanced when admiring the transitions modelled with extreme care and diligence, providing additional light effects, for example, around the C-pillar. Features of this standard alone clearly confirm BMW's philosophy to express supreme design culture through perfect precision and style in every respect.

The much lower flow of the C-pillars compared with the position of the rear window again serves to emphasis the flowing transitions from one body section to the next. Seen from the side, the entire car has the lightness of a coupé - but then all you have to do is change your perspective only slightly in order to perceive and appreciate all the style of a classic four-door. Given the short body overhang at the rear, the size of the separate luggage compartment is hard to appreciate to begin with. Instead, the rear end is dominated by other design features emphasising both the wide track and the aerodynamically optimised rear look of the car.

Moving up at the rear, we see that the two tailpipe rings are integrated in the rear air dam. In its night design, in turn, the BMW Concept CS is characterised by slender rear lights emitting a homogeneous, low-slung and therefore strikingly harmonious lighting effect.

With its design language absolutely authentic and convincing to the last detail, the BMW Concept CS offers all the fascinating thrill of new design culture. The particular impact of this sporting four-door, in turn, results not only from individual highlights, but also from the overall look of the car accentuating its complete character so convincingly. The car's dynamic potential is indeed expressed both by its proportions and lines symbolising both power and a dynamic, forward-moving urge. And last but certainly not least, the BMW Concept CS boasts particularly sophisticated elegance through the great care and diligence applied in turning innovative design culture into reality.

The interior: an outstanding driving experience on all four seats.

The interior of the BMW Concept CS also offers dynamism of a completely new standard borne out by the combination of exclusive elegance and sophisticated refinement. In designing the interior, the innovative technique of layering the individual surfaces and components provides an unprecedented combination of function and stylish reduction to the essential. The appropriate use of joints and seams, together with layered surfaces, creates new options in the arrangement of functional elements for both ventilation and illumination. And at the same time the layering concept offers new possibilities to clearly express the class and value of the materials used as well as the precise design of the car's interior through contrasting colours and the structure of different materials.

Featuring height-adjustable collar elements directly integrated in the seats, the four full-sized sports seats meet all the needs of personalised entertainment and communication, thus raising the experience of quality within the interior to an unprecedented standard. More than ever before, this highlights the sheer value of the materials used, the love for all details, and quality of finish now enhanced to perfection.

Interaction of innovative design and exclusive materials, together with the use of a highly expressive colour scheme, gives the interior of the BMW Concept CS a unique touch of luxury based not on simple opulence, but rather on perfect quality.

The design of the interior clearly reveals the truly outstanding driving experience in a unique ambience. A brand-new concept for subdividing the cockpit into various sections, as well as unparalleled standards in the choice of materials and in the quality of finish, create an unprecedented flair of exclusivity and individual style. And added to this there is a clear pledge to sportiness expressed both by the arrangement and finish of the four single sports seats and the design of the controls and instruments.

An invitation to active motoring.

The driver-oriented cockpit immediately shows the motorist that he or she is in control of everything happening at the wheel. Just like the arrangement of all controls and instruments, the design and layout of the cockpit is an invitation to active motoring. A very clear example of this straightforward philosophy is the short distance between the steering wheel and the shift lever, while in their design the sports seats combine a touch of lightness with the sporting elegance of the finest leather. The low-slung seating position and the clear structure of the instruments likewise evoke the wish to really experience and savour the dynamic potential of this unique car.

Lots of space, lots of support: sports seats also at the rear.

The BMW Concept CS presents the vision of an automobile proudly offering all its qualities to the driver. The unique thrill of driving the car is obviously borne out most by taking your position at the wheel, while the sheer driving pleasure offered in the process is shared out among all the occupants: Just like the front-seat passenger, the passengers on the single seats at the rear will also appreciate and cherish the sporting and active driving experience offered by the BMW Concept CS. Precisely this is ensured by the contours of the rear seats with their perfect side support tailored to the contours and design of the front sports seats. And thanks to the single seat concept, elbow freedom on the rear seats is just as good as on the front passenger's seat.

The centre console flows back smoothly all the way to the rear, serving as a comfortable armrest and at the same time offering additional storage space. In all, therefore, the passengers sitting at the rear enjoy a brand-new, truly innovative ambience standing out clearly from the conventional style of a "regular" four-door model.

Cultivating the flow of joints and seams: layering the interior design.

The combination of features previously regarded as incompatible within the BMW Concept CS represents a complete departure from conventional standards. Indeed, the BMW Concept CS opens up a new era in many areas, the unique combination of sporting performance and stylish elegance also coming out clearly in the design of the interior.

The BMW Concept CS is therefore no more and no less than a new milestone in refined interior design, applying an innovative layering technique developed by BMW to provide unprecedented interplay of the various interior elements. Instead of large surfaces and connections with their transitions nearly always characterised by a change in materials and colours, the layering technique stratifies the various surfaces flowing into one another, with clearly defined seams taking on a functional role, for example in the arrangement of light sources and venting nozzles. The result is a very refined effect of light and shade making a significant contribution to the exclusive overall look and impression of the interior.

Contrary to the design of the body incorporating flowing lines, generous surfaces and harmonious interplay of concave and convex elements in order to capitalise above all on light effects, the layering concept applied within the interior mainly uses shade effects and changes in structure. Wherever individual surfaces in the structure of the cockpit do not meet on the same level, we find separate zones kept away from the direct flow of light - and precisely these zones provide the right space for the inconspicuous arrangement of various functions. The recesses and superimposed surfaces provided in this way offer appropriate space for ambient illumination as well as the arrangement of air vents. Dazzle-free interior lighting and discreet shade effects upgrade the entire flair of the interior and create a kind of light, hovering effect.

This layering philosophy is continued in the design of the instruments themselves, the displays in the instrument cluster presenting various functions and items of information on different optical levels. This again creates the impression of superimposed surfaces serving, first, to clearly structure the information offered and, second, to generate an impression of three-dimensionality.

Colour design rich in contrasts, high-quality materials.

BMW's designers have also created unmistakable highlights through the choice of materials and colours: Powerful colour contrasts generate a dynamic ambience full of vitality appropriately reflecting the dynamic driving experience on the four seats of the BMW Concept CS. High-quality, refined leather in sophisticated brown forms a powerful contrast to surfaces in elegant off-white. Finished in matt tan, this brown leather is indeed to be admired not only on the seats, but also on the instrument panel, the upper doorsills, and the outer edges of the roof lining. Around the armrests and in the door panels themselves, this change in colours accentuates the dynamic lines of the interior created by the particular design and shape of individual elements. And finally, the leather trim on the dashboard continues in a slender band extending harmoniously into the door linings.

As a further innovative highlight, the roof lining in the BMW Concept CS is accentuated not only through a contrasting colour scheme, but also by finishing the outer flanks of the roof lining likewise in leather. Ambient light bands stretching out along the entire length between the windscreen and rear window, finally, add yet a further touch of luxury inside the car.

Reflecting the particular style of the exterior, the flowing structure of the interior surfaces shows special care and diligence in the transitions from one section to another. As an example, the leather trim on the centre console and the door entry area extends far down into the footwells.

The dashboard also uses a newly developed metal structure literally "embracing" the various surface elements. This material particularly attractive in its structure as well as its cool colour and feeling surrounds the circular instruments in the cockpit, together with the other features and elements.

Yet another supreme innovation is the use of high-tech ceramics for the controls and instruments. And as a symbol of solidity and value, the BMW iDrive Controller is also made of a special ceramic material.

Unparalleled and typical of BMW: the BMW Concept CS.

The unique flair pampering both the driver and his passengers within the BMW Concept CS is an equally clear expression of both a new culture in body design. Both outside and inside, the BMW Concept CS therefore conveys the same message, telling the world that the experience of driving a saloon now comes in an entirely new rendition. So in presenting this new Concept Car, BMW is not only entering a brand-new segment of the market never occupied before, but is also setting the milestone with a brand-new type of car: The four-door luxury Gran Turismo enters a new dimension of motoring in new style and with new features.

A new experience of dynamics and the ambience around us, exemplary quality in design and finish, extreme precision in the dimensions of the car, and concentrated luxury within the interior - these are the features that characterise the BMW Concept CS. And at the same time all this bears clear testimony to the superior know-how and competence of BMW's engineers and designers in creating such truly emotional automobiles.

The sum total of such qualities in the BMW Concept CS can be created only on a sound foundation of firmly defined values: innovative power, sporting performance, aesthetic design, an open frame of mind, and full awareness of quality. Precisely these are the values BMW has been applying consistently for decades in the development of particularly outstanding saloons and fascinating, truly dynamic sports cars. And now these values are concentrated even more than before in an unprecedented manner in the BMW Concept CS.

BMW Hydrogen 7

Introducing a new Era of Mobility: BMW Hydrogen 7.

BMW is the world's first car maker to present a hydrogen-drive car which has successfully completed the process of series development: The BMW Hydrogen 7 with its hydrogen combustion engine is the result of a consistent development strategy now rendering this trendsetting concept of sustained mobility fully suitable for regular use in today's world.

The BMW 7 Series Hydrogen 7 Saloon is powered by a 191 kW/260 hp twelve-cylinder and accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 9.5 seconds. Top speed is limited electronically to 230 km/h or 143 mph. And as long as full supply of hydrogen is not guaranteed, the dual-mode power unit featured in BMW Hydrogen 7 switches over quickly and conveniently to conventional premium gasoline.

Offering the world this highly practical solution, BMW is not only demonstrating its leadership in technology in the area of future-oriented drive systems. Rather, the integration of hydrogen drive in an existing vehicle concept which has already proven its merits in the market paves the way for an alternative to conventional drive concepts fully accepted in the market and with all the assets the customer is looking for in practice.

The launch of BMW Hydrogen 7 is therefore a milestone en route to an era of mobility independent of fossil fuels not only for the BMW Group but also for the entire automotive and energy industry.

BMW Hydrogen 7 clearly proves, therefore, that liquid hydrogen may by all means be used as a source of energy for the production car. Indeed, introducing BMW Hydrogen 7, the BMW Group is establishing powerful momentum for the ongoing development of a supply infrastructure serving above all to set up additional hydrogen filling stations providing sustained mobility on a broad basis also in future.

BMW CleanEnergy - the BMW Group's energy strategy.

The promotion and ongoing development of hydrogen technology as the appropriate type of energy for the future is an essential part of the BMW Group's CleanEnergy strategy. In this context, BMW Hydrogen 7 serves as a pacemaker enabling all development partners participating in the concept to demonstrate the practical, everyday qualities and benefits of this jointly developed technology.

The BMW CleanEnergy concept therefore seeks to provide a drive technology which serves to fulfil current and future demand for individual mobility without the use of fossil fuels. Indeed, hydrogen technology offers the opportunity to dramatically reduce emissions generated by personal transport and, in particular, to minimise the emission of CO2: Running in the hydrogen mode, the BMW Hydrogen 7 basically emits nothing but vapour.

The vision of sustained mobility free of harmful emissions applies not only to the actual operation and use of the car, but also to the generation of drive energy: It is a well-known fact today that mankind needs alternatives to the consumption of fossil fuels limited in their availability. And contrary to such conventional fuels, hydrogen is meets the requirements of the future in full both in its generation and in its sustainability, being embedded in the regenerating cycle of nature. Recovered from biomass or with the help of energy from the sun, from wind and hydro-power, hydrogen is available in virtually infinite supply. And if necessary it can also be generated with the help of natural gas, biogas, or other sources of primary energy.

As a result, the type of hydrogen recovery and production can be adjusted flexibly to current conditions and requirements, ensuring maximum diversification and facilitating the gradual substitution of fossil fuels step-by-step in the course of time.

Momentum for developing the right supply infrastructure: the Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) and cooperation with Total.

In developing the technical components required for using hydrogen, the BMW Group cooperates closely with specialised suppliers and partners in development. In addition, the BMW Group is a founding member of the Transport Energy Strategy (TES) and belongs to the Berlin Clean Energy Partnership (CEP) also comprising other car makers, energy supply companies, and public transport services.

CEP is part of Germany's national strategy of sustainability, and is supported and promoted by the German Government. It was at the initiative of CEP that the first integrated hydrogen filling station was opened in Berlin, reflecting the Consortium's objective to prove the qualities of hydrogen for everyday use in mobile applications.

To promote the use of hydrogen as a source of energy, the BMW Group has concluded an agreement with Total, the mineral oil and fuel supplier operating an integrated filling station with both conventional fuels and hydrogen in Berlin year ever since 2004. Yet another hydrogen filling station in the capital city of Germany - again as part of the CEP initiative - was then opened by Total in March 2006.

A new integrated hydrogen filling station also run by Total is to be opened in Munich at the end of 2006, marking the premiere of BMW Hydrogen 7 near the BMW Group's Research and Innovation Centre. And last but certainly not least, the BMW Group and Total have agreed to open yet another integrated hydrogen filling station in a further large city in Europe.

Benefiting from experience already gained in practice, the process of filling up the hydrogen tank is now quite similar to the process of filling up a conventional tank under regular conditions at a gasoline or diesel fuel pump: As soon as the driver has manually connected the tank coupling to the fuel tank filler cap on the car, the entire process of filling up the tank is fully automatic.

BMW - the forerunner and leader in hydrogen drive technology.

As a particularly innovative, strategically oriented car maker, BMW was very quick to assume responsibility for the promotion and introduction of sustained mobility concepts. Reflecting the Company's traditional core competence in drivetrain technology, BMW started as early as in 1978 to conduct research on the hydrogen power unit, consistently developing and upgrading this technology with several generations of hydrogen cars in the years to come.

In the year 2000 BMW became the first car maker in the world to present a demonstration fleet of hydrogen-drive cars at the Expo 2000 World Fair in Hanover, Germany. In the meantime the BMW 750hL hydrogen car has proven its merits under practical testing conditions, clearly and impressively confirming the feasibility of this technology. And on the CleanEnergy World Tour, finally, the BMW Group was once again able to gain significant international attention on hydrogen technology and its great potential.

The world's first public hydrogen filling station was opened at Munich Airport in the year 2000, again making a significant contribution in testing and improving the everyday qualities of this innovative drive technology. Indeed, the experience already gained at the time by the BMW Group and other car makers, fuel supply companies and the operators of the filling station at Munich Airport has significantly influenced and promoted ongoing development within the CEP imitative.

This experience has also been used, inter alia, in the concept of the hydrogen filling stations now operating in Berlin, where BMW Group test cars have been filled with hydrogen regularly ever since. Operation of the world's first public hydrogen filling station will be ending in 2006 when it is replaced by the new integrated filling station in Munich.

BMW Hydrogen 7: paving the way into the future.

Launching BMW Hydrogen 7, the BMW Group is opening up a new era for the development of automobiles with alternative drive technologies: BMW Hydrogen 7 is not the result of a research project, but has rather successfully completed the entire Product Development Process (PDP) obligatory for all new BMWs.

In this process all components of the new technology were integrated into the overall vehicle according to the same criteria applied to "regular" production cars. Hence, BMW Hydrogen 7 has reached a level of development significantly beyond the status of all hydrogen prototypes and demonstration cars built so far and allowing homologation under the usual rules and standards in both Germany and the ECE.

The knowledge gained in the Product Development Process has not only made a decisive contribution to the everyday driving qualities of the BMW Hydrogen 7, but has also had a positive effect on the features and qualities of all individual components. In the Product Development Process each and every component as well as the overall vehicle is analysed and checked to the smallest detail, determining whether it meets the requirements of series production.

Representing firm features in the Product Development Process, the individual process steps in Development, Testing, Clearance and Signing-Off guarantee the high standards demanded of a BMW Group vehicle. Naturally, the process takes all criteria relevant to the customer into account in order to verify that the new product is ready for the market in every respect. For only then are the conditions fulfilled for presenting the customer - as with all other BMW models - with the world's first luxury saloon running with a hydrogen combustion engine.

Entering the market as the first hydrogen car for everyday use, the BMW Hydrogen 7 is a milestone - and at the same time it introduces a new era in car production. The knowledge gained in developing the car will have a significant influence on the development and production of future hydrogen car concepts, with the principle of dual-mode drive as well as the features of other components now going through the strict test of everyday driving practice.

Liquid hydrogen - the energy of the future.

Ever since the start of research and development in this area, the BMW Group has given preference to the use of liquid hydrogen as the appropriate source of energy for the automobile. Compared with gaseous and highly compressed hydrogen, liquid, cryogenic hydrogen offers much higher energy density.

And comparing the amount of energy stored in a tank of the same size as cryogenic, liquid hydrogen as opposed to a car tank with gaseous hydrogen compressed to 700 bar, we see that liquid hydrogen has the advantage of offering 75 per cent more energy. Clearly, therefore, a vehicle running on liquid hydrogen has a correspondingly longer cruising range with all the practical benefits involved.

Dual-mode combustion engine for enhanced flexibility.

In judging the everyday qualities of a new drive concept, the practical cruising range offered by a car is one of the most important criteria. But apart from consumption figures and the tank capacity in a car, we must also consider the existing fuel supply infrastructure.

Right now there is not yet a full network of hydrogen filling stations. Hence, vehicles running on hydrogen alone can only be used within certain limits on public roads and do not offer the flexibility naturally expected by the customer.

Precisely this is why the BMW Group, introducing the world's first hydrogen car for everyday use, is opting for dual-mode drive technology, with the combustion engine of BMW Hydrogen 7 being able to run on both hydrogen and gasoline.

The cruising range of the car in the hydrogen mode is more than 200 kilometres or 125 miles, with another 500 kilometres or 300 miles in the gasoline mode. As a result, the driver of a BMW Hydrogen 7 benefits from virtually unlimited mobility and is able to use his vehicle without problems even when far away from the nearest hydrogen filling station.

Dual-mode drive technology - the key to everyday motoring.

The prerequisite for permanent use of hydrogen as a source of energy is a closely-knit network of hydrogen filling stations. On the other hand there will only be an incentive to build additional filling stations when a significant potential for vehicles with hydrogen drive is obviously developing in the market.

Precisely this is why BMW Hydrogen 7 is destined to become a pacemaker for progress on both levels. It now generates the momentum required for expanding the right fuel supply infrastructure, ultimately benefiting those car makers focusing exclusively on single-mode hydrogen technology. For once the number of hydrogen filling stations increases accordingly, these vehicles will also become more attractive, single-mode hydrogen vehicles then offering the same everyday driving qualities and practical benefits that BMW Hydrogen 7 is already able to prove today.

Opting for this dual-mode drive concept, the BMW Group is consciously acting as a pacemaker. Indeed, this commitment to set standards not only to the benefit of BMW's own customers, but also to the advantage of an entire world of technology, is part of the responsibility the BMW Group is happy to assume in our modern world.

Fuel cell technology BMW style: the APU.

Despite this clear focus on hydrogen technology, the BMW Group is also working consistently on the fuel cell to ensure practical use of this technology also in the automobile. The long-term objective is to use the fuel cell as an auxiliary power unit (APU) both in the hydrogen and gasoline car, the APU serving to supply electric power for the on-board network both while driving and at a standstill.

V12 power unit developing dynamic performance BMW style from hydrogen.

Under current conditions, dual-mode drive is indeed the only really practical solution in giving hydrogen the breakthrough it deserves. And at the same time the combustion engine featured in BMW Hydrogen 7 is excellently suited for arousing widespread acceptance of this new technology.

Particularly in comparison with the fuel cell, the power unit featured by BMW develops much more engine power, the V12 driving BMW Hydrogen 7 combining dynamic performance, superior comfort and enhanced safety in a manner typical of all BMWs, regardless of the type of fuel or engine technology.

Displacing 6.0 litres, the power unit develops maximum output of 191 kW/260 hp. Maximum torque, in turn, is 390 Newton-metres/287 lb-ft at an engine speed of 4,300 rpm. This enables BMW Hydrogen 7 to accelerate from a standstill to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and gives the car an electronically limited top speed of 230 km/h or 143 mph, both on hydrogen and gasoline.

Right from the start, therefore, this alternative energy technology brand-new in a series production car is absolutely equal to the gasoline engine with its history of more than 100 years. So the conclusion is clear: A hydrogen car is also able to offer power, performance, driving dynamics, motoring refinement and, as a result, sheer driving pleasure of the supreme standard expected of a genuine BMW.

Apart from the driving experience, the twelve-cylinder power unit carried over from the BMW 760i as the basis for the engine in BMW Hydrogen 7 offers further benefits highly relevant to the customer. Indeed, the engine comes with all the qualities gained by BMW in decades of experience in the production of particularly powerful and efficient power plants, which also means the supreme reliability so typical of a BMW.

Compared with a fuel cell hardly able to offer the same kind of power, the combustion engine is far lighter right from the start. A further point is that use of a combustion engine also means lower cost of production, with BMW Hydrogen 7 not only having gone through the BMW Group's entire process of series development, but also being fully integrated in the conventional production process even as a hydrogen car: The new hydrogen model is built at BMW's Dingolfing Plant parallel to the other models in the BMW 7, 6 and 5 Series, with the drive unit in BMW Hydrogen 7 coming like all BMW twelve-cylinders from the Company's engine production plant in Munich.

Direct gasoline injection and hydrogen intake manifold supply.

The hydrogen combustion engine is based on the gasoline power unit featured in the BMW 760i, offering the most advanced and sophisticated highlights in technology such as fully variable VALVETRONIC valve management and variable double-VANOS camshaft control. Further confirmation of the engineering skills of BMW's engine development specialists is borne out by the modifications required for dual-mode drive, with fuel being supplied in the gasoline mode through direct injection and with a hydrogen supply pipe integrated in the engine's intake system.

The key technology is the injection valves required to provide the appropriate fuel/air mixture, blowing exactly the right amount of hydrogen gas into the intake air within fractions of a second.

Burning up to ten times faster than conventional fuel, hydrogen offers a higher level of efficiency. To make use of this potential in full, the V12 power unit in BMW Hydrogen 7 requires particularly flexible engine management ensured ideally by VALVETRONIC and double-VANOS, where both the gas cycle and injection rhythm can be perfectly tailored to the specific features and characteristics of the hydrogen/air mixture.

Minimisation of nitric oxides.

Under full load the power unit in BMW Hydrogen 7 runs under stochiometric conditions, meaning a complete balance of oxygen and hydrogen (lambda = 1). This mixture ratio also provides the highest level of performance and output on low emissions in the hydrogen mode.

With hydrogen, contrary to fossil fuel, not containing any carbon, the combustion of hydrogen generates neither hydrocarbons (HC) nor carbon monoxide (CO). If at all, minute traces of HC, CO, and CO2 emissions will be generated by the combustion of lubricant and by rinsing the activated carbon filter while running in the hydrogen mode.

The only relevant factor, therefore, is the emission of nitric oxides (NOX) generated above all at particularly high combustion temperatures. Highly flexible combustion management, however, allows an operating strategy able to largely control the formation of NOX. In practice, this means that the engine is run under part load with a high share of oxygen and, accordingly, a high lambda factor of more than 2.

In this case the temperatures in the combustion process are relatively low, keeping NOX emissions to an absolute minimum.

Such a lean burn mode can be maintained throughout a particularly wide range of operation in the engine control map. And since hydrogen offers particularly broad ignition limits and burns at a fast rate, only a small amount of fuel is required in the mixture to generate a high level of efficiency.

To boost engine output, the share of fuel in the fuel/air mixture is also increased in the hydrogen mode. This, in turn, means an increase in combustion temperatures under higher load. With the fuel/air mixture range creating the maximum amount of nitric oxide lying between lambda = 1 and lambda = 2, the engine management of BMW Hydrogen 7 cancels out this operating range with its negative effects on emission management without any reduction or change in torque.

NOX emissions are almost completely avoided under full load with a lambda factor of 1. To convert the minimum amounts of NOX still remaining under these operating conditions, all the engine needs is a regular three-way catalyst system, the specific composition of exhaust gases in a hydrogen combustion engine running under stochiometric conditions (lambda = 1) promoting the conversion of nitric oxides possibly contained in the exhaust emissions by way of the three-way catalyst. In practice, therefore, the drive unit featured in BMW Hydrogen 7 offers the same dynamic performance in the hydrogen mode as when running on gasoline, while emitting nothing but vapour in the process.

Hydrogen tank: compact instead of all-round insulation.

The dual-mode drive concept of BMW Hydrogen 7 requires not only suitable engine management and fuel supply, but also proper integration of two separate fuel tanks: To offer the longest conceivable cruising range, BMW Hydrogen 7 comes with both a conventional 74-litre (16.3 Imp gal) gasoline tank and an additional fuel tank taking up approximately 8 kilos or 17.6 lb of liquid hydrogen.