Frankfurt Auto Show: BMW ActiveHybrid 7

One of the most comprehensive presences at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto show, the BMW display of vehicles is comprised of just about every single development in technology and design the German manufacturer made this year.

Among the novelties, the recently announced ActiveHybrid 7, a car which will set "new standards for performance and efficiency in the premium luxury class.” And, perhaps, among the few (if not the only) to use an "electric turbo".

"The electric motor basically serves as an “electric turbo”. As a result, the BMW ActiveHybrid 7 Series’ acceleration is even better than that of the BMW 750i. Besides offering enhanced performance, it also saves 15 percent in fuel and emissions. And this is exactly the idea behind our Efficient Dynamics strategy: to combine greater dynamics and greater efficiency," Klaus Draeger, BMW member of the board said in Frankfurt.

The hybrid 7 Series is powered by a V8 TwinPower turbo engine, paired with a 3-phase synchronous electric motor. Together, the two develop 455 hp and a maximum torque of 516 lb.-ft. The engine of the ActiveHybrid 7 is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and has the electric motor positioned between the engine and the torque converter.

The BMW also uses an Auto Start Stop system, making the ActiveHybrid 7 the first BMW with automatic transmission to use such s device.

The car accelerates from a standstill to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds, and tops at an electronically limited speed of 240 km/h (150 mph). Compared to the 750i, the hybrid is about 15 percent more fuel efficient but, so far, the official EPA fuel consumption ratings are not yet available.