BMW Supercar Coming in 2012?

According to recent reports BMW is planning to build a new green supercar by 2012. Meant to rival the successful Audi R8 and the upcoming Mercedes SLC, the new supercar will be a pure sports car which will draw heavily on the latest advances in technology and lightweight construction.

The car is expected to a mid-engine design and could potentially be powered by a reworked version of the company’s 3.0 liter engine, instead of the big V8s and V10s of today’s BMW M cars. Being a green car means that it would be equipped with fuel saving technologies such as direct injection, brake regeneration and a stop / start system. According to one source the new supercar would have the fuel economy and CO2 emissions of a mid-range 5 series.

The source also indicated that the early design studies were the equivalent of a modern M1, which the company recently paid homage to with the pictured concept.