The only thing better than a major automaker rolling out a supercar concept is when they actually put it into production. Usually, if the green light is given, it happens after the show car's public debut. In this case, however, early word from Autocar indicates that things are working backwards. BMW reportedly originally envisioned this effort as a concept car, but instead it has decided to put it into limited production to showcase its high performance and green capabilities.

The car in question, according to AC's latest reports, is a new flagship supercar from BMW to be called the Z10 ED. With a two-seat, front-engine layout, the Z10 ED (for Efficient Dynamics – BMW's term for its green tech) is being prepared by the company's Technik skunkworks department. As you may recall, this is the very same crew that brought the Z1 and Z8 roadsters to showrooms.

As the story goes, after BMW canceled plans to revive the M1 with a mid-engine, R8-eating supercar, Munich's decision-makers apparently gave the go-ahead for another project to highlight the company's tree-hugghing and road-hugging technology. For starters, integrated door frames and extensive use of carbon fiber will be employed to keep curb weight down and rigidity up. Power is tipped to come from a high-output version of the company's 3.0-liter six, with all the bells and whistles: twin turbos, variable valve timing and compression, along with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, F1-derived regenerative braking, and start-stop engine management. All of which should yield an anticipated 400 horsepower out of a relatively compact engine.

No telling when we might see the Z10 hit the roads, but sources suggest a $110,000+ price tag when it arrives.

[Source: Autocar]