Wednesday, January 5, 2005

BMW The H2R concept car uses liquid hydrogen fuel. BMW plans to develop a production car with a hydrogen combustion engine.

L.A. Auto Show

BMW stresses hydrogen as performance fuel

By John McCormick / Autos Insider

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LOS ANGELES -- Riding high on the back of a record sales year in 2004, BMW has underscored its belief in hydrogen as a future performance fuel.

At the Los Angeles Auto Show, BMW presented the speed-record setting H2R liquid hydrogen car in North America for the first time.

"BMW is the world leader in the development of hydrogen cars with internal combustion engines," said Tom Purves, chairman and CEO of BMW Group (U.S.). "We believe that in the output range above 140 horsepower, there is still no other clean, practical alternative to hydrogen.

"The H2R concept car is more than a mere exercise. We will offer customers a production car with a hydrogen combustion engine during the production period of the current BMW 7 series."

Ahead of the 2005 launch of a new generation 3 Series, BMW unveiled a competition package version of its M3 performance sedan.

With 19-inch wheels, quicker steering and other modifications, this special M3 will cost an extra $4,000.