BMW, French Automaker to Develop New Hybrid System

The hybrid system will be developed for front-wheel-drive powertrains — BMWs are currently rear-wheel and all-wheel drive, and Minis are front-wheel drive — and will likely combine the jointly developed four-cylinder (equipped in 2011 Mini Coopers) that the two automakers collaborated on earlier.

BMW said it plans to introduce a new front-wheel-drive platform to the BMW brand for its future small-car models, so this hybrid system could come equipped on it and various models in the Mini lineup as well.

No date was announced for this new hybrid system yet, but BMW already sells two rear-wheel-drive hybrids, the ActiveHybrid, in its 7 Series and X6 models. An all-electric BMW vehicle, the Megacity, will also debut sometime in 2013.