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Inside Line wrote:Before we delve into that sensational body design and structure, some basic data on the Vision EfficientDynamics: The two-door 2+2 all-wheel-drive compact is powered by an advanced diesel-electric plug-in hybrid powertrain that delivers a combined 356 horsepower and returns an impressive 63 mpg, with a range of more than 400 miles.

At 181.1 inches long, the Vision EfficientDynamics is less than an inch longer than the BMW M3 sedan, but is 3 inches wider (at 74.8 inches) and sits 8 inches lower (at only 48.8 inches). It also weighs 650 pounds less than the M3, despite all the fancy hardware under the exotic skin.

Let's talk about that skin — a combination of sculptured shapes and surfaces that appear to overlap and flow into one another. The result is an ultra-low drag coefficient of only 0.22. For the roof and outer door panels, BMW chose a special polycarbonate glass that automatically darkens in sunlight.

The unusual, oversize "bird's wing" doors swing up on front-mounted pivots to enable easy access to the front and rear passenger compartments. There are several other distinctive design elements, including active louvers and air intakes, as well as winglike LED taillamps that double as air foils.

The Vision EfficientDynamics rides on ultra-low-profile 195/55R21 tires and wide 21-inch alloy wheels, and is built on a completely new architecture that incorporates all-aluminum chassis components.

The cockpit is just as dazzling as the exterior. Body-contoured seats are upholstered in natural materials stretched over "personalized" padding mounted on a Kevlar shell. The front seats are connected to the center console and the rear seats are anchored to the floor.

Ambient interior lighting further enhances a high-tech, multifunction instrument panel that houses a 3-D head-up display, night vision and other cutting-edge functions.

While it's easy to gush about the extraordinary design, the Vision EfficientDynamics is first and foremost about the painstaking and comprehensive application of advanced technology, resulting in what BMW refers to as the "correct achievements" in efficiency and driving pleasure.

Borrowing heavily from a technical arsenal that stretches from BMW Motorsport to the company's latest ActiveHybrid models, the Vision EfficientDynamics employs a complex plug-in full-hybrid system that is built around a tiny, turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder direct-injection diesel. That engine makes 163 hp with peak torque of 214 pound-feet.

Mounted ahead of the rear axle, the diesel is mated to a new version of the six-speed dual-clutch transmission that is used in the M3 and the Z4 roadster. Between the diesel engine and the DCT, BMW has positioned a compact electric motor that delivers 51 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque. Depending on driving conditions, the rear wheels can be driven by the diesel engine only, the electric motor only or a combination of the two.

The front wheels are driven by a second electric motor that provides 162 lb-ft of torque and continuous output of 80 hp, with short bursts of up to 139 hp. Power is delivered through a two-stage, single-speed reduction gearbox.

BMW says the three power sources provide a combined 356 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Given the car's low curb weight of just over 3,000 pounds, that's enough juice to make the 0-60 sprint in less than 4.8 seconds, with top speed electronically limited to 155 mph.

Even more impressive is the fuel economy — 63 mpg on the combined EU test cycle, which gives the car an effective range of more than 400 miles, including a 30-mile range on pure electric power. The lithium-polymer battery can be recharged from a standard European 220v power outlet in only two and a half hours.

Incidentally, the latest Vision EfficientDynamics concept is not to be confused with the X5 Vision EfficientDynamics concept that was displayed at the 2008 Geneva Auto Show, which also featured a diesel-hybrid powertrain mated to an eight-speed automatic. The internal-combustion engine in this larger, heavier — and fairly conventional — vehicle was a twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel rated at 201 hp and 295 lb-ft, with 0-60 acceleration in less than 8.9 seconds.

a complex plug-in full-hybrid system that is built around a tiny, turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder direct-injection diesel. That engine makes 163 hp with peak torque of 214 pound-feet.

Mounted ahead of the rear axle, the diesel is mated to a new version of the six-speed dual-clutch transmission that is used in the M3 and the Z4 roadster. Between the diesel engine and the DCT, BMW has positioned a compact electric motor that delivers 51 hp and 214 lb-ft of torque. Depending on driving conditions, the rear wheels can be driven by the diesel engine only, the electric motor only or a combination of the two.

The front wheels are driven by a second electric motor that provides 162 lb-ft of torque and continuous output of 80 hp, with short bursts of up to 139 hp. Power is delivered through a two-stage, single-speed reduction gearbox.

BMW says the three power sources provide a combined 356 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Given the car's low curb weight of just over 3,000 pounds, that's enough juice to make the 0-60 sprint in less than 4.8 seconds, with top speed electronically limited to 155 mph.