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BMW i3 EV revealed. It’s clever, but it’s not exactly pretty

The BMW i3 electric city car (pictured) has been officially revealed The BMW i3 – the first of BMW’s production ‘i’ electric cars – has finally been revealed at events in London, New York and Beijing as BMW plots its course to bring a premium electric city car to the world. Looking much like the original Mega City Concept, the i3 debuts a number of innovations from BMW – which are very clever – but it also debuts perhaps the worst looking BMW we’ve ever seen, with its incongruous lines, bulging bonnet, odd shapes on the flanks and slab-backed rear view. But what underpins the i3 is clever indeed, with a lightweight inner body made from carbon fibre and carbon fibre reinforced body panels providing the skin, all conspiring to make the i3 light – 1195kg, despite 25 per cent or so of that being batteries – and very rigid.

McLaren MP4-12C (2011): new testing video

McLaren has issued this new video of its 2011 MP4-12C in the final phases of testing – and McLaren claims it's faster than the 458 Italia or any Gallardo. Watch the video in our player at the foot of this page.The matt black vinyl disguise demarks this pair of cars as the latest McLaren 'XP Beta' test cars, compared with the earlier black-and-white 'XP' prototypes spied last year.'XP Beta' prototypes? All very McLaren!Quite.

Audi debuts A8 Exclusive Concept special edition

Perhaps feeling the pressure from other luxury automakers and the debut of a number of special edition executive sedans, Audi has announced a limited run of 50 examples of its 6.3-liter 500-hp W12-engined A8L flagship. Dubbed the A8 Audi exclusive concept, the long-wheelbase executive yacht will feature a leather interior from Italian designer furniture maker Poltrona Frau. The A8 Audi exclusive concept will feature aniline leather in the color of Agatha Cognac, which is said to be very soft, and the center sections of the seats will have diamond quilting.