The open-top, two-seater version of the innovative BMW i8 plug-in hybrid made its world premiere today at the China Auto Show in Beijing. At this point, the i8 Concept Spyder is just a concept, but a production version is most probably in the works.

Despite being slightly shorter and losing two seats compared to the i8 Coupe, the Spyder mirrors its closed-roof sibling in its design, lightweight carbonfiber construction and plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Over the years, we have heard countless rumors about the BMW Group reinventing its bubbly Isetta microcar from the mid-1950s and early-1960s to compete against Daimler's Smart Fortwo, though all of them have been just that: rumors.

All the same, Tony Weichselbraun, a recent graduate of the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, wanted to re-create the tiny Isetta and bring it into the 21st century.

We've already had the chance to see the first images of BMW's i8 Spyder concept in advance of its world premiere at the Beijing Auto Show, where it will be presented alongside the new local market 3-Series LWB model, but if you'd like to watch the study on the move, we've just added three new videos that you can check out right past the break.

While we have yet to see a production model, BMW's newly formed "i" sub-brand continues to expand its range of concept cars with a third study for a roadster version of the i8 Coupe.

Given the close relationship with the coupe model, it's very likely that the i8 Spyder will receive the green light for production as well with a possible market launch to follow within the next two to three years. The i8 Spyder will make its world premiere at the Auto China Show 2012 in Beijing in late April.

While it shares its basic platform architecture and plug-in hybrid powertrain with the coupe, the Spyder is a strictly two seater model and has a slightly shorter wheelbase and overall length.

Other changes include the solid doors, which keep the 'butterfly' design swiveling upwards, the new colors and materials inside, and the redesigned rear-end that now features a transparent engine cover.

A Czech website has dropped the first photos of BMW's new i8 Spyder Concept. And since some of you may be wondering if they're real or not, we asked around and can confirm their authenticity as sources told us that the study will make its world premiere at the Auto China Show in Beijing at the end of April.

The open-top study is based on the production-intent i8 Coupe Concept that we've seen in several shows this past year.

Aside from the absence of the roof and the elimination of the rear seats, the Spyder also sports solid instead of transparent, rotating doors with different mirror housings and a restyled boot section.

The Spyder retains the i8 coupe's plug-in hybrid powertrain with a mid/rear mounted 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder gasoline engine developing 220HP (164kW) and 300 Nm (221 lb.ft) connected to the rear wheels, and an electric motor driving the front wheels.

While BMW is officially keeping quiet about the matter, understandably, it’s not a question if the Bavarian automaker will introduce a four-door model into the range of it's newly launched i-sub brand, but when.

Currently, we're looking forward to the presentation of the production versions of the i3 hatchback and the i8 sports coupe, both of which have been spied on several occasions.

Until the time comes for BMW to either inform us about its future plans or better yet, tease us with a concept model, we have a study to show you. It's called the BMW i-FD and it was created by independent industrial designer Feliciano Ruy-Díaz from Valencia, Spain.

The young designer says that the inspiration for the styling of the i-FD came from the work of renowned Spanish architect and structural engineer Santiago Calatrava as well as the forms of ancient Greek armor and the lines of a white shark.

We told you the story and showed you the spy pictures, but today, BMW officially revealed the new M135i sports hatch, ahead of its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show.

Despite the fact that the Bavarian company is calling it a concept, it's not hard to see that the M135i is essentially ready to enter production, which it will within the next year.

Aside from previewing the next member of BMW's new M Performance range, the M135i also gives us our first look at the three-door version of the latest 1-Series range, which is currently available only in five-door form.

BMW's answer to the Audi RS3 is the first M Performance car with a gasoline and not a diesel engine. Under the hood lies a 3.0-liter Twin Power Turbo straight-six that BMW says delivers "more than 300 HP". Our sources state that it will produce 320-horsepower in production trim.

Its name and the type of engine that will lie under its hood may be debatable, but plans for a successor to today's M3 Coupe do exist. However, you'll have to wait at least until 2013 to see the high performance model in BMW's dealerships.

For those of you that just can't wait to get a peek at the next M3 Coupe or perhaps as we may come to know it, the M4, graphic designer Jacek Kolodziejczyk has put his skills to work developing a pretty realistic rendering of the coupe model.

Unlike the Fiat Group and to a lesser extent, South Korean and French automakers, the BMW Group doesn't find it necessary to use beautiful female or male models to attract the attention of the media and casual visitors alike upon its vehicles during motor shows.

So when American actress Paula Patton juggled her way onto BMW's Los Angeles Motor Show stage for the presentation of the fully-electric i3 hatchback and hybrid-electric i8 coupe concept cars, we were kind of surprised.

If you're not familiar with Ms. Patton, we won't blame you as the 35-year old actress hasn't really won any breakthrough roles. However, she will star alongside Tom Cruise in the next Mission Impossible film titled "Ghost Protocol" to be released December 21.

And as you probably already know, BMW's gasoline-electric hybrid i8 Concept will be featured in the movie.

One of the star attractions for automotive enthusiasts visiting the German city of Munich is BMW's recently redone 53,000 square foot museum. Along with the permanent exhibitions, the Bavarian brand's museum also hosts special events dedicated to a certain period or line of vehicles.

Starting from October 28, 2011 and until the end of September 2012, the BMW Museum will present a special exhibition devoted to the development of the firm's large coupe and convertible models throughout the years.

Given the close proximity in the designs of BMW's outgoing E90 and the newly revealed F30 3-Series saloons, it's not hard to imagine what the rest of the range will look like.

The crew over from PS-Garage sent us these speculative renderings of the next-generation M3 sedan that we recently scooped testing in Germany and the upcoming coupe model.

While the i3 is an everyday city car - albeit a very sophisticated one at that, the second member of BMW’s new i series that made its way to Frankfurt is an altogether different concept. Derived from the 2009 Vision EfficientDynamics study, the futuristic-looking i8 will enter production in 2013. Read more »

BMW chose the Frankfurt Motor Show to tease its upcoming pure-electric model, the five-door i3 city car with a concept study of the same name.

The concept, formerly known as the Megacity, features a 170 HP electric motor placed over the rear axle that is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack.

It generates 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque and drives the rear wheels, providing a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration time of under 8.0 seconds while its top speed is electronically limited to 150 km/h (93 mph).

We got our first look at BMW's eco-friendly i3 and i8 concept cars during a presentation in Germany at the end of July, but while the Bavarian firm released a bevy of videos showing off the two cars and their technological highlights, all films were the product of computer manipulation.

Lucky for us (and you), a Youtube user was in the right place at the right time filming both the BMW i3 pure electric hatchback and the i8 hybrid sports coupe during a photo shoot in Chicago.

New DTM racing cars are like public transportation: you wait for ages and then , all of a sudden, three or four buses appear at the same time. Just yesterday we posted Audi’s new entry into the German Touring Car Championship or, as it’s more commonly known, DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters). Today, BMW pulled the wraps off its new own DTM racer based on the coupe version of M3.

And mind you, unlike Audi, BMW revealed the M3 in the flesh clad in carbon fiber and looking quite menacing with its matte paint, flared wheel arches and aerodynamic package.

New DTM racing cars are like public transportation: you wait for ages and then , all of a sudden, three or four buses appear at the same time. Just yesterday we posted Audi’s new entry into the German Touring Car Championship or, as it’s more commonly known, DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters). Today, BMW pulled the wraps off its new own DTM racer based on the coupe version of M3.

And mind you, unlike Audi, BMW revealed the M3 in the flesh clad in carbon fiber and looking quite menacing with its matte paint, flared wheel arches and aerodynamic package.

Tom Cruise’s return for another impossible mission as Ethan Hunt also marks the BMW Group’s return to Hollywood, as the Bavarian automaker will be the main automotive partner in the fourth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise.

BMW’s product placement in the “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol” film comes in the form of the concept version of the upcoming i8 Hybrid Coupe, the Vision EfficientDynamics study while the latest 6-Series Convertible will also play a role in the movie.

Tom Cruise’s return for another impossible mission as Ethan Hunt also marks the BMW Group’s return to Hollywood, as the Bavarian automaker will be the main automotive partner in the fourth installment of the Mission Impossible franchise.

BMW’s product placement in the “Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol” film comes in the form of the concept version of the upcoming i8 Hybrid Coupe, the Vision EfficientDynamics study while the latest 6-Series Convertible will also play a role in the movie.

Now that we’ve seen what the new 2012 BMW M5 sports sedan looks like, it’s time for some talented hands to shape the Touring version that may or may not follow in the future as the Bavarian company has not yet revealed any plans for a high-performance station wagon model. Read more »

Now that we’ve seen what the new 2012 BMW M5 sports sedan looks like, it’s time for some talented hands to shape the Touring version that may or may not follow in the future as the Bavarian company has not yet revealed any plans for a high-performance station wagon model. Read more »