BMW 7-Series hybrid is a mild child

Paris Motor Show 2008 Like Mercedes-Benz before it, BMW's first hybrid vehicle will be a version of its luxury limo.

Lexus may have beaten Germany's old guard to the hybrid punch, but the two stalwarts of the luxury car game will fight back soon. BMW's 7-Series hybrid will feature Lithium-ion battery technology, just like the recently announced Mercedes-Benz S400 BlueHybrid. It will, however, be powered by a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8, making it the first turbocharged hybrid.

Unfortunately, its hybrid system will only be of the "mild" variety, that is the electric motor cannot drive the car alone. In this type of hybrid, the electric motor's main job is for regenerative braking, as well as to restart the engine and run the air-con and electrics when the engine is switched off, such as at traffic lights.