What's better than driving a luxuriously-styled BMW? How about driving one with a hybrid powertrain? You probably already know about the two hybrids available from the automaker: the ActiveHybrid 7 and the ActiveHybrid X6, but next year, Los Angeles area drivers will get to choose from two more hybrid models.

That's right, BMW is adding hybrid variants to their popular 5 Series and 3 Series lineups. The turbo-charged six-cylinder engines available in these models will get an extra boost from an electric motor, for a high-performance vehicle that's easy on the environment.

As far as the Bavarian automaker is concerned, there's never been a better time to expand their eco-friendly offerings. Hybrids have been slow to arrive on the luxury market, but there is another major player boasting that 13 percent of their sales are hybrids. What's that mean for BMW? Well, it seems that if they're available, people will buy them. Meanwhile, BMW has been very busy making sure that their hybrid technology won't disappoint their loyal customer base. Early reports of these upcoming models from BMW hint that they won't be anything short of fantastic.

The 2013 ActiveHybrid 3 Series will feature a 55-hp electric motor and a turbo-charged, six-cylinder, 300-hp engine for a combined power output of 335-hp. As for gas mileage? Early EPA-estimates say it should get about 30 miles to the gallon. The turbocharged 3.0-liter I-6 engine (paired with a 55-hp electric motor) in the ActiveHybrid 5 Series pumps out 335 horses as well, but we'll have to wait another couple months for official mpg ratings - though we expect it to be significantly more than the current model's already impressive 21/31 city/highway rating.

Looking at those numbers, we're sure BMW will succeed in overtaking the hybrid luxury market. Our friends over at Edmunds.com agree, with one Senior Editor saying, "It's easier to pass on this [hybrid] technology to upper-tier buyers. They're more interested in standing out and willing to pay for it. If you're going to break open the market for hybrids, you're going to do it at the high end."¹

Curious about current and upcoming hybrid offerings from BMW? Stay tuned with Bob Smith BMW for continued updates. And be sure to check out all of the new BMW models now in our showroom at 24500 Calabasas Rd Calabasas, CA 91302.

Source: ¹http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-09/bmw-boosts-hybrid-offerings-with-340-horsepower-lexus-challenger-cars.html