BMW 'CLEVER' concept

Apr 23, 2006, 12:10pm ET

For the last few years, BMW and University of Bath have been hard at work on the CLEVER -- a compact fuel-efficient vehicle for city driving. Somewhat overshadowed this week by the launch of the 2007 3-Series Coupe, BMW on Friday released the first images of the completed CLEVER. As the name -- Compact Low Emission Vehicle for Urban Transport -- suggests, the aim of the project was to create a vehicle that was practical, safe, and environmentally-friendly. Unlike the Volkswagen GX3 Concept -- with one rear wheel and two front wheels -- the CLEVER has two rear wheels and one front. If it ever makes it to production, the vehicle is expected to cost around $10,000 and would have a top speed of 50 mph. One fascinating aspect of the vehicle is its unique tilting design for stable, motorcycle-like cornering. See a full photo gallery, more details, and some crash test videos after the jump... Updated: New video added of another similar concept...











