After evaluating supercars to see which could go furthest on a gallon of gasoline, the crew of Top Gear decided to try again. What they apparently set out to do was demonstrate the impact of driving behavior on fuel economy. All hypermiling enthusiasts will gladly expound on how modifying your driving style can take you above and beyond the EPA mileage ratings. Of course, Jeremy Clarkson had to demonstrate this by taking the negative approach. He pitted a Toyota Prius against a new BMW M3. No one would ever expect the 414hp V8 powered M3 to get better mileage than a Prius. Unless, of course, you pushed a Prius around a test track as fast it would possibly go and then pacing the hybrid with the M3. Not surprisingly, thrashing a Prius around a track for ten laps provides less than stellar mileage results. Check out the video after the jump to see if the Prius or M3 won this HYPO-miling contest.

[Source: YouTube]

Since the debut of the original BMW M3 in the mid-eighties, the high-performance editions of most of BMW models have garnered plenty of praise for their dynamic abilities. Unfortunately, over several generations, the M3, M5, and M6 have grown progressively porkier as they have grown more powerful. The engines have grown from the original four and six cylinder units to six, eight and then ten cylinder units.

As gas prices continue to climb and revised CO₂ and fuel consumption regulations hover on the horizon, BMW looks set to join the likes of Volkswagen, Ford and others as displacements and cylinder counts are reduced. BMW has already introduced turbocharged four, six and eight cylinder engines in recent models and these engines, combined with reductions in mass, are likely to result in both increased performance and efficiency in the next generation models from the M division.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via Autoblog and TTAC]

You don't notice the green side of BMW's muscular silver M3 concept right away. While the aerodynamics are certainly there, this concept looks - and is - more of a showcase for things like the possible home for a V8 engine than green technology. But BMW engineers didn't totally skip the ecological aspects of the M3. For proof, you have to look down on it.

There is a lot of lightweight engineering in the M3's roof. BMW calls the concept the "latest showcase for BMW's use of advanced weight saving technology," as the roof is constructed from carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) developed out of Formula One experiences. Reducing the weight of the roof gives the M3 a lower center of gravity, BMW says, and that means a batter balanced car. Now, stick a clean diesel in it, and we'll take it for a drive.

Full details after the jump.

[Source: BMW]