Those bright sparks at BMW are poised to give the go-ahead to a tiny Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) that will help to revolutionise city-centre driving. It's understood the rear-engined city car could be called Isetta and will first arrive in American showrooms in 2012. Like so many of the latest alternative fuel vehicles, the project was created because of new Californian regulations (soon to be copied by 12 other US states) which require big car makers to sell between a few hundred and a few thousand ZEVs every year from 2012.

It's expected though that global sales of the new model are also likely because BMW has decided the concept will be ideal for sale in cities all around the world. Indeed, many European cities have already established low-emissions zones. BMW has yet to decide what badge the new Isetta will wear. "It could be BMW, Mini or another name," BMW chief Norbert Reithofer said. He also said that "co-operation with another car maker is possible" but stated that BMW would decide by the end of 2008 "whether to go it alone".