Peter,
this may well be the future engine for the Aero...the new motor unit from the BMW 740e. Remember the present BMW V8 is from the old 740...
It is a 254bhp 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor between the petrol motor and autobox, giving combined peak outputs of 322bhp and 369lb ft. Not very much less than the 4.8L V8....
The official combined economy figure is 134.5mpg, with CO2 emissions of 49g/km:a world away from the V8 which puts out about 245g/km...... Real world it will probably manage 60mpg, which is a big improvement on 25....!
The 740e can travel up to 25 miles on electric power alone and it can be charged in less than four hours from a domestic socket, or in under three hours from a 32amp wall charger.
The combustion engine kicks in at 50mph under Auto eDrive's control or if the throttle is pressed heavily. In the MAX eDrive setting, it has an all-electric top speed of 87mph.
