Hybrids are slow. BMWs are fast. Hybrids are sluggish off the line and numb in the corners. BMWs actually want to accelerate, and will force your right foot down hard at stoplights even if you try to ease it down gently (trust us, we've done the test). They're designing hybrids now that actually push back when you try to mash the pedal down.

These two things are incompatible.

They're coming together anyway, on the floor of the Frankfurt Auto Show this week.

"Here's one takeaway for the Frankfurt show," the Los Angeles Times writes. "Elephants in tutus. In other words, how will European marks squeeze their gracious saloons and premium sports cars into the ever-tighter spandex of fuel efficiency? The solutions will be inspiring and sometimes absurd." As exhibit A, they offer the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 concept, "powered by 4.4-liter V8 (400 hp and 450 pound-feet of torque), a seven-speed transmission, two traction motors (91 hp and 86 hp) for a total of 480 hp and 575 pound-feet of torque."

The U.K.'s AutoCar notes, "That's enough to enable the car to reach 62mph in 5.6sec, just 0.2sec slower than the xDrive50i. BMW also claims combined fuel consumption of 28.5mpg."

It's not the only BMW hybrid on display in Frankfurt. A super-luxury 7-Series hybrid sedan is also on display - but it's not going to drive like a Prius, either. It combines a twin-turbo V8 with an electric motor, according to Autoblog, pushing "the huge-ish hybrid to 60 in 4.9 seconds rowing through the eight-speed automatic. The battery, a judicious foot, and hybrid stalwarts like brake energy regeneration can get you 25 mpg."

Pretty impressive, for elephants in tutus. Both BMW hybrids are expected to reach showrooms in the U.S. in time for the 2011 model year.

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