Some hybrids, like the 2012 Toyota Prius, are designed out-and-out to achieve great gas mileage and reduce emissions.

Some, like the 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 3, are designed to entice existing luxury car buyers from their gas-guzzling models into slightly more parsimonious ones... while maintaining the levels of performance that BMW buyers expect.

Joining the potent ActiveHybrid 5 in BMW's range, the German automaker has now revealed pricing for the 2013 ActiveHybrid 3.

The range will kick off with an MSRP of $50,195 including destination and handling charges.

For comparison, that makes it around $7,000 more expensive than a regular 2013 BMW 335i sedan, though it raises the turbocharged straight-six's power output from 300 bhp to 335 bhp, with help from the electric motor.

Buyers certainly aren't compromising on performance, with a 155 mph maximum and a 0-62 mph sprint of little over five seconds, but buyers should also see the benefits in their wallets. With 675 Wh of lithium-ion cells in the trunk, BMW is claiming an all-electric range of up to 2.5 miles at city speeds. Electric power will also be usable up to 45 mph.

That should help improve upon the 335i's current 23 mpg city rating, though BMW hasn't yet revealed the car's EPA figures. The regular 335i gets a respectable 33 mpg in highway driving, so the ActiveHybrid should be similar.

As with other recent fuel-efficient BMWs, an ECO PRO mode can be used to encourage greener driving. It maximizes the time the engine is switched off, and activates a coasting mode allowing the engine to switch off when lifting off at higher speeds (up to 100 mph). In common with many other hybrids, you can also view graphs of historical fuel consumption, and screens displaying the current power usage.

To please those buyers trading from more thirsty BMWs, the ActiveHybrid 3 is still focused on driving dynamics and comfort, with SPORT and SPORT+ modes also available for sharper responses and more aggressive driving characteristics.

The 2013 BMW ActiveHybrid 3 will be available this fall.

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