The Audi R8 is a very niche segment to compete in but Audi is doing well against rivals such as the Porsche 911s and Mercedes-Benz will soon be responding with the SLC Gullwing. However BMW has yet to confirm anything or spies in Munich have yet to catch a prototype that might hint at a rival to the Audi R8.

In a recent interview with AutoTelegraaf, BMWs chief of product development hints that BMW is still wondering why they would need such a model. Klaus says the BMW with much rather focus on new technologies such as EfficientDynamics.

For us it is much more important to concentrate on?sustainability issues. This year, 850,000 cars are equipped with the system. That is our biggest investment in the coming years.

What we do know is that BMW is working on a production version of the CS Concept that will compete with the Mercedes-Benz CLS, the upcoming Porsche Panamera and the Audi A7. Other than that we keep seeing outstanding concepts like the M1 Hommage and the GINA Light Visionary Model which BMW clearly says have no production future.

BMW CS Concept at the 2008 New York Auto Show: