It’s off for the Nürburgring track for BMW‘s engineers and the upcoming i8 hybrid sports coupe that will be joining the Bavarian brand’s production lineup in showrooms around the world from next year at prices that will exceed the €100,000 (equal to US$130,000+) mark in Europe.
The excruciatingly slow striptease continues with the latest prototype that does away with the camouflage on the flowing side skirts, compared to the last test car we saw in March this year.
While some highlights of the concept such as its see-through door panels, A-pillar mounted mirrors and the flowing glass section that started from deep down on the hood and went over the roof to the rear end, have given their place to conventional styling elements, overall, the i8 remains fairly close to the study.
BMW has gone overboard with lightweight construction on the new i8 that will feature an innovative carbon-fibre body shell, as well as aluminum center tunnel and suspension components.
For its motivation, the i8 features a plug-in hybrid powertrain pairing a mid-mounted, 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine with around 220hp (217hp) and 300Nm (221 lb-ft) of peak torque that drives the rear wheels, with a single electric motor rated at about 130-horses turning the front wheels. BMW has estimated that the i8 should be able to complete the 0-100km/h (62mph) sprint at under 5 seconds and top out at around 250km/h (155mph).
A lithium-ion battery pack placed in the center tunnel of the 2+2 seater sports car will help improve its fuel efficiency when in hybrid mode, and offer a zero-emission mode as well.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoopS
PHOTO GALLERY
