Before the BMW i8 became a reality, the German marque gave the world a glimpse of what a possible convertible version would look like in the form of the i8 Spyder Concept.
While the hybrid sports coupe has been on the market for 18 months, BMW has so far remained tight-lipped on whether or not the Spyder will ever make it into production.
In a recent interview with Handelsblatt, however, the automaker hinted that the car could be just around the corner.
BMW chairman Harald Kruger told the publication that a Spyder variant of the i8 will be unveiled in the not too distant future. While he didn’t provide specifics about just when the car will be launched, a global debut in 2016 seems possible, although it isn’t yet confirmed.
Given the mid-engined layout of the i8 and its limited space, it could use a folding softtop rather than an aluminum or carbon fibre top. Whatever the case may be, the prominent buttresses that featured on the i8 Spyder Concept could make an appearance on the production model.
Beneath the skin, everything should remain the same, although the chassis could receive additional strengthening to counter any loss of rigidity. As for the powertrain, the i8 Spyder will use the coupe’s 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine combined with a synchronous electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack that produce a combined output of 362 hp for a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) acceleration in 4.4 seconds. Fuel economy should remain the same, meaning a return of just 2.1 lt of petrol per 100 km of travel.
PHOTO GALLERY
