BMW Makes i8 Roadster A Speedster For Formula E’s New Safety Car

BMW has revealed the new safety car for Formula E, a specially modified i8 Roadster, on the eve of the Monaco E-Prix.

The new safety car has been modified extensively and specifically for use on the race track, with its design based on the i8 Coupe Safety Car. The biggest visual highlights of Formula E’s newest safety car are the shortened windscreen and the new rear wing; moreover, the new BMW i8 Roadster is the world’s first safety car that can be used with an open cockpit.

Compared to the standard production model, the i8 Roadster safety car sits 15mm lower to the ground, wears a FIA-approved roll bar, a new front splitter and of course the mandatory light bar, which is mounted above the rear wing for better visibility.

Also Read: Formula E’s BMW i8 Safety Car Has Us Wishing For An i8 M

Other modifications include the addition of communication and GPS antennas, a rear view camera and more. No changes were announced in the plug-in hybrid powertrain, which utilizes a 228hp 1.5-liter three-cylinder petrol engine with a 141hp electric motor for a combined 368hp and e-awd.

“In implementing the BMW i8 Roadster Safety Car, the BMW i engineers, designers and communications crew have dared to explore new horizons and create an absolutely unique car,” said Dr. Robert Irlinger, Head of BMW i. ”The development team behind the Safety Car is akin to a start-up. Our engineers got creative within their own ranks and assembled it on top of their regular jobs. In doing so, they have achieved something completely new.”