BMW’s main premieres at the Frankfurt Motor Show are the production versions of the i3 EV supermini and i8 plug-in hybrid sports car. We’ve already seen the production BMW i3 when the Bavarian automaker revealed the car last month, and now the first official photos of the more exciting vehicle of the BMW i sub-brand, the i8 sports car, have surfaced on the web.
The two photos that appeared online show the car’s profile and interior. Compared to the concept version shown two years ago at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the production i8 has smaller doors that are no longer made entirely of glass. However, the Lambo-style opening system has been kept. Overall, the profile looks slick but somewhat more down to earth than the concept.
On the inside, the dashboard is very different than the study’s, although it retains cues like the shape of the center console, steering wheel and instrument panel.
Together with the i3, the i8 is probably the most unlikely BMW in decades: it has a turbocharged three-cylinder 1.5-liter engine developing 228hp (231PS) that sends power to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox, and a 129hp (131PS) electric motor that turns the front wheels through an integrated two-stage automatic transmission.
The two power systems can work independently or together with a combined output of 357hp (361PS) and 420 lb-ft (570 Nm) of torque. The car is also fitted with lithium-ion battery that can be recharged via a standard household power socket. The BMW i8’s all-electric driving range is 22 miles (35 km), while is total driving range is over 310 miles (500 km).
In terms of performance, the complicated powertrain allows for a 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) sprint time of less than 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). The real surprise though is BMW’s declared average fuel consumption of 2.5 l/100 km (113 mpg US) which includes the use of the battery.
By Dan Mihalascu
PHOTO GALLERY
