BMW i8 Successor May Be Dubbed i12, Sport 671 HP Hybrid Powertrain

Earlier this month, Automobile Magazine published a report detailing a host of new BMW models said to be in the works for the coming few years. One of these is the successor to the i8 hybrid sports car.

BMW shocked many observers in June with the unveiling of the Vision M Next concept and all signs point to its production version serving as the replacement to the i8.

It is claimed that this model could be dubbed the i12 and while it will retain a hybrid powertrain like the outgoing model, it will offer significantly more performance and push the car into a whole new segment of the market.

Also Read: BMW’s Electrification Push Might Include 400 HP M140e And 750 HP X8 M PHEVs

Most of the car’s power is set to come from a 340 HP, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that will be paired with a 201 HP electric motor. This will be in the base version, while in its ultimate form, this pairing of a powerful ICE engine and an electric motor may result in upwards of 671 HP. A large 135 kWh battery pack free of any rare-earth metals would provide the electric motor with juice and help the car travel a significant distance on all-electric power.

In June, BMW stated it had no plans for a “direct successor” to the i8, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t working on a new hybrid sports car that will supersede the i8 and that’s precisely what we could see become a reality.

The BMW Vision M Next concept launched with a sharp and eye-catching look drastically different than the i8 – or any other hybrid BMW before it, for that matter. We would not be surprised to see the production version, dubbed the i12 or not, with a similar skin.