BMW has finally revealed the i8 production model at the IAA in Frankfurt.
This 1490 kg plug-in hybrid adopts a 2+2 configuration and sportss a carbon fiber reinforced plastic passenger cell. It borrows many
of the concept’s styling cues but slightly toned down and gets LED headlights as sandard, with laser ones are optionally available.
The see-through doors of the concept have not been incorporated in the production model, but they still open upwards, while the
alloys have been tweaked to be more suitable for a production model.
As already known, the i8 is a plug-in hybrid consisting of a 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder gasoline TwinPower Turbo engine and an electric
motor. The conventional engine outputs 231 HP of max power and 320 Nm of torque and sends power to the rear axle through a 6-speed
automatic transmission. The electric motor produces 131 HP which is transferred to the front wheels via a two-stage automatic
gearbox. The electric motor receives its energy from a high-voltage lithium-ion battery with a 5 kWh capacity. The 2014 BMW i8 has a
combined output of 362 HP of max power and a healthy 570 Nm of torque, which propels the i8 from 0 to 100km/h in just 4.4 seconds.
Despite this impressive performance, this futuristic looking BMW remains a very economical car as it has a fuel consumption of just
2.5 liters / 100 km.
It can be driven on electric power for up to 35 km during which it can hit a top speed of 120 km/h. The combined range of the BMW i8
production version stands at more than 500 km.
As standard,it gets 20-inch alloys but at an additional cost these can be replaced by lightweight carbon wheels. Other optional
equipment available includes rear view camera, high beam assistant, Surround View, Head-Up Display along with Collision Warning with
pedestrian recognition.
Source: WCF