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BMW i8 spy shots

Latest spy shots reveal production-ready version of petrol-electric BMW i8 supercar

BMW i8 spy shots 4

Text: Luke Madden / Photos: Automedia

03rd January 2012

The BMW i8 is edging nearer to production, as these spy shots prove. In the past, the petrol-electric supercar has been revealed with styling features that aren’t feasible for production, but this camouflaged prototype gives the best hint yet at what to expect when the car goes on sale in 2013.

The glass doors of the concept look to have been dropped, the sharp nose has been smoothed slightly and the headlights have been moved further forwards in the bonnet. Other touches like the wing mirrors and rear bumper have been tweaked too.

While the original Vision EfficientDynamics concept was powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel engine and electric motors, the most recent i8 concept swapped the diesel for a four-cylinder petrol engine with 220bhp, and it’s likely to stay that way for production.

The petrol engine is mounted at the rear and drives the rear wheels, while the 129bhp electric motor is mounted underneath the bonnet and drives the front wheels. Working together the motors provide a total of 349bhp, allowing the i8 to accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds.

Lightweight carbon fibre-reinforced plastic construction helps to counter the weight of the car's batteries, and the petrol-electric supercar should weigh around 1.5 tonnes. That kerbweight also helps the i8 to achieve fuel economy of around 100mpg and CO2 emissions of 70g/km. 

A full charge of the batteries will take close to two hours, and BMW has claimed in the past that the overall range will be around 400 miles. 

When the i8 goes on sale in 2013 it will cost around £150,000. It will be the flagship model in the BMW ‘i’ range, which will also include the small i3 electric city car.

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5 Comments

simply

simply awesome. hope they dont change the look to much from the concept. wish i cld get one.

By dhopkinson2011 on 3 January, 2012, 1:16pm

Since when was 1.5 tonnes light for a 4-cyl car?

While the economy will be way better than an Esprit S4, you can't call 1.5 tonnes light (the Esprit was just over 1.3 tonnes).
Given McLaren got the 12-cyl F1 down to around 1 tonne, BMW could try a bit harder ;-)

By aje21 on 3 January, 2012, 1:40pm

@aje21

Hi aje21,

Agreed, it's not exactly light for a four-cylinder car but don't forget that the i8 has a weighty battery pack, an electric motor, a petrol engine and everything that goes with it. A Nissan LEAF weighs just over 1.5 tonnes and that's without a combustion engine!

To give you an even better idea of how much this car would weigh normally, BMW told us the carbon fibre-reinforced plastic is 50% lighter than steel but just as strong.

Thanks,
Luke Madden
Auto Express

By Luke_Madden on 3 January, 2012, 3:25pm

Lost Some Looks.

Okay the car is camouflage and the outline is similar to the concept but that is all, it's a shame it won't look more like the concept than the outline, don't know if the price tag is justified if it looks much like the camouflaged version in the pictures, maybe best to look at what Audi is doing with the Itron.

By QuattroABT on 3 January, 2012, 4:29pm

If you want a better look at thie car, just go to the cinema and watch Mission Impossible. I WANT ONE!!!!

By gointuk on 4 January, 2012, 3:52pm

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