The BMW i8 is giving up a few more of its secrets ahead of a production car debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.
The BMW i8 (Pictured) has given up some of its secrets ahead of a Frankfurt reveal
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BMW are on a bit of an ‘i’ roll at the moment, with the BMW i3 revealed just last week and the BMW i8 – BMW’s hybrid supercar – due to debut as a production model at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show next month.
Powering the i8 is a small 1.5 litre 3-cylinder turbo that produces 228bhp and powers the back wheels through a six-speed auto gearbox, with an electric motor delivering a further 129 bhp to the front wheels through a two-stage auto, making the i8 a 4WD supercar, capable of being a frugal EV when it’s just powering the front wheels (for up to 22 miles). The battery pack for the i8 can be charged in 3.5 hours.
Key to the performance of the i8 lies not just in the combined 357bhp from the ICE and electric motor, but from the lightness of the i8 which, despite its heavy battery pack, weighs in at 1490kg thanks toi the carbon fibre main structure and body panels which are up to 50 per cent lighter than steel panels would be.
That all adds up to a decent power to weight ration leading to claimed performance of 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph, but still yielding 113mpg and emissions of 59g/km on the official cycle (not that anyone will come close to that).
BMW are claiming a 50:50 axle load ratio and a low centre of gravity for the i8 which comes with a plethora of acronyms including DSC, ABS, CBC, DBC along with Brake Assist, FAding Compensation, Brake Drying, and Dynamic Traction Control.
It all looks a very clever package, but it won’t be cheap (£100k or more) and its performance isn’t really ‘supercar.
More on the BMW i8 as the Frankfurt Motor Show approaches.
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