CarBuyer UK test drives and reviews the new BMW i8.
The UK journalists say BMW i8 represents the first in a new wave of sports cars that are not only quick and fun to drive, but also astonishingly cheap to run. And to make things even more fun, they take the i8 to the race track.
BMW i8 went on sale this year and it is powered by a plug-in hybrid system consisting of a turbocharged three-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine and BMW eDrive technology in the form of an electric drive system. The 1.5-liter combustion engine develops 170 kW/231 hp and drives the rear wheels of the BMW i8, while the 96 kW/131 hp electric drive sends its power to the front wheels and allows an all-electric range of up to 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph).
READ: Chris Harris reviews the BMW i8
In Germany, the BMW i8 starts at €126,000, while in the UK it costs £ 99,125. The U.S. market received the i8 this summer with a base price of $135,700. Most of the U.S. dealers are either sold out of the i8 or selling the hybrid sports car with a significant premium.