A new BMW i8 model was spotted in Munich. This latest prototype sports the Sophisto Grey with Frozen Grey accents which give the car an unique and even sportier look. It also features the 20-inch alloy wheels turbine styling 444, one of the three factory wheels available.
BMW i8 can be specified in a choice of four colors, three of which have been created exclusively for BMW i. All the paint finishes provide a striking contrast to the black belt: Ionic Silver, Protonic Blue, Crystal White and Sophisto Grey. And, depending on the color chosen, the accent surfaces on the side skirts, at the rear and on the BMW kidney grille surround come in BMW i Blue or Frozen Grey.
BMW i8 uses 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).
The Life Module, a carbon-fiber-built passenger cell offers a 2+2 seating configuration with excellent crash performance and weight savings of 50 percent over steel and around 30 percent over aluminum. The butterfly-style doors are made also out of CFRP and reinforced with aluminum, a move from the glass doors seen on the concept which for several reasons were seen as not beneficial for the production car.
All the weight savings techniques bring the i8’s curb weight to just 1,490 kilograms, 200 kg lighter than the M3.
In Germany, the BMW i8 starts at €126,000, while in the UK it will cost £ 99,125. The U.S. market will also get the BMW i8 in 2014 at a base price of $135,700.
