The BMW i8 has been out in the world since its unveiling at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show as the Concept Vision Efficient Dynamics, but BMW has kept its hybrid sports car well-hidden from prying eyes. But on the home stretch, someone leaked the first official images of the BMW i8 onto the internet, just five days away from the official reveal.
And here you have it, the BMW i8 in all of it’s glory. Packing a turbocharged 1.5 liter gas engine that drives the rear wheels, the BMW i8 also uses an electric motor driven by a mid-mounted battery pack, making a hybrid all-wheel drive electric sports car.
It’s quite the looker too, at least from the select few images that have been leaked. It has strong, confident lines that also seem to flow naturally along the lines of the car. The low-slung BMW i8 certainly looks like a car that belongs in the 21st century, and its hybrid drivetrain is the stuff of dreams.
The 1.5 liter gas engine is good for 231 horsepower by itself, and the electric motor supposedly adds another 131 horsepower and 236 ft-lbs of torque for a combined output of more than 350 horsepower. All this in a lightweight, plastic-and-carbon-fiber shell should provide neck-snapping performance, a top speed of 184 mph, and around 94 mpg on the U.S. testing cycle. Who needs a big V8 with that kind of power and efficiency?
Pricing is said to start at $122,000, but to me it looks sounds like the BMW i8 will be worth every penny.
Source: Autoblog Deutschland
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