Production BMW I8 Leaked Ahead of Frankfurt Debut
Images of the BMW i8 sports car have leaked ahead of the car’s official debut during the Frankfurt Motor Show next week.
Shown here for the first time to production specification, the plug-in hybrid sports car will feature butterfly wing doors similar to those found on the McLaren P1. The car’s shape remains mostly the same, while stylistic details have changed quite a bit. The clear doors from the original concept are gone, and the car uses a somewhat stubbier profile.
A second leaked photo reveals the car’s interior. There’ you’ll find a three-spoke steering wheel and digital gauge cluster. Aside from that, most of the car’s cabin looks like it comes directly from other BMW products.
Already, the brand is making bold performance claims, saying the car will be a Porsche 911 competitor. It uses a small 1.5-liter gasoline engine that makes 231 hp sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. An electric motor with 131 hp powers the front through a two-stage automatic transmission. In total, BMW says the car offers 362 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. In combination with lightweight body materials, those output figures are supposed to sling the car from 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.5 seconds.
Using a lithium ion battery pack, the car is also supposed to be capable of traveling on electricity alone for up to 22 miles. Working with both the gasoline and electric components, the car will travel 310 miles in comfort more, or 20 percent further in “eco” mode.
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Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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Inside looks like a Civic and a Prius; no thank you.