Over a month ago, BMW’s plug-in hybrid, and the i8 was caught snow testing. Now, the German auto giant is planning to launch the supercar by 2014. BMW i8 supercar concept made its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year. However, the newly surfaced details by Car magazine suggest that the production version is going to outbeat the power of the concept version.
In comparison to the 349 hp rated output of the concept version, the production BMW i8 boasts of an astonishing 393 hp and 550 Nm rated torque. The plug-in hybrid comes with a 170 hp electric motor supported by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine. Mated to the powerplant is a four-speed transmission featuring extended performance range. Whereas, other models within the BMW i range will sport single-speed transmission.
Sitting at just 1450 kg, the BMW i8 will do a dead to 100 kmph in 4.9 seconds. Push a little further and the supercar can reach speeds up to 250 kmph. The dramatic performance comes with carbon fiber body and aluminum chassis, losing 30 kg from the concept version. Moreover, the i8 is claimed to have a 32 km range on full charge, without the support from engine. On a 220 V system, the battery could take up to 6 hours to charge.
For all the marvelous German engineering, BMW has priced the i8 at €100,000 (INR 68 lacs). Hitting the markets in 2014, BMW is targeting an annual sale of 10,000 units.
