Auto Motor und Sport and other German outlets are reporting on the Bavarian automaker’s plans to build an i9 model. Built atop the already sold out i8, the BMW i9 is rumored to be a 4-door futuristic sportscar.
2016 will be a transitional and celebratory year for BMW and the Munich-based carmaker might use this opportunity to not only name a successor to Dr. Norbert Reithofer, the highly-successful CEO, but also to reiterate their commitment to future sustainability and mobility with the introduction of an i9 model.
We already know that BMW has trademarked an entire range of i vehicle, from i1 to i9, with at least one of them planned for the production in the near future, BMW i5.
No other info on the i9 has transpired so far, but it is far to expect, that if it comes to market, it will use a similar approach as the i8, a carbon fiber body with the latest technology advancements.
The automaker will also most likely perfect their hybrid technology while maintaining a low CO2 level, so performance compared to the i8 could be enhanced. The forthcoming BMW i8 is reported to run from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds.
Little else is known about the car but it would presumably feature i8’s plug-in hybrid powertrain, which consists of a TwinPower Turbo 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine, a lithium-ion battery and an electric motor. This means the model could have a combined maximum output of 266 kW (362 PS) with 420 pound feet (570 newton meters) of torque.
