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BMW i8 Final Specs Revealed, Deliveries to Start in June

These days specs aren’t what they used to. While some manufacturers are honest about their numbers, other cheat and lie just to make themselves look better. Furthermore, big companies will tease the launch of a new car for months before finally letting you know exactly what to expect from it.
BMW i8 92 photos
Photo: BMW
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One such manufacturer is BMW that has been teasing the hell out of us with its i8 and the specs the car should have. After posting all sorts of ‘up to’ times and ‘below’ weight figures, the final specs seem to be here and they are joined by an extensive new photo gallery of the car.

So, here we go: the i8 has a hybrid powertrain made up of a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged engine making 231 HP and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque and an electric motor capable of 131 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque from 0 RPM. Combined, the two give the new hybrid sportscar a total power figure of 362 HP and 570 Nm (420 lb-ft) of torque.

Talking about the powertrain, you should also know that the i8's battery can be charged up to 80 percent of its capacity in less than 2 hours from a regular 230V socket. If you decide to use a fast charge box or a BMW i Wallbox the recharging time is drastically reduced, according to BMW. Furthermore, the car can be driven on pure EV mode alone for up to 20 miles (32 km) reducing the CO2 emissions to zero.

Since this is a true hybrid, you won't ever run out of battery. That's because the electric motor has its own alternator that charges the battery constantly while the petrol unit is running. That means, you should be able to run the i8 using gas alone (BMW doesn't make a clear statement in this regard in the press release).

The kerb weight is now officially rated at 1,485 kg (3,273 lbs) a number possible due to the extensive usage of lightweight materials such as Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP), magnesium for the supporting structure of the dash, aluminum chassis and even Gorilla Glass for the separator between the passenger compartment and engine bay.

Looking over the technology used here, it might not seem like the weight is all that little but considering the car has a 7,1 kWh battery on board it should make you rethink the whole idea. Not to mention the two gearboxes as well, as the car is all-wheel-drive, the internal combustion unit powering the rear wheels through a 6-speed automatic gearbox while the front wheels are operated by an electric unit through a 2-speed unit.

Compared to its rivals (like the Porsche 911 and the Audi R8), the i8 has a 2+2 seater configuration, in which the rear seats can actually be used by humans. Its center of gravity sits extremely low, at 460 mm (18.1 inches) while the drag coefficient is dangerously close to the world record at 0.26.

The i8 is 4,689 mm (184.6 inches) long, 1,942 mm (76.4 inches) wide and 1,293 mm (50,9 inches) high while the front track measures 1,644 mm (64.72 inches) with the rear track being slightly wider at 1,721 mm (67.7 inches). The 49:51 weight distribution should further help emphasize the sensations you feel inside this car.

Going from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) will take just 4.2 seconds while the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) will be done in 4.4 seconds thanks to the instant torque and all-wheel-drive platform. At the same time, the i8 will sip just 2.1 l/100km (112 mpg) on average, on the EU test cycle, with CO2 emissions rated at 49 grams per km. Deliveries will begin in June with a starting price of $135,700 in the US and €126,000 in Germany. However, if you didn't already order one, don't bother going to the dealership as BMW claims all the cars it plans to build this year have already been sold. For more info, check out the attached pdf.
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 Download: BMW i8 (PDF)

 

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