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BMW’s Hybrid Supercar May Be Called the i8

BMW is considering the i8 name for the production version of the Vision EfficientDynamics prototype, according to BMW blog. While we aren’t particularly fond of it, it does make sense, as the company has recently filled for the “BMW i” trademarks and logos. The new sub-brand will host the vehicles coming out of the Project i “green” umbrella.

The biggest question on everyone’s mind must be why the Bavarians chose i8 and not i1, or any other naming convention starting with “i”. The same source speculates this is because BMW might want to revive the memory of their never-launched M8 supercar. This would mean that the Vision Concept will be trying to create a niche in the supercar business.

Previous speculation had the Vision EfficientDynamics production model named as the i1 or i100. Considering that the new car is still some 3 years away from hitting the road, BMW is probably considering the i8 name among a group of others. Car companies usually go through a process where customer focus groups are formed and the results from these surveys weigh heavily in the naming of their models. So the old i1 or i100 tags are probably still on the table and the “i” looks like it’s here to stay.

The new car will surely benefit from BMW’s latest carbon fiber developments, making extensive use of the material for the car’s chassis, in order to keep the weight down. A number of media reports indicate that the eco vehicle could use a hybrid powertrain comprising of a 1.5 liter three-cylinder engine with 181 hp, which is a perfect example of downsizing, and two electric motors producing 93 hp each.
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About the author: Mihnea Radu
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Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida.
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