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BMW i9 Approved by the Board of Management for 2016 Production

Thousands of rumors about a possible M8 supercar or a new 8 Series started going around the internet once the world realized that BMW will be celebrating its centenary in 2016. However, none of them were confirmed by the company itself though, at least not officially.
BMW i9 rendering 1 photo
Photo: Bimmerforums
Now, insider sources claim that a BMW supercar will finally come to life in 2016, as the board approved its construction this week. Being based on the same technology implemented on the i8, the new car will be called i9 and it’s supposed to be a true successor to the only supercar ever made by the Munich-based company, the M1.

The layout will be similar to the one used on the i8, with a plug-in hybrid setup but on a different scale. The Life and Drive Modules will be kept but with different sizes. the Life module, encompassing the cabin and the chassis, will be made of aluminum while the body will be made exclusively out of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP).

Trademark 3-liter inline 6-cylinder engine to be used

As for the specs, prepare to be blown away. The current sports car is using a B38 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged plant on the rear axle and an electric motor un front. The i9, on the other hand, will be using the new-gen B58 3-liter 6-cylinder plant that is supposed to replace the current N55 units.

The power output could very well reach into 350 HP territory without it being an M product. At the same time, the electric motor will also be upgraded to offer more than the 131 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) of torque the i8 unit makes. Most likely, the output will be closer to the one of the i3, probably around 170 HP.

Combined, the two should offer at least around 550 HP and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft) of torque, numbers close to what the F10 M5 is making. However, the weight should be closer to 1,500 kg (3,300 lbs) instead of 2 tons. All-wheel drive and a drag coefficient of around 0.26 will turn this into a proper supercar if not even a hypercar. Since the i8 sprints to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds, imagine what this thing could do. It will probably be the fastest car the Bavarians ever made.

Production is set to begin on the year BMW is celebrating its centenary, 2016. That means we’ll get to see the concept behind it next year, either at Geneva or Frankfurt.
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