Oh Joy: BMW i8 Will get Petrol Engines, no Turbo Diesels

We’ve already told you about BMW’s new green undertakings, the series of vehicles that will use the “i” designation. This will include the i3, which was previewed by the ActiveE, and the i8 which will be a production version of the Vision EfficientDynamics (VED) Concept.

But the i8 will not copy the concept in one key element. In a totally unexpected report, AutoCar says that the upcoming 2014 BMW i8 will be powered by petrol instead of the 3-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine the prototype is using. The UK magazine quotes R&D chief Dr. Klaus Draeger, who said: “as we want to sell it all over the world. Diesel is only really relevant to Europe”.

Draeger didn’t want to reveal which petrol engine he had in mind, but whichever it is, we find it hard to imagine the efficiency quoted for the three-cylinder turbo diesel from the initial VED concept car, which promised a consumption rating of 3.76 liters/100 km (62.5 mpg US) and CO2 emissions of 99 g/km.

The powerplant consisted of a 1.5-liter three-cylinder unit that produced 163 horsepower and and 290 Nm of torque (214 lb-ft). Coupled with the electric motors, total output was stated to be 328 PS for the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept.

“i8 will be a pinnacle car for the BMW brand as a whole, not just the i brand. BMW is about being premium, leading-edge technology and sportiness and this is a real halo product for us,” he added, explaining that it will become the company’s halo car when it is launched in 2013. We’re still hoping that it will get the new turbocharged six-cylinder from the upcoming M3, but that’s just wishful thinking right now!