Tuesday 3rd April 2012

BMW reveals i8 Spyder concept

Roofless i8 creeps green supercar concept closer to reality

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This is the i8 Spyder, the latest concept from BMW's new i sub-brand. Due to be shown at the Beijing motor show later this month, the latest i8 is the third version of a concept that started off at the 2009 Frankfurt show as the Vision Efficient Dynamics concept.

It then morphed into the i8 coupe for the 2011 Frankfurt show, before becoming this, the Spyder version - the closest yet to the coupe that's expected to make production in a couple of years time.

Among the key differences between the latest concept and its predecessors (apart from the absence of a roof) are new scissor-style doors (the glass ones of the other concepts have sadly gone), a blanked-off grille and subtly softer exterior surfacing.

Oh, and unlike the original i8 concept, the new car is a two-seater and so has a shorter wheelbase.

It's still a plug-in petrol-electric hybrid, however, with a 223hp 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol motor (coming to a 3 Series near you in some form or other, we would be willing to bet) powering the rear wheels and a 131hp electric motor sending drive to the front axle.

Together that makes for 354hp, 0-62mph in 5.0 seconds and a 155mph top speed, along with 90mpg-plus. Sounds like an appealing combination to us...

[Stew2000]

http://youtu.be/VmN5VvGSf8o

[Raitzi]

So they converted R8 to i8. Not cool.
All we want is M2 : http://www.topspeed.com/cars/bmw/2015-bmw-m2-ar112...

[Kong]

Are those Kahn wheels from outer space?

I like the overall shape but the detailing is extremely fussy.

[Vetch]

Doesn't this car make an appearance in the latest Mission Impossible film?

[anonymous-user]

I wonder how much will be lost styling wise on the production car?

[GWC]

MonkeyMatt said:

I wonder how much will be lost styling wise on the production car?

Hopefully quite a lot, it looks like a dogs dinner to me.

[tommy vercetti]

Looks great imo

[rob.kellock]

Having seen that first video, i think I prefer the sound of one of these:

[RichB]

GWC said:

MonkeyMatt said:

I wonder how much will be lost styling wise on the production car?

Hopefully quite a lot, it looks like a dogs dinner to me.

[ellisd82]

Not bad. Though it should he an i8 with a V8...

[MrGeoff]

As has been said previously, I know this is a concept but it's far too fussy.

[Cheib]

Well I am not going to be rushing to get my order in.......will be very,very interesting to see how this does.

[DMC2]

This 'concept' is so old hat already. Are they ever going to build it?

[Glosphil]

"223hp 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol motor"

Forget the electric motor and batteries and it could be sold cheaper with a bigger potential market?

Even better if it was expanded into a 2-litre four-cylinder 297hp!

[pilchardthecat]

What's with this lower-case-i-prefix-on-every-bloody-thing business? Surely that bandwagon is long past its sell by date now.

[E38Ross]

this should be interesting.....

thinfourth2 - what do you make of this? electric power so you'll love it. BMW so you won't like it.

oooooh decisions!!!

[peter450]

Somehow i cant see people paying big bucks for a 3 cylinder turbo, even if it does have a electric motor bolted on aswell

[mikEsprit]

tommy vercetti said:

Looks great imo

+1

[Repent]

...nope. Dont like it.

First one please, a small efficient sports coupe might be required but a proper halo models well overdue too. Nom;

[Kawasicki]

seems to have poor proportions, too short/tall with a long front overhang. The coupe was much better.