2015 BMW i8 fully revealed

[y2blade]

It may be early in the morning here in the US, but in Germany, the first day of the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show is in full swing. BMW took advantage of the early start and showed off its long-awaited i8 plug-in hybrid sportscar, a two-plus-two, swan-wing-doored coupe, to the Frankfurt crowd.

We drove a BMW i8 prototype back in August, so many of the things we're reading today are clarifications on our initial suspicions or speculations. Underhood sits a 1.5-liter, turbocharged, three-cylinder engine. On its own, it churns out a respectable 231 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, which is then channeled to the rear wheels by way of a six-speed automatic transmission. An electric motor, meanwhile, sends 131 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque through a two-speed automatic to the front wheels.

With all-wheel drive at its disposal, the total system power sits at 362 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque, and allows the i8 to scamper to 62 miles per hour in just 4.4 seconds. That excellent performance is offset by an estimated fuel economy figure of 94 miles per gallon, though, making this a fast and efficient vehicle. Charging is impressively fast on the i8, with a full charge coming from a 110-volt outlet in under four hours. A BMW Charging Station will trim the charge time down to 1.5 hours.

The i8 has a pair of driving mode controllers. The Driving Experience Control switch should be familiar to anyone who has driven a recent BMW product – it's the only way to activate Sport, Eco Pro or the default Comfort setting. As for the eDrive button, it shouldn't be a surprise, based on its name, that pressing it will put the i8 into EV mode.

Prices start at a rather lofty $135,925, which makes this the second most expensive member of the BMW range, behind the luxury rocket known as the 760Li. The i8 will arrive in the US, which BMW expects to be the car's largest market, in the spring 2014.

[y2blade]

At last BMW will be making some decent AWDs...future is looking good.

[kambites]

I wish manufacturers wouldn't quote MPG figures for plug-in hybrids; they're completely meaningless.

Seems like an interesting car though.

[Krikkit]

Agree completely kam - all-electric range and range-extender engaged fuel economy at 100kph would be more interesting.

Either way, though, that looks bloody awesome.

[kambites]

All electric range and economy when the test is run from discharged batteries would be most informative, I think.

[y2blade]

Krikkit said:

Agree completely kam - all-electric range and range-extender engaged fuel economy at 100kph would be more interesting.

Either way, though, that looks bloody awesome.

Same although I don't really care about MPG quotes!! I just don't want to be shepherded into a Prius in a few years time!

This and the new Audi Nanuk look superb.

[stumpage]

Another good interior ruined but the ridicules screen plonked on top of the dash. Don't designers realise that modern cars require these. Listen you car interior design people "Incorporate it into the dash not plonk it on as an afterthought!!".

BMW 3 series, Merc CLA, A Class (even worse example). Audi A3, A6 (I know it pops up but come on!!) I could go on.

[johnster1991]

stumpage said:

Another good interior ruined but the ridicules screen plonked on top of the dash. Don't designers realise that modern cars require these. Listen you car interior design people "Incorporate it into the dash not plonk it on as an afterthought!!".

BMW 3 series, Merc CLA, A Class (even worse example). Audi A3, A6 (I know it pops up but come on!!) I could go on.

Love the looks of this but have to agree, the screen looks out of place just put on top of the dash!

[margerison]

johnster1991 said:

stumpage said:

Another good interior ruined but the ridicules screen plonked on top of the dash. Don't designers realise that modern cars require these. Listen you car interior design people "Incorporate it into the dash not plonk it on as an afterthought!!".

BMW 3 series, Merc CLA, A Class (even worse example). Audi A3, A6 (I know it pops up but come on!!) I could go on.

Love the looks of this but have to agree, the screen looks out of place just put on top of the dash!

I assume it disappears when not in use and it will be more in the line of sight there than buried down by the radio.

[stumpage]

margerison said:

johnster1991 said:

stumpage said:

Another good interior ruined but the ridicules screen plonked on top of the dash. Don't designers realise that modern cars require these. Listen you car interior design people "Incorporate it into the dash not plonk it on as an afterthought!!".

BMW 3 series, Merc CLA, A Class (even worse example). Audi A3, A6 (I know it pops up but come on!!) I could go on.

Love the looks of this but have to agree, the screen looks out of place just put on top of the dash!

I assume it disappears when not in use and it will be more in the line of sight there than buried down by the radio.

Probably not if it follows the new 3 series & 6 series.

[kambites]

So is it a 2+2 or a two-seater? Those pictures don't really make it clear.

[emicen]

UK media quoting 114mpg or thereabouts. That's a US gallon figure.

[Trif]

Does this car fill anyone else with fear? It is going to be very expensive to buy new, it looks hugely complicated to maintain and how much are replacement tyres on those 20" wheels going to cost? (not forgetting they will probably handle poorly and make a lot of road noise).

[anonymous-user]

Trif said:

Does this car fill anyone else with fear? It is going to be very expensive to buy new, it looks hugely complicated to maintain and how much are replacement tyres on those 20" wheels going to cost? (not forgetting they will probably handle poorly and make a lot of road noise).

135kUSD = £135k

That's a fair amount of cash for something that is as confusing as this car seems to be.

[g3org3y]

LIKE!

Hope it goes as well as it looks.

[Trif]

yonex said:

135kUSD = £135k

That's a fair amount of cash for something that is as confusing as this car seems to be.

Wow. I thought it might be something like £60k... In fact I scrub my last statement, it doesn't fill me with fear as they are only going to sell a couple of them to people in LA...

[kambites]

I suspect they'll sell reasonably well. I could easily see a few thousand in the US and a similar number scattered across Europe.

[danp]

kambites said:

So is it a 2+2 or a two-seater? Those pictures don't really make it clear.

2+2.

have they announced the price in euro?

[MiseryStreak]

Would it have been that hard to make it as the concept? It just looks like a 3 series now. What a disappointment, after having that 3 phase installed in my garage too...

[The Vambo]

MiseryStreak said:

Would it have been that hard to make it as the concept? It just looks like a 3 series now. What a disappointment, after having that 3 phase installed in my garage too...

Isn't it a bit early to be drunk?