BharathAutos reader Mr. Salman Ahmed has snapped the upcoming BMW i8 hybrid sportscar at a stockyard in Mumbai. Previously in 2011, BMW i8 earlier called the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics was spotted on the set of Mission Impossible 4 in Mumbai.
BMW i8 hybrid sportscar will launch in India next-month.
Seen in the picture, the India’s first electric hybrid sports car wears a Sophisto Grey exterior paint scheme which is the exclusive colour for i8 and rides on 20-inch forged aluminium wheels sport a bi-colour finish. It is a hybrid sportscar that looks futuristic every way you look at it. Low slung with scoops and forms unlike any sportscar you have seen before, the i8 demands attention even when stationary.
But it’s not just the looks, is it… The hybrid powertrain of the i8 comprises of a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine assisted by an electric motor. The petrol engine that sends up to 231 Bhp and 320 Nm of torque to the rear wheels via 6-speed automatic gearbox, while the electric motor sends up to 131 Bhp and 250 Nm of torque to the front wheels via a two-stage auto’box, offering through-the-road all-wheel drive characteristics. Powering the motor is a lithium-ion high-voltage battery with liquid cooling.
BMW i8 will have a special sales and service outlet.
Despite the fact that there is a large battery pack in its hold, the BMW i8 weighs just 1,490 kgs as it sees extensive use of carbon fiber in its body. This hybrid sports car generates the speed from 0 to 100 kmph in 4.4 seconds and touches the top mark of 250 kmph. In pure electric mode, the i8 can be run for 37 km with a top-speed of 120 kmph. Auto emissions stand at only 59 g/km of CO2. BMW i8 is the first production car in the world to use Gorilla Glass which is a scratch resistant glass of high durability.
The i8 is BMW’s answer to the Audi R8 and the Lambo Huracan. In India, the i8 will be launched as a Completely Built-up Unit (CBU) next-month, but will come in limited numbers due to acute shortage of the sportscar globally so expect BMW to charge a premium for their niche product. Prices could be close to the INR 2 Crore (ex-showroom).
BMW India plans to set-up special ‘iDealers’ in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai that will deal in the hybrid range.
(NOTE: The firstever spy pictures of BMW i8 hybrid sportscar in India have been removed from this post as per the request by BMW India officials.)
To read more on BMW i8, Click here
Also see – BMW Efficient Dynamics Concept unveiled in India
See more spy pictures of BMW i8 Hybrid Sportscar –
