New BMW i8 Review - Fuel Efficient and Dynamic

New BMW i8 Review - Fuel Efficient and Dynamic

BMW 's supercar, the M1 , was sold between 1978 to 1981 as the only mid-engined BMW to be mass produced. But you'd expect more from a maker like BMW, right? And with all the competition on the market, BMW had to do something about it, so they decided to put the Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show into production. There is one distinct change for the Vision Efficient Dynamics Concept as it heads into production, as BMW changed its name to the i8. Along with the recently announced i3, the i8 shows the other end of the spectrum that the German automaker can reach with its hybrid drivetrains. The production i8 will, surprisingly, carry the concept's in-line three-cylinder engine combined with an electric motor to drive the front wheels.

As of now, there is only one i8 model set for production, but we have a sneaking suspicion that there may be an M or M Sport model in coming years. When BMW first announced it's plans to put the Vision Efficient Dynamics into production, a company source said: "there will be less of the synthetic glass and more solid structure added to the final design." How can this be translated? The i8 will be built on an aluminum chassis which houses the powertrain and the passenger cell. This cell consists of high-strength, but extremely lightweight carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP). Thanks to its use of CFRP and aluminum, the i8 will weight less than 3,285 pounds. The car's front will be defined by the now famous kidney grille and two large air intakes. The gull-wing doors will be replaced by standard ones and the rear will get a quad exhaust system.

We can see from the leaked image (above) that the i8 retains most of its overall look, and even carries over the scissor doors from the concept model. Gone is the huge door glass and the exaggerated blue highlight. Renderings are oftentimes guesswork, but our i8 rendering was pretty spot on — cue the horn tooting. the only places that we really missed were the blue outline on the grille, the charging port on the front fender and the blue highlight just below the door. Additionally, our positioning and shading on the hood-mounted heat extractor are a little off. The BMW i8 offers room for four adults, thanks to its 2+2 seating layout. The partition between the passenger compartment and boot is made from two layers of chemically hardened glass that ensures excellent acoustic properties.

The seats and the instrument panel are trimmed in a special leather tanned with olive leaf extract, a method that offers the leather a particularly high-quality and natural look. BMW designed the instrument panel and the center console using a "layering" principle. As standard feature, the i8 is offered with an iDrive operating system, a bespoke sports steering wheel with multifunction buttons.

The i8 is offered in a standard Neso trim level, with Carpo and Halo equipment lines offered as an option. The i8 features a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine that delivers 231 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. Driving the front wheels make use of an electric motor that produces 131 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. Combined, the entire driveline produces 362 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque and runs this power through a six-speed automatic transmission connected to the gasoline engine and a two-stage transmission on the electric motor. BMWi8 BMW i8 Crash Test Ferrari Lamborghini Future Jaguar Drifting Corvette North American International Auto Show FT-1 Concept Car Cars Nissan Auto Detroit Auto Show Volkswagen test drive premiere 2015 racing driving engine startup exhaust motor trend car and driver autoblog  Burnout Mercedes-Benz 2014 Great Britain Hybrid energy efficient Safest Car to Drive BMWi8 BMW i8. The i8 has a pair of drive modes: "D" and "Sport." In the "D" mode, the transmission shifts automatically and comfort takes precedence over performance.

In "Sport" mode, the i8's engine and transmission are optimized to deliver excellent performance. Additionally, the "Sport" mode maximizes the electric motor's "boost" to the gasoline engine. Another mode selector on the center console, dubbed the Driving Experience Control switch, the driver can choose between "Comfort" and "ECO PRO" mode. Comfort gives you the perfect balance between sport and economy, and is the base setting upon start up. With "ECO PRO" activated, the i8 becomes even more fuel efficient. "ECO PRO" programs the electronic accessories to minimize consumption.

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