Published June 14, 2012
By Jeff Cobb
When BMW releases its carbon-fiber-intensive, all-wheel-drive i8 around the end of 2013, exact pricing is still a mystery, but BMW has revealed it will cost north of 100,000 euros ($125,700).
The svelte vehicle offers a menu of propulsion options including up to 22 miles electric-only range, or ability to employ a 215-horsepower, 1.5 liter gas engine plus 128-horsepower electric motor combined to deliver an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph, and 0-62 mph sprints of around 4.8 seconds.
“It is a super sports car and will be priced accordingly,” said head of BMW’s sales and marketing, Ian Robertson. “The final price isn't decided but it will be priced up there with similar machinery.”
The all-wheel-drive flagship for BMW’s i line of green cars will employ the same electric motor as the pending i3 but with much more performance in full-steam-ahead mode, and sculpted lines in keeping with BMW's new LifeDrive architecture.
The car has
been seen testing in near production ready form, and once released, promises a look-at-me elite sports car experience from a balanced and adroit machine along with econocar levels of efficiency of 75 mpg combined, and CO2 emissions of just 99 g/km.
Autocar
