All posts tagged bmw i8
BMW i8 Concept Spyder and BMW 335 Li @ the 2012 Beijing Motor Show
BMW is at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show to introduce two very interesting cars: the i8 Concept Spyder and the 335 Li. The i8 measures 4.48 meters in length and 1.92 in width and, in the comparison to the 4-seat coupe version, has a shorter wheel-base and has a folding roof in two sections. The brand new shape of its rear end uses an original see-through cover that allows the onlookers to see the two electric skateboards in the trunk, which reduce its capacity to just 100 litres. The combined output of its hybrid powertrain is rated at 354 hp. The electric motor alone produces 131 hp that get transferred to the front axle while its supercharged 3-cylinder unit delivers its 223 hp to the rear axle.
The i8 Concept Spyder goes from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 5,0 seconds, reaching an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Its average fuel consumption is 3.0 l/100 km, while its range on electric energy alone is 30 km (19 miles). The car handles the traction between the two axles - giving priority to performance or economy - on the base of the cruising mode selected by the driver: the three options are Eco, Pro and Sport. The overall weight of the car is 1,630 kg, with a 50-50 weight partition on the two axles.
The BMW 335 Li is a sort of ‘long wheel-base version’ of the recent 3-Series F30, but it is way more spacious, especially in terms of leg-room. The car is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-litre engine and will be produced in China by the Brilliance China Automotive, the company that assembles the cars of the Bavarian manufacturer for the whole Asian market at their facility in Shenyang. It must be outlined that this is the first time that BMW comes up with a long wheel-base version of the 3-Series, although this particular model is not supposed to become available on other markets.
View the full BMW i8 Concept Spyder and 335 Li @ the 2012 Beijing Motor Show photo gallery
Video: BMW i8 Concept Spyder
BMW has released a new official video of the i8 Concept Spyder that will be officially unveiled at the upcoming Beijing Motor Show (April 23rd- May 2nd). The car, which should be launched in 2014, will have contained dimensions with a length of 4.63m.
The convertible uses the modular LifeDrive platform powered by a 3-cylinder TwinPower Turbo petrol engine fitted to the rear axle that serves as Range Extender. The internal-combustion unit is coupled to an electric motor mounted on the front axle, which brings the power of the car to 354 hp and 550 Nm of torque.
Top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h while acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h is covered in 5 seconds flat. In contrast to the performance, fuel consumption is very low: the car, on average, needs only 3 litres of petrol per 100 km, with the ability to travel up to 30 km on electric power alone.
View the full BMW i8 Concept Spyder gallery
2011 Frankfurt Motor Show: the BMW stand. Photo gallery
BMW has come to the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show with a bag full of surprises and novelties, and you can tell that this maker is aiming to produce remarkably innovative vehicles without underestimating the importance of being environmentally friendly. The i3 and i8 have just debuted, preparing the ground for future electric models as well as this range’s hybrids.
They have been developed employing aluminium as well as CFRP to minimize their overall mass and in the case of the i3, Reinhofer confirmed that it’s going to become reality by the end of 2012, while the i8 will follow in the next few years.
Other very interesting BMW models have been premiered at the show such as the new 1-series F20, the M5 F10 featuring a 560 HP V8 as well as the 313 HP 640d and the 116d Efficient Dynamics boasting CO2 emissions of 99 g/km di Co2. The future versions M-Sport and Performance Studio of the 1-series also have been unveiled, as well as the Z4 with a four-cylinders Turbo Twin-power.
View the full 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show: the BMW stand photo gallery.
BMW i4 and i5 models in future i brand
The BMW i3 and i8 launch was designed to make quite a splash recently and while we’ve all been following these two models for quite some time, don’t expect the i phenomenon to let up anytime soon. After the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept became the BMW i8, and the i3 is set to be the citycar in the line-up, AutoExpress reports we can expect two new models to come along soon.
The BMW i4 and i5 would be the same electric or plug-in hybrid models and use the same carbonfibre-reinforced plastic materials as the first two models. They would also use modified powertrains of the original i3 and i8, although those two opposing ends of the scale will probably represent sacred cows in terms of not making anything too similar to cannibalise the market. The options do provide, however, some convenient economies of scale for BMW.
The BMW i4 would be a two-door model using the same platform as the i3 but with a sportier, coupé-like design. That would probably mean the i3 powertrain set-up would be adapted to the lower, wider stance and sportier drive, although its range extending technology would possibly be included.
The BMW i5 would be a kind of sport sedan and would provide a hybrid competitor to a vehicle like the Audi A5 Sportback. It would have the same 1.5-litre turbo engine and electric motors as the i8, but would certainly deliver less than the 349 hp of the i8 so as to leave the supercar its territory. That BMW is planning on expanding the i range is no surprise, but these are quite detailed rumours so stay tuned for more information - possibly even after BMW gets the first two production models off the ground.
BMW i8 videos
After the videos and details on the new BMW i3, we turn to the more exciting of the two introductions in the form of the BMW i8. We say more exciting from a purist, driver’s point of view, although we’re already quite impressed with the electric hatch that is the i3, with its power, technology and optional range extender.
Unlike the i3 however, the BMW i8 is a sports coupé which uses plug-in hybrid technology. It will have the same electric motor as the i3 up front, but the rear axle is driven by a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbocompressed engine with 220 hp. That makes for a front-wheel drive electric vehicle, a rear-wheel drive for sports driving or an all-wheel drive coupé for some serious traction.
That’s an impressive combination all on one car and BMW claims a 0-100 km/hr sprint of under five seconds and fuel consumption of 3 l/100 km (or seven litres when in fuel mode only). The i8 can run in electric mode only for 35 km before resorting to the hybrid system. No official weight figures have been released but BMW says the i8 has a perfect 50/50 split front to rear weight distribution. See all the videos after the jump.
BMW i8 and 6 series in Mission Impossible 4 trailer
Well! Mission Impossible 4 has Tom Cruise, Eminem rap, the Mission Impossible theme, hot women and the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept as an i8 preview. And that’s a lot to pack into just the trailer. Confirming that we will see the new BMW i8 in the Mission Impossible fourth instalment is this video, although it still looks very much in concept phase to us (the car, not the film). BMW has plans to produce the i8 based on its Vision concept, with limited modifications so the film could just be an early advertising opportunity for the German car marker. Oh, and there’s also the new BMW 6 Series cabriolet which gets destroyed.
BMW uses Vision EfficientDynamics video to introduce innovation
With these kinds of “teasers” continuing, it could be a long road before we get to see the final production version of the BMW i8. Not that BMW says this is the purpose of the video, but the road taken is to introduce BMW innovation and technology to the masses, probably to pave the way for the media exposure the new ‘i’ brand will require.
In this preview video we see the BMW Vision EfficientDyanmics touted as an innovative but ecological vehicle, with all the power of a sports coupé. As to the i8, no powertrain details are available yet, and the vehicle as a media tool, still lives in the twilight zone of show cars and their sexy design.
Still, BMW has decided to dedicate what we take to be an introductory video to its i8 model. All we know so far is that the BMW i8 will be the halo car of the new ‘i’ brand and will be a high performance hybrid vehicle. From there, BMW will have more introductions and publicity to do.
BMW Vision EfficientDynamics in Mission Impossible 4
The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics is proving its futuristic appeal in the latest Mission Impossible movie - the fourth in the saga. Could we see Tom Cruise driving the hybrid, all-wheel drive sports car (we’re assuming it’s the “good guy’s” wheels)? The product placement from BMW in the film includes a 6 Series Cabriolet and a 5 Series sedan, with the latter having modified bumpers to accommodate the installation of cameras.
The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics was presented in 2009 as a concept car, but it looks like it will make production as the new BMW i8 vehicle. Currently it has a hybrid set-up using a three-cylinder, 1.5-litre diesel engine which could possibly be replaced with a four-cylinder turbo model unit on the production model.
Source | TeamBHP
BMW i3 and i8 spy shots
The future BMW ‘i’ models have been snapped while winter testing. The BMW i3 and BMW i8 are the first models in the newly announced range and are a citycar and coupé, respectively. The i3 has been previously known as the BMW Megacity vehicle and has been in the works for some time. It’s still not clear whether it will be an all-electric vehicle or a hybrid model.
The i8 will be the production version of BMW’s fascinating Vision EfficientDynamics concept car. It’s designed to be a two-seater hybrid super coupé and should join the i3 in a 2013 release. The i8 is a snazzy-looking model under the limited camouflage, having the wide stance and sweeping lines of the concept it’s based on. After first appearing in 2009 as the concept model, a 2013 launch date seems quite a way off given it’s frolicking out and about without much dress on.
The BMW i3 on the other hand, looks more like a classic citycar model, totally out of BMW character. While the i8 will be predictably expensive and luxurious, a reported price tag of 40,000 euros doesn’t make the i3 economic, either. It will probably reach the market right after the i8 and the two will represent the opposite poles of the ‘i’ range before other models are developed.
BMW i3 and i8 videos plus extra 'i' models in the future
As BMW releases more details on its new ‘i’ sub-brand of ecological vehicles, it’s clear that when a company like this launches a new brand, it won’t be off the back of just two models. These videos (another after the jump) show more of what we can expect of the design and technology behind the new BMW i3 and BMW i8; although no additional models have been officially announced yet, we’re being lead to believe a full range will make up the ‘i’ badge.
The former was known previously as the Megacity concept and should become BMW’s premium electric citycar model in the future. The latter will be a sports coupé model - the production version of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept of 2009. Both will be built with a new LifeDrive platform and with a CFRP (Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic) designed to balance the added battery weight of the vehicle.
Meanwhile, the BMW i3 is expected to marketed at a premium price in a segment that includes models like the Nissan Leaf. At the other end of the spectrum, sticking to premium, will be the BMW i8 set to become a ‘halo’ car that will have a petrol engine and not diesel. Speaking to Autocar, BMW R&D chief Klaus Draeger said that “diesel is only relevant to Europe”.
We take that to mean that the i8 will be an international car for BMW, making it to other markets like the US and Asia, too. It won’t be launched until 2013 but it will straddle both brands and not be a flag-bearer just for the new ‘i’ sub-brand. It’s designed to combine both leading technology and sportiness and will be representative of that across the BMW fleet. The video after the jump shows just how much BMW is backing a cutting edge, exciting feel to this project.
Continue reading: BMW i3 and i8 videos plus extra 'i' models in the future
New BMW i sub-brand
Revealing its new ecological sub-brand - BMW i - the German company has also officially announced that the first vehicles to be produced under this new label will be the i3 and i8. The former will be what has already been known as the BMW Megacity all-electric citycar, and the latter will be the production version of the first BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept. It first appeared in 2009 and should be in production by 2013 as a plug-in hybrid model.
The new i sub-brand will house a series of BMW’s first forays into hybrid, range-extender and plug-in hybrid models. They will all be built on a new platform called LifeDrive which is being designed to balance the weight of the batteries while still trying to stay true to BMW’s dynamic driving tradition.
The BMW i platform is made up of an aluminium chassis and a carbonfibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell. The BMW i3 will be an all-electric vehicle which will borrow elements from the 1 Series ActiveE model, while the BMW i8 will be a hybrid model that could use the 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor, possibly the same as that of the i3. Pressure will be on for it to be a high performance coupé ready to excite people into the new BMW i badge.
BMW’s Leipzig plant will ready itself for production of the two vehicles with about 400 million euros in investment. The models should also prove to be fresh ground for BMW’s experimentation in on-board entertainment but although we’ll see the ConnectedDrive concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, there’s no news yet as to whether we’ll see updated prototypes of the i3 and i8 at the show. See the video above for the manifesto on the new sub-brand.
BMW Vision EfficientDynamics production vehicle to become BMW i8
The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics production vehicle could be called the BMW i8 according to reports from Dutch site AutoInternationaal. The concept vehicle was revealed at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show and a production model was announced not long after. The “i8″ name is designed to reflect the environmental aspects of the car and will act as a forerunner to other BMW vehicles to follow in the footsteps of this ecological coupé.
Future models will therefore be named with the ‘i’ letter and a number, with these reports indicating that we could see a new ecological sports range appear alongside BMW’s traditional line-up. We still don’t expect to see the BMW Megacity vehicle in that line-up as it should carry its own badge. The BMW i8 should appear in 2013 after its rivals, the Audi R8 e-Tron and the Mercedes SLS AMG E-Cell.
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