BMW Reinvents The Car With i8 Model

In the upper reaches of automotive performance, the hybrid sports car is becoming a real thing. Witness the Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, and McLaren P1. Those examples seem like efforts to maintain the relevance of high-end performance in an oil-starved world. But BMW may just be cracking the code with its i8.

Unlike the competition, which tend toward evolutionary changes built from existing models, BMW designed the i8 as a wholly new car, constructed from the ground on up to exemplify performance and minimal fossil fuel consumption. And deviating from the i3 model, its sibling in BMW's new i brand, the i8 actually looks good.

Drivetrain Specifications

Gasoline Engine                                          BMW TwinPower Turbo 1.5-Liter Three-Cylinder
Electric Motor                                            Hybrid Synchronous Motor With Power
Total Output                                               362 Horsepower
Total Torque                                              420 Pound-Feet Transmission Six-Speed Automatic
Acceleration                                               (0-60 Mph) 4.2 Sec., Est
Top Speed                                                 155 MPH
Fuel Economy                                            (MPGe) 95
Total Range                                               310 Miles (372 Miles W/ ECO PRO)
Electric Range                                            22 Miles

BMW i8's starting price is $135.925, including destination and handling fees. It will hit showroom in the spring of 2014 as a 2015 model year.

Read More : Cnet, Top Speed