BMW has announced that it will be launching the i8 in India on February 18. The i8, a hybrid sportscar from the Bavarian carmaker, was first revealed in production form at the Frankfurt motor show 2013. In India, however, BMW showcased the car at the Delhi Auto Expo 2014, and had also confirmed that it will be launching the car here.
The i8 has an almost-extraterrestrial look. Its low slung, coupe-like structure, draped in the silver shade, with blue accents, give it a slick look like no other car around. The heart of the i8 is a petrol engine and an electric motor. Both work individually or in tandem, to give the i8 its sportscar-like drivability.
The petrol engine is a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged unit that makes 228bhp, while the electric motor makes 129bhp. The combined output stands at 357bhp. BMW claims that the i8 can sprint from 0-100 in 4.4 seconds, while managing an electronically-limited top whack of 250kph. What adds to the i8’s performance, is that the car is built primarily out of carbon fibre and even though it has a large battery pack, the i8 weighs just 1,490kg.
This will be the first of the ‘i’ branded cars from BMW, to be launched in India. It will be followed by the smaller i3. The car will be brought in as a CBU, and we don't expect too many units to make their way here. The i8 is a halo car in the German manufacturer’s portfolio, so prices are likely to be on the higher side.
Suraj Kannan
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