BMW won’t build a rival to the Audi R8, so naturally, spy photographers have spotted the BMW i8 Concept out testing in Sweden; and guess what? It’s starting to look more and more production-ready! The BMW i8 is now expected to get a post-2013 release date despite clear indications from BMW’s M-Division that they will not be building a rival to the Audi R8.
So what can we expect the i8 to be? Many are expecting it to keep the original i8 concept layout meaning a 2+2 layout and a hybrid layout. Clearly it will be a sporty coupe of some description, it definitely looks like an Audi R8 rival. With a projected price of around the $ 160,000 mark, it’s priced to compete too.
This BMW i8 prototype appears to have progressed from the original i8 Concept. It features functioning doors designed for road use instead of the trick butterfly doors. Things that make this car more production-ready include the use of regular door handles, working headlamps and a new set of alloy wheels.
It will use BMW’s new LifeDrive architecture with aluminium structures and a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) body shell. Power will come via the BMW i3. A rear-mounted 1.5 liter turbocharged three-cylinder petrol unit will work alongside the i3’s battery system.
We can’t wait to see what it turns out like. Let us know what you think below. For more pictures head over to Carscoop.
[Video: BMWBlog]
So ugly.
the sound of the engine is terrible
Unless it has 4 x 4 and far superior fuel economy performance. I’d probably choose a 2nd hand Audi R8.
The concept pictures look far better than this one. Hopefully it is deliberate.