The BMW i8 Spyder was first seen as a concept in the Beijing Auto Show back in 2012, but now, CEO Harald Krueger said a production version of the car will be introduced very soon.
The BMW i8 is one of BMW's bestselling cars that the company is struggling to keep up with the demand. The news of its upgrade version, the delicious i8 Spyder, is an orchestra in the ears of super car afficionados.
Auto News reported that the i8 Spyder concept version has removable top panels, a customized B-pillar, and a back cowl. It still has the door hinge mechanism featured in the coupe. The bodywork, the engine, and the electric motor are substantially the same with the coupe. Only a few changes were made to make the removable roof piece possible.
The Motor Report wrote that there will only be minimum changes from the concept version and the production version. The new hybrid sports car will run under the 170kW 1.5 litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine. The fixed-roof version will sun under 96kW electric motor. This will give a 276kW and 570Nm.
The production version of the i8 Spyder will still have its powerplant. It will have a 7.1 kWh lithium-ion battery. The powertrain can deliver 357 horsepower, letting it run from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds. It also has a fuel ratio of 2.1 l/100km.
There is no specific schedule on when the i8 Spyder will be released but Krueger hinted that it may be introduced in the centennial celebrations of BMW in 2016. If that will happen the sports car will go on sale as a 2017 model. According to LeftLane News, it will have a premium over its previous concept model, which is $140,700.
The new production model doesn't have a big rear space, which means it may not have a fully automated convertible roof. It may come with manually stowed panels. Besides the i8, BMW is set to show a concept version of its new i5 car.
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