BMW i8 – a review by Autoportal.com

The BMW i8 is a product from the Germen luxury car maker the BMW AG. It is the most innovative sports car of the modern times which uses the combination of an electric motor and a powerful petrol engine intelligently. This plug-in type hybrid car launched in February 2015 combines performance with fuel efficiency and is eco friendly too. To know more images & photos of latest car models in India, Follow AutoPortal on Pinterest. 

Variants

The BMW i8 is the costliest BMW car to be launched in India. The car comes only in one variant priced Rupees 2.29 crore. But there are 4 options for the cabin upholstery.

Exteriors

The BMW i8 in the form of a coupe has a front fascia with the unique kidney shaped BMW grille with the LED automatic head lights, LED daytime running lamps and tinted glasses. Other features on the body include electric ORVMs with anti-dazzle function, a sun roof, self-locking wheel bolts, rain sensing wipers a rear spoiler and 20” wheels with 3 optional styles of spoke styling 470, turbine styling 625 and turbine styling 444.

Cabins loaded with features

The posh 2-door, 4-seat cabins of the i8 are loaded with comfort features like an automatic AC with 2-zone cooling, leather upholstery, leather-wrapped multi functional steering wheel, smart-key entry and electrically adjustable seats with heating arrangements. The BMW ConnectiveDrive includes 4 top view and side view cameras, BMW Heads-up display and digital instrument display on a 22” screen. Also there are features like voice control, Harman touch controller, GPS navigation system, Bluetooth connectivity and front and rear parking assistance with camera display. 

Safety features

A lot of safety features are provided for the BMW i8. They include 8 air bags, ABS, EBD, BA, Cornering Brake Control, electric parking brakes, Dynamic Stability Control, Hill Assistance and an engine immobiliser.  

BMW e-Drive

The i8 has a 131 bhp electric motor connected to a chargeable 7.1 KWh Li-Ion battery and a 1.5 litre, 231 bhp petrol engine for powering the vehicle. The total power when both are used comes to 360 bhp and torque 570 NM. When e-Drive is applied the motor gives immediate motion to the car up to a speed of 65 kmph. When more speed is required the petrol engine comes in parallel providing extra power. There are two selectable drive modes; the comfort mode and EcoPro mode. A fuel efficiency of 47.45 kmpl is claimed by the manufacturer.

Facts about BMW i8

·         Wheel base- 2800 mm, ground clearance- 117 mm

·         Transmission 6-speed automatic

·         Top speed 250 kmpl

·         Boot size- 154 litres

Our views

The BMW i8 is the costliest BMW car in India. The never-seen features and fuel efficiency make this the ultimate sports car in India. Check out more updates of auto industry news, automotive , upcoming car models, latest cars etc , Follow Auto Portal India on Google+.