BMW i8 2015 AUTOMOBILE All-Star

From startup to showroom, so much could have gone wrong with the BMW i8. Its concept-car form could have been watered down, its plug-in powertrain neutered. The BMW might have been a Fisker Karma redux, a pretty shape that hid a tangle of compromises and poorly integrated hybrid technology. BMW might even have said “nicht” and canceled the project entirely.

Instead, the BMW i8 is here, and it actually lives up to the Munich marketing hype. It’s a crowd-slaying, synapse-firing sports car that kills any remaining argument that electrified cars can’t be frugal and fun to drive. It heralds a potential age of more affordable cars formed from weight-slashing carbon fiber. It’s one of a handful of automobiles that dares to envision and embody the kind of cars enthusiasts might drive 20 years from now. The i8 even helps restore BMW’s somewhat battered reputation as a leader and innovator of high performance.

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Electrified stunner: Get behind the wheel of the BMW i8, and you’ll never believe it has just 357 horsepower.

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In other words, it’s pretty hot stuff.
The specialness begins the second you duck below the swan-wing doors, cozy into luxurious chairs, and fire up the all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain: 129 electric horses for front wheels and a 228-hp, electrically assisted three-cylinder gasoline engine out back. Gentle driving lets the i8 cover roughly 22 miles on battery power alone. In our testing, it delivered up to 38 highway mpg.

“Driving the i8 at speed is like getting a glimpse of a wowie-zowie future that even a Luddite can embrace.” - Contributor Preston Lerner

Toggle up to Sport mode, and the BMW i8 replenishes its 7.1-kilowatt-hour battery on the fly -- “fly” being the operative word, with the i8 surging from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. The i8’s yee-haw acceleration doesn’t seem to compute with 357 on-paper horses, until you consider the slender 3,455- pound curb weight, nitrous-like electric boost, and a ruthlessly effective six-speed automatic transmission.
With a long wheelbase, precise (if overlight) steering, and an intimate GT-style cabin, the BMW is adept at both stoplight and weekend getaways. All-wheel-drive poise combines with surprisingly robust grip for a car with relatively narrow, fuel-saving 20-inch tires. Yet this hybrid saved some gas-electric fireworks for GingerMan Raceway, carving fluid laps and charming the pants off driver after driver.
Even the synthesized engine sound scores an improbable sensory hit. Subtly pumped through door speakers, this chesty growl perfectly suits the i8’s performance character and sounds anything but ersatz.
Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf fans may grumble over the BMW i8’s nearly $137,000 base price. Yet the only other plug-in sports cars that have any business on track -- the Porsche 918 Spyder and the McLaren P1 -- cost $850,000 and up. Compared to those deities, the i8 is within a mortal’s reach. Measured against a more conventional two-plus-two exotic -- the Aston Martin DB9 -- the BMW virtually doubles its fuel economy, thumps its performance, and seduces onlookers at least as well. Suddenly, 140 grand sounds reasonable, especially for a car that looks and performs like a billboard for the future.
Hybrids have been promising the yin-yang package for years. The i8 delivers. Seemingly contradictory goals of performance and fuel savings meld into a beautiful, complementary whole. The result is a sports car that’s more than the sum of its hybrid parts. The i8 is an All-Star.

2015 BMW i8 Specifications

Base price:	$136,650
As-tested price:	$152,450
Engine:	1.5-liter turbocharged DOHC 12-valve I-3/228 hp @ 5,800 rpm, 236 lb-ft @ 3,700 rpm
Motor:	AC synchronous electric/129 hp, 184 lb-ft
Transmission:	6-speed automatic (rear), 2-speed automatic (front)
Layout:	2-door, 4-passenger, front-motor, mid-engine, FWD/RWD/AWD coupe
EPA mileage:	76 mpge combined (electric and gas), 28 mpg combined (gas only)

Source: automobilemag.com

BMW i8. The interesting thing to know about the BMW i8

1. It's made of old iPhones

The windscreen and windows in the BMW i8 are made from ordinary glass, but the rear window is made of the same chemically hardened glass that smartphones are made from. It's stronger than ordinary glass, so it can be made thinner (hence lighter) and it offers better sound-proofing from the rear-mounted petrol engine.

2. It has laser freakin' headlights

Screw LEDs, the i8's packing lasers, so the next time you get stuck in traffic, you can blast other motorists to oblivion. OK, that last bit's not strictly true. As standard, the BMW i8 comes with nifty LEDs, but BMW also offers lasers as an optional extra. These, it says are 1,000 times brighter than LED headlights but use half the power, reducing electrical draw on the batteries and engine. Now if only they could make a version you could use to cut cyclists in half with. We wouldn't use it for that of course, but it'd be an interesting technical achievement we think you'll agree.

3. It's a 4x4

BMW doesn't recommend you go greenlaning in it, but the i8 is driven by all four wheels. It uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine and six-speed automatic gearbox to drive the rear axle, but also has a 131hp, 250Nm electric motor driving the front wheels. Suck on that, Land Rover.

4. It may be electric, but it's incredibly light

Hybrids and electric cars are meant to be heavy, which is the last thing you want in a sports car. Luckily, BMW has worked hard on keeping the i8's kerb weight to a bare minimum. It tips the scales at a very respectable 1,490kg, which on a par with, and in some cases lighter than many sports cars. The Ferrari 458 Italia, for reference, has a kerb weight of 1,485kg. The Aston Martin V12 Vantage, meanwhile, is comparably lardy at 1,680kg. The i8 is even a par with many ordinary petrol and diesel hatchbacks. The Ford Focus, which is no lardarse, weighs between 1,270kg and 1,471kg depending on spec.

5. It's flippin' fast

With the motor and engine working in tandem, the i8 has access to a sizeable 362bhp and 570Nm of torque. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage has more power and less torque (420bhp and 470Nm) but the BMW i8 will do 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds – 0.3 seconds faster than the Aston. AWD should help it corner and grip better, too. Top speed is a very respectable 160mph.

6. It makes the Prius look thirsty

BMW claims the i8 can return 113mpg. An ordinary Toyota Prius is good for a paltry 72mpg. What's more, the i8 can be driven for 22 miles on electric power alone at speeds of up to 75mph, and when you're done you can plug it in and recharge the thing in 3 hours from an ordinary plug socket. Obviously, you don't have to use electricity all the time. Fill the tank with dinosaur juice from your local Shell and it'll travel for 310 miles without stopping.

7. It has bicycle wheels

Not really. But it does have optional carbon wheels, which some high-end bicycles use. These save an impressive 3kg each over the standard, already lightweight, alloy wheels. If you're desperate to eek out a bit more performance, extend your driving range or just fancy splashing a bit more cash, these are a no-brainer.

8. It'll call you an ambulance if you crash it

The BMW i8 is fitted with more tech than you'll know what to do with. Automatic wipers with rain sensors, cameras all around the bodywork to help you park without scuffing the paintwork, pedestrian recognition with automatic braking. It'll even call the emergency services if special accelerometers in the chassis detect a crash.

9. It comes with its own credit card

This one's a lie. But it does come with a ChargeNow card that you can use to pay for electricity without handing any cash over. That's like a credit card, isn't it? Sort of?

10. It's the only car you'll ever need.

The BMW i8 has a price tag of 100,000. That's expensive compared to, say a Ford Fiesta, but it's bloody good value compared to cars that offer similar performance. Sports cars like the V8 Vantage will set you back in the region of £85,000, but then you'll have to splash out on a more sensible car to prevent their running costs making you bankrupt. The BMW i8 on the other hand, offers similar performance to its sports car peers and costs next to nothing to drive. What's not to like?

11. Except the convertible version

Bonus thing! Yup, BMW's also working on a drop top i8, and we want that version even more.