Nother CarGuy

BMW revealed the new safety car for Formula E, a specially modified i8 Roadster, on the eve of the Monaco E-Prix. The new safety car has been modified extensively and specifically for use on the race track, with its design based on the i8 Coupe Safety Car. The biggest visual highlights of Formula E’s newest safety car are the shortened windscreen and the new rear wing; moreover, the new BMW i8 Roadster is the world’s first safety car that can be used with an open cockpit. Compared to the standard production model, the i8 Roadster safety car sits 15mm lower to the ground, wears a FIA-approved roll bar, a new front splitter and of course the mandatory light bar, which is mounted above the rear wing for better visibility. Other modifications include the addition of communication and GPS antennas, a rear view camera and more. No changes were announced in the plug-in hybrid powertrain, which utilizes a 228hp 1.5-liter three-cylinder petrol engine with a 141hp electric motor for ...

The North American International Auto Show is less than a month away and BMW has announced plans to stage the world debuts of the X2 and i8 Coupe in the Motor City. Starting with the X2, the model is based on the X1 but it eschews crossover-inspired styling for a funkier design that resembles a high-riding hatchback. In the United States, power will be provided by a 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder engine that produces 228 hp (170 kW) and 258 lb-ft (349 Nm) of torque. This will enable the X2 xDrive28i to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds before hitting a top speed of up to 143 mph (230 km/h). Moving on to the i8 Coupe, the model follows in the footsteps of the i8 Roadster which was recently unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It features an updated powertrain with an improved lithium-ion battery which has a capacity of 11.6 kWh. The car has also been equipped with a more powerful three-cylinder engine and electric motor which helps to increase its maximum output ...

BMW is writing the next chapter of its flagship hybrid sports car with the reveal today not only of the new i8 Roadster, but an upgraded version of the i8 coupe as well. The basic parameters are the same: plug-in hybrid powertrain, housed an aluminum chassis with a carbon-fiber monotub. But the battery boasts a higher capacity, and the hybrid powertrain more muscle to take the i8 even further (and faster). The 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine now produces 231 horsepower (up from 228), and the electric motor 143 hp (up from 131 hp) for a combined output of 374 hp to rocket the i8 coupe from a standstill to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, and the roadster in 4.4 as they rocket towards their electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. With a battery pack upgraded from 20 Ah to 34 Ah and from 7.1 kWh to 11.6, it'll also travel on electric power alone at speeds of up to 65 mph (instead of just 43 mph) – or 75 mph in eDrive mode. All-electric range is up to 34 miles...

BMW has announced the launch of the new 8-Series in 2018 at its annual general meeting in Munich, bringing the fabled nameplate back, as part of its new strategy focusing on higher-margin sports cars. "We are refreshing our entire product portfolio and strengthening the performance side. Our strategy will focus on the luxury segment, where there are margins to be earned," Krueger said. The new BMW 8-Series will be based on the same modular CLAR architecture that underpins models like the 7- and 5-Series and plans to be positioned under the Rolls Royce Wraith in the Group’s range of models, in the “150k euros-plus” range (around $165,000), according to a report from AutoNews. The two-door coupe will hit the market in 2018, with a convertible version to arrive a year later. BMW still hasn’t decided if there’s going to be a fully-fledged M8 version yet, but a range-topping V12 model is definitely coming. Harald Krueger also gave an official timeline for other new mode...

Previewed  by a concept  believed to be production ready when it was first shown in Beijing four years ago, the BMW i8 Roadster has been delayed a number of times, but it's finally on its way to enter the brand's portfolio.  According to the brand's CEO Harald Krueger, cited by  AutomotiveNewsEurope , who spoke on the matter at a press conference in Santa Monica, California, last Tuesday, the i8 Roadster will be added to the automaker's lineup in 2018.  Krueger declined to talk about the car's spec sheet, but  previous info reveals that  it will benefit from a longer-range battery and a more powerful electric motor over its current fixed-roof sibling. Speaking of which, the latter will also go through a few revisions and when it will finally be ready for the market, it will gain the same updates as the i8 Roadster.  During the same event, the BMW official confirmed that the i3,  with its upgraded battery  that can provide a total driv...

Four years after first displaying the  i8 Spyder Concept , BMW will finally put it into production.  The official press release states that the upcoming i8 roadster will be added to the firm's portfolio of hybrid and electric vehicles, which will expand and will include  an updated i3 , with an increased battery capacity and longer range.  Details on the two cars are scarce at the time, but development of  electrified BMWs  will include a total of seven models, which will be either purely electrically powered, just like the i3, or plug-in hybrids with an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. These will be introduced " from 2016 onwards ", as the Group explains, and will be joined eventually, " in the coming years ", by a plug-in hybrid MINI. Besides its new range of electrified vehicles, Munich will continue to focus on the development of hydrogen fuel-cell technology. Its  current test cars  are able to achieve a range of up to 700...