Here’s what you didn’t know about this awe-inspiring, eco-friendly supercar.
REPAIR COSTS ARE LOWER THAN EXPECTED
Because the BMW i8’s body utilises screw-on/clip-on plastic panels, replacing them following a minor accident is relatively simple. In fact, the repair costs in such cases are similar to that of regular BMW models.
SOUL-STIRRING PERFORMANCE
The BMW i8 sprints from 0-100km/h in just 4.4 seconds. That means the i8 easily keeps up with a BMW M4 equipped with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
EVEN ITS GLASS IS SPAGE-AGE
The BMW i8 is the world’s first volume-produced car equipped with chemically hardened glass, which has so far only been utilised on smartphones. This enables the vehicle to further shave off weight, as chemically hardened glass is 50 percent lighter than the conventional type.
IT’S BUILT LIKE AN EXOTIC CAR
The BMW i8’s LifeDrive architecture is constructed with aluminium and carbon fibre, which not only gives the supercar an ideal 50:50 weight distribution – it further strengthens its crashworthiness, too.
IT’S MANUFACTURED IN AN ECO-FRIENDLY MANNER
BMW also leads the way when it comes to sustainability. The carbon fibre used in the BMW i8 is produced using renewable power sources, while the aluminium is itself recycled, too. The carmaker even went as far as to become the first to use an environmentally friendly process to treat the leather used in this vehicle.
YOU CAN SPECIFY LASER HEADLIGHTS
Such headlights are 10 times brighter than conventional ones, and have a high-beam range of 600m, which is double that of LED headlights.
AMAZING POWERTRAIN
The BMW i8’s compelling performance doesn’t come from a big displacement motor. Instead, it has a turbocharged 1.5-litre 3-cylinder engine paired to two electric motors. The system’s total output is an impressive 362bhp and 570Nm.
TINY CONSUMPTION
The BMW i8 has massive performance, but it’s also incredibly frugal. Its petrolelectric powertrain allows it to cover up to 48km of tarmac per litre. With its 42-litre fuel tank, the BMW i8 can travel up to 600km. That’s more than enough to take you from Singapore to Malacca and back without refuelling.
