BMW i8 hybrid coupe launched at Rs 2.29 crore

In all fairness this is not the first time, the BMW i8 has laid rubber in our humble sub-continent, it did run amok in the streets of Mumbai a couple of years ago in it’s brief cameo in Mission Impossible 4, this time however, the i8 is here to stay. The electric supercar has been launched at an understandable Rs 2.29 crores, pan India.

What you get for your monies is a sports saloon with a conscience, ladies and gentlemen, burning rubber has never been so green. The i8 comes with a Mini-sourced 1.5-litre three-pot engine producing an extraordinary 228bhp and 320Nm to the rear wheels courtesy a six-speed ZF automatic transmission, in fact one of the highest specific outputs from a BMW engine. This is, of course, a hybrid car and the front wheels are powered by two electric motors that produce 129bhp and 250Nm, delivered through a two-speed automatic transmission. The combined output from both engines is 357bhp and 570Nm, which helps the coupe hit the ton mark in 4.4 seconds and an electronically limited top whack of 250kmph.

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$Sachin Tendulkar and Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW Group India[/caption]

The 2+2 hybrid coupe rather suits the #iamtheFuture hashtag that BMW used at the India launch considering it sports an extremely concept-esque, futuristic design. And it’s made-up of space-age material too including extensive use of lightweight materials like aluminium, composite carbon fibre and polycarbonate glass, bringing the kerb weight to 1490kg. The weight saving, the almost 50:50 front/rear weight distribution, and the low placement of the battery packs (lowering centre of gravity) means that the i8 is a capable handler even on track.

The BMW i8 sees competition in the Porsche 911, Audi R8 and the Jaguar F-type, internationally, though it is priced far above these cars in the Indian market.

Specification

EngineIn-line, 3-cyl 1500cc turbo petrol, plus 96kW electric motorTransmission2-speed electric motor (front wheels); 6-speed automatic (rear wheels)Power (Combined)357bhp @ 5800rpmTorque (Combined)570Nm @ 3700rpmWeight1485kg0–100kmph4.4sec (claimed)Top speed250kmph (electronically limited)Fuel efficiency48kmpl (claimed)Price (ex-showroom pan India)Rs 2.29 crore