BMW Unwraps i8 hybrid at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

[yobigd20]

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/frankfurt-2013-bmw-finally-unwraps-i8-hybrid-and-its-a-beauty/

• powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-three cylinder engine (a “triple”)
• produces 231 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque.
• drives the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
• there’s also an electric motor with 131 hp and 184 lb-ft, sent through the front wheels. Power comes from a 5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
• Total system output is 362 hp and 236 lb-ft, enough to get the i8 to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
• The i8 can also drive up to 22 miles on electricity, at speeds up to 75 mph.
• $135,000

weak sauce.

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

More on the upcoming BMW i8 in this thread:

BMW i8

 

[Mr X]

It looks sick but doesnt compare to the model s... obviously

 

[andrewket]

I've had several BMWs over the years. Sadly, it doesn't look like I'll be buying another one anytime soon.

 

[gameon]

looks good but price doesn't look good... interesting choices in 2014 for hybrid and electric cars.

 

[lloyds]

too much for too little performance. The car's got the go look though

 

[dirkhh]

The only question that comes to mind is 'why?'
The bar has been set (Tesla Model S) - why aren't you trying to pass it? Is it really the max speed that you need?
Baffled that BMW isn't willing to do better. I've had 10 BMWs in my life. I don't see another one in my future. But I can't wait to get our second Tesla (still work in progress).

 

[brianman]

Somehow I didn't realize that the i8 was to be a hybrid. Knowing that it just dropped off my "give a flip" radar.

Audi's given up. BMW's given up. Who's next?

 

[Rifleman]

Sounds like a slightly faster Karma to me.

 

[ToddRLockwood]

The price/performance of this car leaves me wondering who would buy it. $136K BASE PRICE!

 

[gregincal]

Sounds like a slightly faster Karma to me.

It's not even close to a Karma. This is primarily a gas based car. On the hybrid scale it's more like a plug in Prius.

 

[TylerCA]

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/frankfurt-2013-bmw-finally-unwraps-i8-hybrid-and-its-a-beauty/

• powered by a 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-three cylinder engine (a “triple”)
• produces 231 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque.
• drives the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission.
• there’s also an electric motor with 131 hp and 184 lb-ft, sent through the front wheels. Power comes from a 5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
• Total system output is 362 hp and 236 lb-ft, enough to get the i8 to 62 mph in 4.4 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
• The i8 can also drive up to 22 miles on electricity, at speeds up to 75 mph.
• $135,000

weak sauce.

No doubt this car will sell, but I do not believe it will sell well. BMW could have created it with a higher cap battery to provide further range and power. This car falls real short. Excellent platform, but lacks the substance behind it all. Again reminds me of Audi's R8 V8 when it first came out....a car that should've come with the V10 from the start and with dual clutch.

 

[Ludus]

The i3 and i8 are both very efficiently designed to avoid direct competition with BMW's regular IC lines. If they put out a vehicle with the specs of the Tesla Model S it's primary market would be to cannibalize their own sales.

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

The i3 and i8 are both very efficiently designed to avoid direct competition with BMW's regular IC lines. If they put out a vehicle with the specs of the Tesla Model S it's primary market would be to cannibalize their own sales.

I just can’t see any way around this. If they aren’t willing to cannibalize sales of their ‘old’ ICE-line, then ultimately someone else will be. Even if it ‘has to be’ Tesla. As I understand it, eventually they can’t escape it.

As I (also) understand it, Apple for example has always (?) been fiercely indifferent to cannibalizing their own products for exactly this reason.

 

[TylerCA]

The i3 and i8 are both very efficiently designed to avoid direct competition with BMW's regular IC lines. If they put out a vehicle with the specs of the Tesla Model S it's primary market would be to cannibalize their own sales.

The solution to this is to provide a higher price point (and of course performance must follow suit) of the i8 to not compete with current products. BMW had always been reluctant to create a product to compete with AMG (SLS for example). They are concerned, and rightfully so, with investments into a higher tiered product not selling well. What they do not understand is that niche products will have its demand as long as the product is properly valued with comparable performance figures, etc.

Now that they have the i8, it is set up with a proper platform to be in direct competition (pricing wise) with the R8, Gallardo, 911, etc, but their performance figures fall short of inspirational. I was actually looking forward to the i8s release, but after seeing its numbers, this car is unchecked from the list.

 

[SwedishAdvocate]

Hopefully enough (meaning a lot of) people will be willing to make what can only be described as a very, very minor compromise to drive something (meaning the i8) with the CO2 footprint of a plug-in Prius (?) instead of a R8, Gallardo or a 911 etc…

But maybe I’m underestimating the size of the anti-all-things-environmental-concessions crowd. (And the ease of which to drum one up using various lobbies and mass media outlets…)