The BMW i8 Roadster is alone among its rivals in offering owners a fabric soft-top which stows away into a perpendicular position in the rear when opened and therefore takes up very little space.
The three segments of the roof fold vertically in a Z. And between the roof box and the seats for the driver and front passenger is around 100 litres of additional storage space. Together with the load area in the rear, which can accommodate 88 litres of cargo, the rear compartment helps to ensure the open-top version of the plug-in hybrid sports car is also as well equipped as possible for everyday use and trips away
Optimised BMW eDrive technology: more power, increased range; electric driving experience raised another notch. Rigorously further developed BMW eDrive technology powers both the BMW i8 Roadster and new BMW i8 Coupe.
The number of driving situations where the electric motor is solely responsible for powering the car has beensignificantly increased. By contrast, the combustion engine is only brought into play when accelerating hard, and is switched off again far more frequently with a measured driving style.
The optimised operating strategy of the intelligent energy management underscores the future-focused character of the new BMW i8 Coupe and ensures that drivers of the new BMW i8 Roadster can enjoy silent open-top motoring with zero local emissions to the full.
Underpinning this new level of locally emission-free electric mobility is the updated version of the lithium-ion battery developed for the BMW i8. The high-voltage unit is located centrally in the car’s underbody and its cell capacity is up from 20 to 34 Ah.
All of which means the electric motor has more energy at its disposal. Plus, the cell configuration allows a 9 kW/12 hp increase in peak output to 105 kW/143 hp, lacing quick sprints on pureelectric power with an even sharper streak of dynamism. The electric range of the i8 has also been increased. The new BMW i8 Roadster can now cover up to 53 kilometres (33 miles) with zero local emissions in the NEDC test cycle and the new BMW i8 Coupe up to 55 kilometres (34 miles). And that broadens the reach of all-electric mobility well beyond the city limits.
Three-cylinder gasoline engine with improved sound and lower emissions. The i8’s combustion engine has also undergone further optimization to ready it for the new Coupe and Roadster. The turbocharged three-cylinder unit featuring direct injection and VALVETRONIC variable valve timing extracts a maximum output of 228 hp from its displacement of just 1.5 liters, plus peak torque of 236 lb-ft. It is pleasantly refined and generates a distinctive soundtrack that now has an even sportier note when its power reserves are called upon.
The system output produced by the electric motor and gasoline engine acting in unison has increased to 369 hp in the new BMW i8 Coupe and first-ever BMW i8 Roadster. The new BMW i8 Coupe accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds (preliminary), while the first ever BMW i8 Roadster accelerates in 4.4 seconds (preliminary). Both models have an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
Combined fuel economy in everyday driving, both models return fuel economy and emissions figures that undercut those for conventionally powered sports cars with similar outputs by around 50 per cent, yielding approximately 70 MPGe (preliminary figures).