BMW i8 loses its head. Will you lose your heart?

IT IS easy to lose sight of what a monumental achievement the BMW i8 was.

Launched three years ago at a smidgen under $300,000, the carbon-fibre composite 2+2 seater with scissor doors on the outside and a plug-in hybrid powertrain underneath forged its own, unique supercar path like no other before.

The production version of the convertible comes more than five years after BMW presented an i8 Spyder concept at the Beijing motor show in 2012.

The Munich wonder combined a 170kW/320Nm 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine tucked just fore of the rear axle with a 96kW/250Nm electric motor nestled between the front wheels. Was it enough to take on the established Audi R8 Coupe powered by a 309kW/430Nm 4.2-litre V8?

Let the figures speak for themselves. Even with a net result of only 266kW, the i8 could launch from zero to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds. Thanks to a circa-150kg weight difference (1485kg versus 1635kg), that was enough for Munich to beat Ingolstadt by 0.1s back in 2014.

Don’t go looking for many visual changes between the Coupe and Roadster up front – they’re identical up to the A-pillar

Yet the BMW’s most impressive feat was its petrol-electric hybrid range of more than 500km, translating to a stunning 2.5 litres per 100km fuel-consumption figure on the European cycle; that compares to the 14.2L/100km average offered by the Audi. And, with that motor up front, a total of 37km of pure electric range was also available, before the petrol unit seamlessly kicked in.

The future of performance was here.

This rear shot shows how much work BMW has carried out transforming the i8 from Coupe to Roadster; true roof-down supercar motoring

Now there’s a convertible version coming, for folk who want to soak up some of those solar rays while trying to save the planet as fast as they can. Literally.

Unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show in late November, the i8 Roadster also ushers in a round of improvements that will find their way into the newly-facelifted Coupe sometime in the middle of 2018. Will they be enough to keep the supercar pioneer on top?

Despite putting on 110kg, a more powerful electric motor and improved battery tech mean the Roadster needs just 4.6s to hit 100km/h

First job on the docket was to boost performance from the PHEV powertrain – now up 11kW to 275kW. That mid-mounted 170kW/320Nm 1.5 three-pot belter continues, and it still drives the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic, but the electric motor now delivers 105kW through its two-speed transmission. A high-voltage (355V) lithium-ion battery also has a higher energy capacity of 11.6kWh (up from 7.1kWh) and battery cell capacity of 34Ah (up from 20Ah).

The roof requires just 15 seconds to drop or rise again, and the redesign of that central area behind the seats means luggage space actually increases over the Coupe

Keeping in mind that cutting the roof and the resulting extra bracing adds about 110kg, the two-seater drop-top still manages a very respectable 4.6s to 100km/h, on its way to an electronically limited 250km/h (or 120km/h in EV mode). Imagine the hairstyles on offer! Meanwhile the facelifted Coupe – which gains about 50kg – edges that down to just 4.4s.

Better still, in the latter, pure EV range leaps to 55km (2km better than in the Roadster), while fuel consumption and emissions tumble to 1.9L/100km (convertible: 2.1L/100km) and 42g/km (Roadster: 46g/km) respectively. Progress, thy name is i8! And to recharge fully only requires less than three hours thanks to a newly-devised ‘mode three’ cable, or 4.5hr using a regular domestic power supply.

Except for the updated iDrive and its central screen, as well as new colours and trims, the i8 Roadster’s dash is the same as today’s Coupe

So much for the powertrain. In what other ways does the Roadster differ from the Coupe?

For starters, the former’s electrically operated fabric roof opens and closes in 15 seconds at speeds up to 50km/h; it stows in a perpendicular position, and creates around 100 litres of additional storage space behind the seats, adding to the 80 litres provided in the rear load area. Handy! Additionally, there’s a retractable rear window that sits up 30mm higher when the roof is dropped, serving as a wind blocker.

Both i8s share a single stainless-steel exhaust, while front suspension employs double wishbones and the rear uses multi-links; regenerative-energy tech is used in the brakes to boost efficiency

From a design point of view, while the aluminium chassis and carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) bodyshell carry over, the frameless gullwing doors are all-new, featuring CFRP with an aluminium outer shell; CFRP also forms the entire windscreen frame, as well as the load-bearing side skirts, among other areas within the Roadster.

While it only has two seats, the i8 is still a sizeable car, sitting on a lengthy 2800mm wheelbase, while the Coupe’s length/width/height measurements are 4689/1942/1298mm respectively

BMW has also engineered in additional struts and panels at the front and rear axle to help compensate for the loss of rigidity that comes with removing a roof.

Just 453 examples of the Giorgetto Giugiaro-penned BMW M1 – the spiritual predecessor in style and intent if not electrification – were built between 1978 and 1981

Other changes that the facelift ushers in include an iDrive interface revamp, redesigned seats with fresh cloth/leather upholstery choices, and updated colours.

Nowadays, the i8 Coupe starts from a cool $303,300 plus on-road costs, but of course expect the MY19 facelift to rise. And as for the Roadster, don’t expect much change from $340K…

A true inspiration, the original Audi R8 of 2006 showed BMW that its archrival was brave and bold enough to push the brand into hitherto unchartered territory successfully – something that the 1978-81 BMW M1 failed to do

Still, there’s nothing quite like BMW’s petrol-electric plug-in hybrid supercar now, is there!

Protect your BMW. Call Shannons Insurance on 13 46 46 to get a quote today.