BMW is hard at work building its new i sub-brand, and we’ve got photos of the Spirograph-embellished development vehicles to prove it. The two cars spied here—the smaller i3 and the high-performance i8—will be the first electrified models from the new project. Both are expected to show up in 2013, likely as 2014 models.
BMW i3
The i3, formerly known as the megacity vehicle, is the better-camouflaged of the two. The head- and taillights are strictly for illumination during testing; the production elements will be integrated into the aerodynamic body. Camo covers the i3’s take on the Hofmeister kink (the trademark element can be seen better on the i8 as a pinched rear side window), while another unseen item, the BMW kidney grille, is promised for the production model. The grille will be ringed in blue to denote the car’s inclusion in the new i sub-brand. Only one door per side is visible, although additional openings, possibly of the rear-hinged variety, may be covered by the wrapper.
Underneath the demented paisley are a carbon-fiber passenger cell and an aluminum chassis. This small city car will use costly lightweight materials to offset the weight of its batteries. A short front overhang and truncated “hood” allow BMW to offer a big interior in this hatchback’s small footprint. While it’s tough to gauge the i3’s exact size from these shots, we do know that it is larger than a Mini Cooper.
BMW i8
When last we spied development mules of the i8, the car wore some 6-series body panels along with elements of the Vision EfficientDynamics concept on which it’s based. OK, so those weren’t technically spy shots, as BMW itself supplied the photos through a don’t-look-at-this-but-please-do microsite at dontblogaboutthis.com (it now redirects to a bmw.com subpage). The cladding has come off once again, revealing a car that looks very similar to the 2009 concept. BMW doesn’t seem too intent on hiding the car’s space-age design since we’ve already seen it; it’s a refreshing attitude in the world of camo’d future metal.
The production version of the i8 will use a powertrain similar to the concept’s, with a battery pack and electric motor working with some kind of internal-combustion engine. A diesel was used in the Vision ED, although we hear BMW may switch to a gas-fired unit, fearing buyers of the ultra-expensive laboratory on wheels might look down on a compression-ignition lump. The plug-in hybrid coupe will top the BMW range, packing the most current lightweight and fuel-saving technologies, and demanding the most currency as a result.
BMW i3
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Underneath the demented paisley are a carbon-fiber passenger cell and an aluminum chassis. This small city car will use costly lightweight materials to offset the weight of its batteries. A short front overhang and truncated “hood” allow BMW to offer a big interior in this hatchback’s small footprint. While it’s tough to gauge the i3’s exact size from these shots, we do know that it is larger than a Mini Cooper.
BMW i8
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The production version of the i8 will use a powertrain similar to the concept’s, with a battery pack and electric motor working with some kind of internal-combustion engine. A diesel was used in the Vision ED, although we hear BMW may switch to a gas-fired unit, fearing buyers of the ultra-expensive laboratory on wheels might look down on a compression-ignition lump. The plug-in hybrid coupe will top the BMW range, packing the most current lightweight and fuel-saving technologies, and demanding the most currency as a result.
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