BMW I8 SPYDER - THE EXOTIC HYBRID BEAST

Earlier this year, BMW released the concept sports car dubbed as the I8 Spyder. In general, "Spyder" models are topless roadsters / racers, designed with just one goal in mind: excessive speed. I recall watching a documentary on the German founded BMW corporation and I noticed something that one of their top executive said: "We design cars that look fast even when they are not moving."
And that ideology is quite true, even in the new I-drive line of hybrid cars, which BMW execs are dubbing as the environmentally friendly cars of the future. The I8 does look like a futuristic sci fi vehicle, perhaps even the forerunner of a hovercar. BTW, The forthcoming Total Recall 2012 movie has several police hovercars in it, shown in this article over HERE.
 

 

 


The butterfly doors of the I8 Sypder sports coupe are shown in the wallpapers above. And the interior cockpit of the BMW I8 is shown below, plus its dashboard and futuristic controls are displayed.

 

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Of course the new I8 looks 10-times better [and faster] than the Toyota Prius and other Honda hybrid models out there today [and from what I've heard, most standard hybrids are too damn slow on the freeway]. Yet BMW execs promise that the I8 and other hybrids that they produce will not only look sporty but they will also accelerate like a regular BMW can.

From the collection of wallpapers above you can definitely sense the dynamic vibe that the car designers were striving to capture. And the BMW I8 does look like an exotic beast [hailing from Germany, rather than from Italy, like the Ferrari and Lamborghini brands]. And per the voice activation and Web browsing options available via I-drive technology, this hybrid car just may be a big hit when it's released in the future.

Like its I8 coupe brother, the new I8 Spyder combines power from two different sources: a 131 HP electric motor on the front axle, with a 223 HP turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine on the rear wheels. With a total of 354 HP, the new concept will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 155 mph. That's not too bad, but its not too great either if you crave speed and acceleration - the Dodge Vipers and Chevy Corvettes will definitely be zooming right past you on the highway.
Nevertheless, while running on electric only, the I8 Spyder has an autonomy of 19 miles. The electric motor of the I8 is powered by a lithium-ion battery which can be fully charged from a domestic power socket in less than two hours.

Lets hope that this hybrid sports coupe doesn't have a price tag that makes people consider buying the gas-guzzling counterparts out there. After all, why pay $26,000 for a BMW I8 hybrid when you can get a regular 3-series for $25,000?  
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More futuristic vehicles are shown via the links below:
The Audi Concept Cars are HERE
The Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept Car is HERE