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BMW i8 Roadster – Wallets at the ready

The new BMW i8 Roadster and i8 Coupé – NZ Specs and price.

  • The sports car of the future – now available in two body variants.
  • Emotion-stirring design promises an intense driving experience.
  • Further developed BMW eDrive technology for increased electric driving range.
  • All-electric roof opens and closes within 16 seconds whilst travelling at speeds of up to 50 km/h.
  • Intelligent lightweight design and construction, with BMW i “LifeDrive” architecture.
  • The latest BMW ConnectedDrive features for seamless digital integration.
  • On-sale from June 2018.

Arriving in showrooms from June, the BMW i8 is the sports car of the future. The 2+2 seater has been a technological pioneer and the world’s best-selling hybrid sports car since it arrived in 2014.

“The all-new BMW i8 Roadster adds another dimension to the experience of open-top motoring”, says BMW Group New Zealand managing director, Florian Renndorfer.  “The combination of emission-free driving and outright performance is unmatched, and the sensation of silent acceleration is truly intoxicating”.

New Zealand pricing*:

BMW i8 Coupé                    $286,200

BMW i8 Roadster                $309,900

*Recommended retail pricing, excluding on-road costs.

The BMW i8 Roadster: two-seater with electrically operated soft-top roof and additional on-board stowage space.

Passengers inside the i8 Roadster will look up to find either the open sky or a high- quality, all-season fabric soft-top with high-level soundproofing. All-electric operation ensures the roof opens or closes in an almost silent hush, within 16 seconds and while travelling at up to 50 km/h.

The i8 Roadster is unique in offering a fabric soft-top which stows into a perpendicular position in the rear when opened, therefore taking up very little space. The three segments of the roof fold vertically in a Z-shape, leaving an additional 100 litres of storage space between the roof box and the seats, on top of the 88 litres of cargo space in the rear compartment.

Intelligent lightweight design and innovative production technology also play a key role in the car’s construction. For example, aluminium elements connecting the roof with the body of the car are produced via a new 3D printing process. This manufacturing method breaks new ground in the industry and allows the parts to be produced in a geometric form, which would not be possible using conventional casting techniques.

Three-cylinder petrol engine with improved sound and lower emissions.

The i8’s combustion engine has also undergone further improvements. The turbocharged three-cylinder unit featuring direct injection and VALVETRONIC variable valve timing extracts a maximum output of 170 kW from its displacement of just 1.5-litres, plus peak torque of 320 Nm. 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 engine acting in unison has increased to 275 kW. The new BMW i8 Coupé accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds, while the new i8 Roadster takes 4.6 seconds. Both models have an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h.

Combined fuel consumption, as calculated in the EU test cycle for plug-in hybrid vehicles, stands at 1.9 l/100km for the BMW i8 Coupé and 2.1 l/100km for the BMW i8 Roadster – which equates to petrol CO2 emissions of 42 and 46 g/km respectively – plus 14.0 kWh of electricity for the BMW i8 Coupé and 14.5 kWh for the BMW i8 Roadster.

BMW i8 Roadster with model-specific chassis and body features.

The lightweight design approach was meticulously adapted to the specific requirements of the Roadster model. The open-top comes with new frameless gullwing doors made from CFRP, with an aluminium outer shell, while the windscreen frame is made entirely from CFRP. This ultra-strong high-tech material is ideally equipped to provide exceptional rigidity, maximising the car’s occupant protection even if it rolls over. CFRP is also used to manufacture the side skirts with their extra-large cross-section. Thanks to the high-strength CFRP body, the chassis and body elements specific to the BMW i8 Roadster result in an extremely small weight gain when compared to other open-top models. The unladen weight of the i8 Roadster stands at 1,595 kg, just 60 kg more than the Coupé.

Aside from the pain of how to break open the piggy bank, the only other issue is which one to buy!

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