The BMW i8 Concept of 2011 was followed up by an even more popular roofer i8 Concept Spyder a year later at the Beijing Auto Show. And when the production version of the i8 made its debut in 2014, we’ve not heard much about the Munich outfit’s foray into a roofless hybrid sports car.
That was until this year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas where the automaker made a surprise appearance with a concept they called the BMW i Vision Future Interaction. A catchy name for what looked to be a showcase for their futuristic cabin technology but wrapped in a roofless i8 and sparking new questions about a future production version.
Now, though, after years of continually having to dodge questions from keen motoring journalists with vague answers, BMW can finally quell the inquiry somewhat as reports are emerging of its arrival in 2018. Earlier in the year, a rumour was circulating which purported that the roofless i8 would make an appearance within the next two years.
However, that educated guess has now been corroborated by a confirmation by BMW’s CEO himself, Harald Krueger, at a press conference recently. By the time the car does finally arrive, it will likely be based upon a revised version of the i8, which would be a four year old model by 2018.
This facelifted version, or LCI (life cycle impulse) in BMW speak, should feature some visual differences and most likely a more efficient and more powerful version of its petrol-electric powertrain accompanied to a larger-capacity lithium-ion battery. Some are positing 300kW as being a likely figure.
Recently, BMW introduced a revised version of its i3 city car, the 94Ah, which features a new battery that is capable of holding more than a third of extra energy despite occupying the same footprint. This breed of denser batteries, co-developed with Samsung SDI, shouldn’t take too long to make their way to the i8.
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