BMW to launch i8 in India on February 18, 2015

Earlier this month, the BMW i8 hybrid had been spotted at a dealership in Mumbai, leading to speculation that the launch of the car was not too far. Now, the German carmaker has revealed that it will launch the car in India on February 18, this year.

The i8 features a 2-door coupe body that is built with an extensive use of carbon fibre and weighs 1,485 kg. The whole drivetrain, suspension and battery pack rests on an aluminium frame. The i8 is equipped with features such as scissor doors, LED & laser headlamps, LED tail lamps, 20-inch alloy wheels and shark fin antenna. The interiors of the car feature carbon fibre-reinforced plastic and feature a 3-spoke steering wheel, head-up display and ambient lighting among other equipment.

Powering the i8 is combination of an electric motor and a 3-cylinder petrol engine. The electric motor develops 131 bhp and 320 Nm of torque and sends power to the front axle. The car's 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine produces 231 bhp and 250 Nm of torque and powers the rear axle. The combination of the petrol engine and electric motor helps the i8 sprint from 0 to 100 kph in a claimed 4.4 seconds, while the top speed of the car is pegged at 250 kph. BMW claims that the car has a range of 600 km. Using just the batteries, the i8 can hit a top speed of 120 kph with a maximum range of 37 kms.

BMW will bring the i8 to India through the CBU route, which means, we can expect an eye-watering price tag.