BMW has confirmed that a roadster version of the i8 plug-in hybrid will launch within two years.
A concept version of the i8 Spyder was first seen back in 2012 at the Beijing Auto Show and production was scheduled to begin much earlier, but it has been delayed a number of times. Now, BMW CEO Harald Krueger confirmed that the i8 roadster will be joining the BMW lineup in 2018.
Alongside the new roadster, a revised version of the i8 coupe is also expected to launch in the next two years. Both cars are expected to have a longer-range battery pack and a more powerful electric motor. Currently, the i8 uses a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged 231-hp gas engine as well as a 131-hp electric motor for a combined total output of 362 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque.
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Rumor has it that the new i8 will make somewhere around 420 horsepower.
Inspiration for the car will also come from the i Vision Future Interaction Concept (seen above), which was revealed at CES packing all sorts of technology and some new design ideas.
[Source: Automotive News]
