After months of speculation, spy shots and teaser images, BMW has finally unveiled the highly anticipated i8 Roadster at this year’s LA motor Show. alongside an updated i8 coupe, the Roadster will go on sale summer 2018 with a price tag of £124,730 – £12,000 more than the hardtop.
Advertisement – article continues below
The petrol-electric hybrid sports car does away with its solid roof and in its place features a fabric soft top. The roof is fully electric and takes 15 seconds to open or close and can be operated at speeds of up to 30mph. It’s Z-shape gives an additional 100 litres of storage space between the roof box and seats. In order to maximise open-top comfort, the rear window rises automatically by 30mm when the roof is retracted; 3D printing was also used in the design of aluminium elements that connect the roof to the car’s body.
• best hybrid cars on sale right now
To compensate for the loss of the fixed roof BMW has fitted the Roadster with bespoke suspension and dampers, while additional body strengthening has added 60kg of weight over the coupe.
22
The i8 Roadster also gets a power and range boost as a result of improvements to BMW’s eDrive technology. The lithium-ion battery’s cell capacity has increased from 7.1kWh to 11.6kWh, which means the electric motor’s power is boosted by 12bhp to an output of 141bhp. combined with the 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine, the i8 Roadster produces 369bhp and 570Nm of torque. The same powertrain tweaks have been applied to the i8 coupe, too.
Advertisement – article continues below