BMW i8 spyshots
 

i8 prototype cold weather testing in Northen Sweden. The i8 features an aluminium chassis and a carbon fibre-reinforced plastic passenger cell.

The 2+2 seater sports car is powered by an innovative hybrid system, that in the concept car featured a 1.5 litre three cylinder diesel engine and two electric motors, with a combined output of 328bhp.

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Looks like it has plenty of rear seat room...or the driver is a little person.

It's funny how the camo doesn't really hide anything on a car like this!

How would this eventually slot into the lineup? Or is it purely concept without production possibility? $100K + is my guess?:dunno:

It is a whole new lineup, a parallel brand (in the same way as Mini is a parallel brand, is my guess).

No prices yet, but production is slated for 2013 onwards.

http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...and-bmw-i.html

The front looks like that one dudes signature pic. No?

Yes. The i8 was a concept car first, now we are seeing the first production prototypes testing. My guess is that the i8 will be priced like the Z8, stratosphere. That will help offset the obvious losses the i3 will rack up.

Why would the i3 rack up obvious losses?

Every car made with a carbon fiber tub so far is mega expensive.The Pagini Zonda, Ferrari Enzo, McLaren Mp4-12c etc. are a few examples. I just can't imagine the price of CF reinforced plastic can be low enough to sell this tiny city car for say around $20-25K and make a profit the first few years. Also, the raw carbon fiber is started in Japan, processed in Washington state and the car will be made in Germany. That is one heck of a pipeline!

Those cars are very limited production though. The i3 will be mass produced and BMW has been researching and working on mass-production carbon fiber technologies for 10+ years. It could very well be a profitable car (and likely not less than $20k)

Mass production technologies developed for automobiles:

Innovation in Textiles News: Breakthrough for mass produced carbon fibre cars

We have two full carbon fibre bicycles. They have come down in price by a factor of two in the past several years, with an improved product.

All that said, I don't think a small city car from BMW will necessarily be cheap to buy. I haven't seen any estimates on price for the BMW i vehicles yet.

I just don't think that they will be planning to lose money on these vehicles.

I love the look on the test drivers face when his buddy says hey whats that, and then it looks like the O shit how did they find us out here lol!

Like this? :D

:iagree: BMW would not build small city cars in regular volume to lose money. I don't see it as a Bugatti Veyron type of engineering statement. I see it as a company building cars to make money.

That's the one!

I am sure the numbers show that eventually the company can make a profit on the i3. I hope they do, but the best laid plans of mice and men...

I see BMW as a small fish in a big ocean. Yes, there have been CF breakthroughs. Maybe BMW found the holy grail and can produce it cheaply, but normally you don't go from Bugattis to $20k city cars! THAT'S A LEAP! From my perspective, the big fish would be the only ones who could really mass produce. BMW's total volume worldwide is about the same as the the top two model 'nameplates' in the USA only (F150 and Silverado/Sierra). GM has already sold 100,000 more cars YTD 2011 than BMW will sell all year. Mass producer vs. premium. VW Audi is a mass producer. Toyota is a mass producer. BMW isn't.

So at a tiny (relative) volume of about 20,000 carbon fiber cars the first year, maybe 30,000 the second and similar volumes in later years, I think it will take a while. You have to speculate that people will pay big bucks for a city car. Would you?

Report: BMW plans to sell 30,000 i3 models a year — Autoblog

Then again, the Boeing 787 example above is pretty good. If they can make a plane at a competitive price out of mostly CF (there's Washington state again) then maybe we will see a complete transformation of the auto industry by 2020-2025, with BMW leading the way!

Watch the current speed of CFRP production at BMW. Then think about the speed of a modern stamping line pressing aluminum or steel body panels:

YouTube - BMW CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) Manufacturing Plant and Process

YouTube - New BMW X1 Production Plant Leipzig - Press shop

When the carbon fiber parts can be produced as quickly as the steel, then I'll believe.

Had to include the Chinese, lol

YouTube - China "automated" stamping plant chinese factory

I don't think BMW's current carbon fibre cycle times are representative of where we are heading. The new intermediate materials that Teijin (link provided above) are talking about will make a big difference by allowing high speed press molding. They say they have gone to one minute for a cabin frame.

I wonder if there are further time savings by not having to paint the panels in a separate step after assembly?

It isn't just BMW. Half a dozen manufacturers are about to debut the same technology. I understand that BMW and VW will use the same process.

I can't argue with a one minute cycle time. I can debate 40 thousand euros for a 'city car'!

A lot of the comments I've seen about the i8 price are silly. Wealthy people will always pay for style and image. They could care less what mileage it gets, as long as they can brag about being super green and look good doing it.

Also, the quality of the surface of a color impregnated plastic or CF panel is questionable. Who currently uses them? I haven't seen a non-painted plastic (except on very small toys) panel that looked good. Landshut has lots of technology and experience with plastics, so maybe they also made a breakthrough, or two.

BMW i8 spy video
 

YouTube - First spy video of BMW i8 hybrid sports car (2/3)

watch all the way to the end.

Filmed in Abu Dahbi (sp?) before the canceled F1 race?

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http://blog.caranddriver.com/2015-bm...t-still-crazy/

I liked the original mirrors better mounted way up the A pillar. I can't wait to see the production run of the i8

That cool as hell transparent door will have to go, no?:(

That will be an option.

Transparent lower doors are for show cars only, they would never put them on a production car. The question I have is if the doors are still butterfly or conventional opening? Looks like the drivers door is partially open, but I can't tell if it opens UP or OUT?

Interesting. But I think I would take a M5 over that. Especially with a couple of mods by Dinan.

Don't know what the performance stats for i8 is yet. If there is minor performance difference i8 may be better option.