FIRSTDRIVE Hybrid sports carmixes eco tech and open-air fun
In the four years since BMW launched its i8 Coupé, the company has sold 13,000 of the carbon-tub, petrol electric hybrid sports cars. Customers have bought into BMW’s i-vision, to the point where they are demanding more from the Bavarian brand, including new models such as the i8 Roadster.
The i8 was never designed to have an open-top version, so BMW’s engineers literally chopped the Coupé’s roof off to see what happened. And when the carbon tub proved rigid enough not to collapse, the firm pressed on with developing the convertible version.
The i8 Roadster’s roof is fully electric, and the switch to operate it is tucked away under the lid for the centre storage compartment. It takes 15 seconds to open or close and there’s a rear window that can be lowered with the roof shut to allow more noise into the cabin.
While the folding roof robs the i8 of its Porsche 911-esque rear seats, BMW does compensate you with an additional 100 litres of storage behind the front seats. The rear boot remains the same as in the coupé, and is big enough for a decent-sized overnight bag.
This story is from the May 02, 2018 edition of Auto Express.
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This story is from the May 02, 2018 edition of Auto Express.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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