BMW Officially Reveals Camouflaged i8 Roadster - Which We've Seen Before

Published July 4, 2017
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The i8 Roadster will be launched next year and is expected to get a power and electric range bump.

It's been four years since BMW came out with the i8. Ever since, it has been left untouched. Now, though, Bayerische Motoren Werke has given the first look of an open-top variant which they are calling the i8 Roadster. The same car has previously been spotted testing in the international markets a number of times. And with this reveal, we have no new information that we didn’t have earlier. This will be the third addition to the 'BMW i' family and will be launched globally next year. It is expected to make its debut in flesh and sans-camouflage at the 2017 Frankfurt motor show this September.

The BMW i8 Roadster is expected to carry the same mechanicals as the standard i8. For those who have forgotten, the i8 is a hybrid which is powered by a three-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine in sync with a hybrid synchronous motor deriving e-juices from a 7.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The petrol engine lends the car 228PS, while the electric motor produces 129PS. The combined output stands at an impressive 357PS. The i8 Roadster will most likely continue to get the same mechanicals but the punch and all-electric range (which currently stands at about 30Km) are expected to be extended.

In terms of looks, the Roadster adapts the same styling of the coupe. When the open-top was confirmed back in October 2016, the biggest question was whether it would retain the butterfly doors. Now we know, and the answer is - Yes! BMW has managed to retain them for the roadster, which means the open-top will look very close to the coupe. Speaking of the open-top, it is not confirmed whether it will be a folding fabric setup like the Lamborghini Huracan Spyder or a folding hardtop like the Ferrari 488 Spider. However, looking at the pictures, the fabric folding roof seems more probable.

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In India, the BMW i8 was priced at Rs 2.14 crore (pre-GST, ex-showroom, Delhi). The i8 Roadster will come with a considerable price bump. And with the discontinuation of government subsidies for hybrid cars, expect the final price to receive a further bump. For final answers, though, we will have to wait for the official 2018 release.