New BMW i8 to make more power

Although BMW only launched the i8 hybrid sports car in India last year, it had already gone on sale in the international markets in 2014. BMW already thinks that the i8 needs an update and has given its revolutionary offering some tweaks. 

The biggest change on the facelifted i8 will be an upgraded petrol-electric powertrain that is expected to make almost 10 per cent more power than before. The Munich-based car maker has already started testing its new powertrains on some of its fleet cars and the Formula E i8 safety car. 

Details of the powerplant are still sketchy, some reports suggest that the revised hybrid powerplant will have a better output than the current generation model. In union with the i8’s 1.5-litre three-pot turbo petrol unit, the overall output from this refreshed i8 will bump up to 431PS from the 370PS in the current model. It will also receive a new software mapping for the 6-speed automatic transmission.

Apart from the changes to the hybrid engine, the German manufacturer is also working on a revised battery pack for an overall extended range. Although, BMW is tight-lipped regarding the details, the company had disclosed that the i8 Formula E safety car has been equipped with a larger 10kWh instead of the 7.1kWh unit, currently being used on the road going version. The same can be expected in the upcoming facelift.

The facelifted i8 is expected to be unveiled later this year and could also coincide with the introduction of the long–awaited roadster version.