After over four years in the making, the production ready BMW i8 is upon us.
We’ve been seeing various iterations of the BMW i8 since 2009 when it was introduced in the form of the BMW Concept Vision Efficient Dynamics. It also had a cameo in Mission Impossible 4, which can now be found for $4.99 at the bottom of the bargain DVD bin at your nearest big-box retailer.
Now almost four years to the day later, BMW has released the first official images of the production i8 ahead of its official debut next week in Frankfurt. If you need a refresher, the i8 is a plug-in hybrid powered in part by a mid-mounted 1.5 liter TwinPower Turbo engine that produces 231 horsepower to the rear axle. A 131 horsepower electric motor powers the front wheels and battery pack is mounted where you’d normally find the transmission tunnel.
As you’d expect, much of the flair of the concept has been engineered out in the interests of mass production feasibility. The doors have lost their full length glass panels in favor of a more traditional (not to mention more private) arrangement. The interior is nice, but it’s not exactly a huge departure from what BMW is currently doing in the rest of their line-up. Check back next week when we’ll have more pictures and info on the BMW i8.