BMW i8 Concept Spyder
The 2012
New York Auto Show is gearing up for action next week, but there is at least
one concept that's not scheduled to be at the show: the BMW i8 Concept Spyder.
It's the
topless version of the BMW i8 we've come to know and spy, and it has the same
contradictory superposition of sports car performance over hybrid/electric gas
mileage.
Rated at
354 combined horsepower from a 131 hp electric motor and a 223 hp three-cylinder
gasoline engine, the i8 Concept Spyder claims a 0-62 mph acceleration time of
just five seconds. It also claims a gas mileage rating of 78 U.S. mpg. Those
are all impressive figures in a compact two-seater that weighs a rather stout
3,600 pounds.
While 354
horsepower is nothing to sneeze at, peak torque of 406 pound-feet is even more
impressive, especially considering the instant-on torque of the electric motor,
which likely accounts for a substantial part of that figure--though BMW hasn't
provided a complete breakdown.
Not just
about performance or gas mileage, a fully-charged i8 Concept Spyder can cover
as much as 19 miles on electric power, without aid from the gasoline engine.
The battery--of undisclosed capacity--sits longitudinally in the car, where the
transmission tunnel would be in a traditional rear-drive car.
Speaking of
drive, the electric motor drives the front wheels, while the gasoline engine
drives the rear. As such, it's possible for the gasoline engine to power the
car on its own, as well, while a high-voltage alternator can take some of the
engine's power to recharge the battery pack on the fly, too. Regenerative
brakes and a coasting-regen system also recuperate energy for the battery.
This high
degree of variability in the drive layout also translates into an
electronically-controlled dynamics system, which can provide maximum traction
as well as efficiency.
As you'd
expect, the i8 Concept Spyder also packs the latest and greatest of BMW's
in-car technology, as well as a look the future of the brand's assistance
systems, including Traffic Jam Assistant, Parking Assistant, and camera-based
Collision Warning System.
The cabin
also features a pair of large displays that function as the control interface,
with a third displaying climate control settings. All of them use 3D displays,
according to BMW, offering even more informative--or at least
eye-catching--graphics.
An
intelligent instrument panel offers information on energy use, recuperation,
and driving mode, including the energy-saving ECO PRO mode. When engaged, ECO
PRO mode turns the display blue and alters the information displayed. Likewise,
SPORT mode turns the display orange and adds performance-oriented displays.
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