Company claims that with the launch of the BMW i8; the most progressive sports car of the twenty first century, the future is here
Embodying a revolutionary, future-focused interpretation of driving pleasure and purpose-designed as a plug-in hybrid sports car offering agile performance and outstanding efficiency, German luxury brand BMW yesterday introduced its new sub-brand BMW 'i' series in India with the launch of the BMW i8. Launched at the hands of the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, Priced at Rs. 2.29 crore, the first plug-in hybrid vehicle from the sub-brand will be available at BMW i dealerships in Mumbai, New Delhi and Chennai as a CBU (Completely Built-Up) unit.
Says Philipp von Sahr, President, BMW Group India said, “The world we live in is changing and a changing world constantly demands new ideas. The global automotive industry is witnessing a paradigm shift from the conventional combustion engine to sustainable mobility solutions. And, so is India.
This iconic change is inevitable. At BMW, we are constantly working to create cutting-edge mobility solutions for the future. We will spearhead this revolution with BMW i – a ground-breaking concept for sustainable mobility and a new understanding of what premium means – strongly defined by sustainability.”
“The BMW i8 is no ordinary car – it is a new culture. It is an example of futuristic technology which is an evolution of BMW Efficient Dynamics development strategy. Most of the futuristic technologies used in the BMW i8 are already implemented in current BMW models in some form or the other that enable enhanced performance and lower emissions. To put it simply, the BMW i8 is a remarkable vision that has become an exciting reality today,” he said.
Incidentally, the dynamics may get the car into top slot. Combining the benefits of an electric motor and a petrol engine, the electric drive of the i8 is a 96 kW lithium-ion battery located on the front wheel. The rear axle is driven by twin power turbo 1.5 litre three cylinder petrol engine with 170 kW of peak performance. The i8 features a completely new, exciting sports car design that includes comprehensive, sophisticated aerodynamics features and environment friendly materials. The company claims that “with the launch of the BMW i8 - the most progressive sports car of the twenty first century, the future is here.” And most of the over 300 car lovers present at yesterday's launch seemed to agree with it.