BMW delivers the first i8s, beats Audi to the laser light punch

ll eight models featured laser lights

Audi and BMW have been wrangling over who would launch the first production model with laser lights and it looked like the four-ringed brand was going to win when they unveiled the R8 LMX last month. However, BMW has beat them to the punch as they've just delivered the first i8s to customers in Germany.
Presented to customers at a special ceremony, the cars have a plug-in hybrid powertrain that consists of a 1.5-liter TwinPower Turbo three-cylinder engine, an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. This enables the model to have a combined maximum output of 362 HP (266 kW) which allows the coupe to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and hit a limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). More importantly, the i8 averages 2.1 L/100 km (134.5 mpg UK / 112 mpg US) and can travel up to 37 km (23 miles) on electricity alone.
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CarCrazedinCali - 6/5/2014 9:30:11 PM

+3 Boost

awesome!

BMWm4 - 6/5/2014 10:34:28 PM

+3 Boost

great news ... stunning car and bringing New innovative Technology

WelcomeLexusIS - 6/5/2014 11:39:10 PM

+1 Boost

The i3 and i8 together demonstrate how BMW continues to lead with technological innovation over its competitors. In addition, the BMW product cycle, compared to its competitors, usually ensures that they deliver the latest technology in production models before their competition does. For example, head-up display, overhead camera views, front end cross traffic camera views, configurable dashboard displays, 8 speed automatic, and a turbo 4-cyl engine with the best performance AND fuel economy numbers combined were all available with the introduction of the current 3-series in 2012. Here it is two years later and the same level of content is still not available on the Audi A4 or MB C-class. What's more, new versions of the A4 and C-class have yet to be released. Then, there is the I-drive interface. At first, it got bad marks, but BMW continuously improved it until it became recognized as the best controller interface over Comand and MMI, even though Audi's MMI brought handwritten commands to the market first. On the other end of the technological innovation spectrum is the current Audi A4, for which the new version has been delayed until 2015, making it the least tecnically innovative car in its class today. When it finally does arrive, it has absolutely got to be a groundbreaking improvement over its immediate predecessor and it's competition from BMW, MB, Lexus, etc. A pretty steep expectation.

HoustonMidtown - 6/6/2014 7:05:02 AM

+2 Boost

Almost all of the stuff you talk about was available on all sorts of other cars before BMW....head-up displays have been available since the 90s...configurable dashboards have been in Range Rovers and Jags for years and turbo 4s are new - since when ?

TheSteve - 6/6/2014 12:38:13 AM

+3 Boost

I thought lasers only belonged on sharks.

(An Austin Powers reference, for those who don't get it)

internationalmanofmystery - 6/6/2014 12:37:26 PM

+2 Boost

You are correct, sir!

vdiv - 6/6/2014 4:58:12 PM

+1 Boost

This shark is missing its fin. Otherwise hell yeah!

internationalmanofmystery - 6/6/2014 12:38:25 PM

+2 Boost

Yeah, baby!

TheSteve - 6/6/2014 2:58:40 PM

+2 Boost

Hey, aren't you the man who put the "grrrrr" back into swinger? ;-)