BMW i8 Coupe - Spy Shots

We get our best look yet at BMW’s high-performance plug-in hybrid.

By Nick Kurczewski / Photos by Brenda Priddy & Company

Little by little, the production version of the BMW i8 Coupe is coming more into focus, ahead of its launch in 2014. We’ve seen the car in concept form, most recently as a topless, 2-passenger model at the Beijing Auto Show. Prototypes spotted while undergoing road tests have looked strikingly similar to the concept that made its debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, wearing the cumbersome BMW Concept Vision Efficient Dynamicslabel. We’ve even been provided with a sneak peek of the car via a former senior designer at BMWDesignWorksUSA.

Porsche Performance, Prius Economy.

This latest i8 Coupe prototype is sporting swirly blue and white paint, and some (temporary) clunky rear taillights that are probably there simply for safety regulations. As we’ve noted, the shape of this i8 is remarkably similar to that of the concept car. Look closely, and you’ll spot some tiny supports connecting the dramatic-looking dual rear wings to each rear fender. That’s an excellent indication the design detail is being readied for production. According to a source at BMW, the i8 Coupe will also retain the concept car’s forward-opening, gullwing-style doors.

Mounted at the front of the i8 is a 131-hp electric motor, while a 223-bhp turbocharged 1.5-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine is positioned behind the cabin and drives the rear wheels. Capable of running solely on electric power for approximately 20 miles, the i8 Coupe is expected to return approximately something in the region of 70 mpg. BMW also estimates the i8 Coupe can sprint from 0 to 62 mph in less than 5.0 seconds—not too shabby for a fuel-sipper!

We’re still waiting for pricing information, though it seems a range of $150,000 to $200,000 is more than likely when the i8 Coupe goes on sale.

Read More

2013 Audi S7

More powerful answer to your five-door prayer

Looking at the Audi S7, we find it hard to believe hatchbacks ever went out of fashion. Few cars on the market have the presence of the A7 and its new high-performance derivative. While other manufacturers were busy building market-research-driven hatchbacks—vehicles like the BMW 5-series GT and Mercedes-Benz R-class—Audi simply tasked its designers with creating a beautiful five-door. The A7 doesn’t want for much, except perhaps more muscle than the 310 hp provided by its supercharged V-6.

Power to the Five-Door People

The S7 is powered by a 420-hp variation of the brand’s new twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8. This engine, at the same output level, also motivates the new S6; it makes more power in the S8 and base Bentley Continental GT. There’s considerable commonality with the naturally aspirated 4.2-liter FSI V-8 still offered in other models, but the new engine features a number of enhancements, chief among them a pair of twin-scroll turbochargers and an indirect intercooler, all placed in the vee between the cylinder heads. The crankshaft design carries over from the 4.2 FSI, with reduced stroke; friction losses are significantly reduced. A cylinder-deactivation system—it closes the valves of cylinders 2, 3, 5, and 8 under light loads—helps fuel economy noticeably, especially when cruising in higher gears at constant speed. An engine stop-start system is standard.

Read More