wheels

Motoring | Features

BMW i8 looks production-ready

Munich’s alternative energy range flagship snapped with new design elements

wheels
Published: 17:07 February 9, 2012

Image Credit: Supplied picture
Our spy snapper has spotted the first prototype of the production version i8 being tested near the Arctic Circle.

Last July, we gave you a lowdown on BMW’s new ‘i’ cars, the i3 and the i8 straight from their Frankfurt unveiling. The two cars have since been on show in concept form at various auto expos around the world and the i8 even did a cameo in the latest Tom Cruise flick, Mission Impossible 4.

Now, our spy snapper has spotted the first prototype of the production version i8 being tested near the Arctic Circle. With quite a few changes from the concepts, this one looks a lot closer to being street legal.

The wing mirrors which were on the window in the concept have now been moved to the door corners. Then, there are the real world alloy wheels, door handles and headlights which all point towards this being a production-ready version. The good thing though is that despite these changes, the overall shape of the car stays true to the initial concept design introduced in the Vision Efficient Dynamics, with the front air channels, the rear wheel arches and the rear wings remaining more or less unchanged. We just hope the gullwing doors stay.

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