Greater Noida: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar unveiled four cars from the BMW stable at the Auto Expo on February 5. In all, BMW displayed BMW i8, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, the all-new BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo and the BMW X5.
The supercar, which was first showcased at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and is expected to reach Indian markets by early 2015. The car has also made an appearance in Hollywood movie 'Mission Impossible 4'.
The BMW i8 will come as a completely built-up (CBU) unit to India by the end of 2014. From the outside, if one term that could describe the car then it would be "Schöne Auto" – a German equivalent of "beautiful car." The front fascia features a low-stance stretched-out bonnet with a curving panel, a grille accentuated by LED lighting and the gull wing-like doors. From every angle, the car assures the impressive appeal of a sportcar.
Under the hood, BMW i8 is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-litre BMW twin-power turbo petrol engine which is combined with intelligent energy management system. The petrol variant delivers a maximum power output of 231bhp and 320Nm of torque, which is clubbed with an electric motor producing 131bhp and 250Nm of peak torque. The gasoline engine transmits the power at the front wheels, while the electric motor powers the rear wheels.
The i8 can accelerate from 0-100kmph in just 4.5 seconds and returns impressive fuel efficiency of 40kmpl.
During the media unveiling, BMW said the i8 model could cost around Rs. 1.5- 1.6 crore to the Indian buyers.
