With its ultra-dynamic proportions, elegantly sporty lines, low-slung silhouette and futuristic design features, BMW’s i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is causing a sensation on the roads of Qatar. Alfardan Automobiles, the BMW Group importer, is welcoming customers to introduce them to the car that signals the future of sustainable motoring.
Commenting on the arrival of the revolutionary BMW i8, Mohammad Kandeel, Chief Operating Officer, Alfardan Group – Automotive Division, said: “After its successful launch during the latest Qatar Motor Show, the BMW i8 triggered our customer’s interest in BMW’s production of sustainable solutions. They are now welcome to check it inside out and learn more about its technologies that combine the performance and appeal of a sports car with the fuel consumption of a small car.“
The BMW i8 is the second model after the BMW i3 to be unveiled by BMW i, the company’s sub-brand focusing solely on developing sustainable products and services, that has helped affirm BMW Group’s leadership as the world’s most sustainable premium car company.
The 2+2-seater features a new exciting sports car design, which includes sophisticated aerodynamics features and environmentally friendly materials.
It comprises BMW LifeDrive architecture, the worlds’ first body architecture specifically designed and purpose-built for series production of electric and plug-in hybrid cars. The BMW i LifeDrive architecture is made up of two separate units: the upper Life module that consists mainly of a high-strength and extremely lightweight passenger cell made from Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic. The lower drive module consists of a 100 percent aluminium construction and integrates the battery, electric motor and suspension system. The use of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic is a first for a volume-production model. It is the lightest available material that can be used in the construction of a car body without compromising on safety.
Powered by a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine which, in typical BMW sports car fashion, drives through the rear wheels, the BMW i8’s intelligent hybrid system also capitalises on a potent electric motor which sends drive to the front wheels resulting in a combined power output of 362hp delivered to all four wheels.
When united, the dual motors (electric motor at the front and petrol engine at the rear) work in harmony enabling the BMW i8 to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds while using just 2.1 litres of petrol per 100kms and emitting just 59g/km of emissions.
The BMW i8 has a top speed electronically limited to 250km/h, and can be operated solely in all electric drive (zero emissions) for around 37 kilometres - and the battery of the plug-in hybrid can be continuously charged by the petrol engine while driving. Due to its lightweight of just 1,485 kg, it provides a total drive range of more than 500 kilometres.
The Peninsula
