BMW has revealed the new safety car for Formula E, a
specially modified i8 Roadster, on the eve of the Monaco E-Prix. The new safety car has been
modified extensively and specifically for use on the race track, with its design
based on the i8 Coupe Safety Car.
The biggest visual highlights of Formula E’s
newest safety car are the shortened windscreen and the new rear wing; moreover,
the new BMW i8 Roadster is the world’s first safety car that can be used with
an open cockpit.
Compared to the standard production model, the i8
Roadster safety car sits 15mm lower to the ground, wears a FIA-approved roll
bar, a new front splitter and of course the mandatory light bar, which is
mounted above the rear wing for better visibility.
Other modifications include the addition of
communication and GPS antennas, a rear view camera and more. No changes were
announced in the plug-in hybrid powertrain, which utilizes a 228 hp 1.5-liter
three-cylinder petrol engine with a 141 hp electric motor for a combined 368 hp
and e-awd.
