Earlier this month, Automobile Magazine published a
report detailing a host of new BMW models said to be in the works for the
coming few years. One of these is the successor to the i8 hybrid sports car. BMW shocked many observers in
June with the unveiling of the Vision M Next concept and all signs point to its
production version serving as the replacement to the i8.
It is claimed that this model could be dubbed the
i12 and while it will retain a hybrid powertrain like the outgoing model, it will
offer significantly more performance and push the car into a whole new segment
of the market.
Most of the car’s power is set to come from a 340
HP, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that will be paired with a 201 HP
electric motor. This will be in the base version, while in its ultimate form,
this pairing of a powerful ICE engine and an electric motor may result in
upwards of 671 HP. A large 135 kWh battery pack free of any rare-earth metals
would provide the electric motor with juice and help the car travel a
significant distance on all-electric power.
In June, BMW stated it had no plans for a “direct
successor” to the i8, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t working on a new hybrid
sports car that will supersede the i8 and that’s precisely what we could see
become a reality.
The BMW Vision M Next concept launched with a sharp
and eye-catching look drastically different than the i8 – or any other hybrid
BMW before it, for that matter. We would not be surprised to see the production
version, dubbed the i12 or not, with a similar skin.
