BMW unleashes the i8 roadster and coupe at the 2017 LA auto show

every car company tries, but so rarely do they succeed; companies release better, faster, iterations of previous models every year, but with the i8 coupe and i8 roadster — BMW has done it. they’ve created sports cars, in every sense of the word. simply put, they’re faster, lighter, longer-lasting vehicles with optimized motors, precision chassis and seamless-connectivity to BMW’s connected drive services. they aren’t BMWs fastest, but they’re definitely some of the most exotic. these tech machines will be unleashed at the 2017 LA auto show, which gets underway on december 1.

the new BMW i8 coupe
all images courtesy of BMW group

on an individual level, the BMW i8 coupe has seen a solid upgrade and the new i8 roadster is just as impressive a specimen. the total unladen weight of the roadster is just 1,595 kilograms and its frameless gullwing doors have an outer shell made entirely from carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). this incredibly strong material also comprises the side skirts, making the new i8 roadster as rigid as it is light.

i8 coupe spreading its feathers

the cars’ lithium-ion batteries have also seen a major revamp. the cell capacity of the high-voltage units (located centrally in the car’s underbody) is up from 20 to 34 ampere hours and subsequently, the gross energy capacity has spiked from 7.1 to 11.6 kilowatt hours.

the new i8 roadster, also spreading its feathers

these sports cars are driven primarily on their electric motors, the combustion engine switching on automatically at high speeds and off again when consistent driving is maintained. both models travel up to 120 km/h on electric power alone. total electric range of the new BMW i8 coupe: 55 kilometres (34 miles), the roadster: 53 kilometres (33 miles).

the roadster carries over BMW’s i design language into another vehicle concept

available in warm, e-copper metallic and ultra cool, donington grey metallic finish, the i8 line-up is CO2 emission-free and packed with great details, old and new. they might still lose a drag race to the M6, but these new beemers are bound to attract major attention in LA.

the roadster may be the best in beemer’s i8 series