BMW I8 2015 News

A vote by 75 motoring journalists from 22 countries has awarded the compact prestige car the World Car of the Year award for 2015.It finished on top of a 24-car field and eventually beat the two other finalists, the Ford Mustang and Volkswagen Passat.The other big prizes for 2015, Green Car of the Year and Performance Car of the Year, went to the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 and the Mercedes-AMG GT coupe.The winners were announced at the New York Motor Show today at an event hosted by Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum at the culmination of a six-month voting process.The C-Class delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.The awards are in their 11th year and previous winners include the Audi A6, BMW 3 Series, Lexus LS460 and Volkswagen Golf, Polo and Up.To be eligible for the overall World Car award, candidate cars must have become available for sale on at least two continents between January 1, 2014 and May 31, 2015.The WCOTY wins by Mercedes-Benz follow its victories in the Green Car contest in 2007 with the E320 Bluetec and 2012 with the S 250 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY and its Luxury Car success with the S Class in 2014.“We are extremely delighted of winning the honour of World Car of the Year,” says the chairman of Daimler, Dr Dieter Zetsche.The WCOTY victory follows a similar success for the C-Class in the CarsGuide Car of the Year award.The WCOTY judging panel says: “Taking its design and technological cues from the S-Class, the C-Class employs an all-new aluminium/steel hybrid platform and updated rear-drive powertrains that delivers levels of refinement, luxury, safety, ride and handling that challenge best-in-class.” WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2015Overall winner: Mercedes-Benz C-ClassGreen Car: BMW i8Performance Car: Mercedes-AMG GTLuxury Car: Mercedes-Benz S CoupeDesign: Citroen CactusPREVIOUS WORLD COTY WINNERS:2014: Audi A32013: Volkswagen Golf2012: Volkswagen Up2011: Nissan Leaf2010: Volkswagen Polo2009: Volkswagen Golf2008: Mazda22007: Lexus LS4602006: BMW 3 Series2005: Audi A6

BMW's high performance plug-in hybrid now available for local test drives ahead of 2015 delivery.Although Australian customers won't be getting their hands on BMW's i8 before the start of next year, the German manufacturer’s first foray into the world of high performance plug-in hybrid powertrains is now available to test drive locally.The six specialist BMW ‘i dealerships’ across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Perth and Adelaide are now armed with i8 demo models to help whet Australian appetites for the innovative petrol-electric sports coupe.The $299,000 i8 is one of a raft of similar models being developed by manufacturers in the face of tightening emissions laws, with such petrol-electric drivetrains capable of mixing green-cred with performance. BMW's The i8’s overall design is focused on saving weightThe two-door, four seat coupe is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and an electric motor coupled to a lithium-ion battery pack.The petrol engine drives the rear wheels and develops 170kW and 320Nm. The electric motor powers the front wheels and develops 96kW and 250Nm.The i8 also has a second, smaller (15kW/50Nm) electric motor that is used to start the petrol engine and recharge the 7.1kW/h liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack on the move.The battery pack can be charged with a standard household power outlet in two and a half hours, or in 1 hour 45 minutes hours through the optional BMW i Wallbox Pure charging unit.Three driving modes are available - Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport – which can adjust the drive experience between a 37km range of pure electric power, to using the full potential of both petrol and electric power sources to deliver 0-100km/h acceleration in a supercar-like 4.4 seconds.The i8’s overall design is focused on saving weight. The chassis is made up of carbon fibre and alloy and uses an innovative manufacturing process developed by BMW, and the outer skin from high-tech thermoplastic polymers, the same as the electric i3 hatchback.In the cabin, a magnesium panel houses the instruments while the air conditioning ducts are made from a foam-plastic material that provides further weight savings over more traditional materials. Even the glass in the windows is thinner than the norm.The i8’s satav system has the smarts to collect information on the status of the batteries, driving style, real-time traffic and topographical information in order to work out a route that maximises use of the electric engine.Customers will also have the option to hire a more traditional BMW for holidays etc, where a more practical vehicle may be needed.

One of the big magnets at Frankfurt motor show this year was the dynamic BMW i8 - but performance purists might be horrified to learn the Bavarian muscle car only has a three-cylinder turbo 1.5-litre petrol engine. And an electric motor.But the output is staggering: 170kW/320Nm from the tiny petrol motor and the rest from the electric power plant, for a total output of 266kW and a whopping 570Nm of torque. It goes to 100km/h in 4.4seconds and uses next to no fuel. Try 2.5litres/100km.It's an all-wheel drive model, with the electrics powering the front wheels and the three-potter the rear. Most of the body is of carbon fibre plastic, the suspension and other underbody parts are aluminium and the electric bit can be recharged at home in about four hours.BMW says the i8 is likely to go from concept to production in a matter of months and has even worked out a price for it: US$136,000. It might be a tad more if it comes to Australia.Ferrari produced a 458 Speciale, said to be its 'best V8 ever'. The blue-striped red coupe producing some pretty decent numbers: 445kW/540Nm, three seconds flat from standstill to 100km/h and a top speed of 325km/h.Across the passage Fiat had a flotilla of its cute littlies. There was the 500e, an electric powered one with a 140km range, the 63kW GQ Twinair, a turbo S version with 77kW and one called Living which offered a head-spinning 88kW.Plus a 500 Abarth circa 1959, one of the world's earliest mini hotties, alongside the latest and considerably bigger version. But Alfa Romeo's 4C was possibly the best of the Italian sporting machines, a lovely blend of style, performance and balance at a comparatively affordable price.