BMW i8 to be Powered by Gasoline, not Diesel Afterall

[Jason]

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BMW i8 to be Powered by Gasoline, not Diesel Afterall

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In a big fundamental change for the upcoming BMW i8, the future BMW halo car will be powered by a gasoline engine instead of diesel. It was previously intended to be powered by a 161-horsepower 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbo DIESEL engine mated with a hybrid synchronous motor on the front axle (80HP) and full electric motor on the rear axle (51HP), to give a combined 292HP. The diesel motor will now be replaced by a traditional gasoline engine.

According to R&D chief Klaus Draeger (via Autocar), the i8 will instead be petrol (gasoline) powered in order appeal to the widest potential market. Says Draeger - the change is being made "as we want to sell it all over the world. Diesel is only really relevant to Europe”.

The i8 (along with the i3) were announced as the first models to be produced under the new BMW sub-brand "i" earlier this week. Both cars will be built at the Leipzig Plant. The i3 launches in 2013, the i8 shortly after.

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[numba1guju]

thank god!

[cuban335i]

+1!

[maswastage]

WTF? Who says diesel is only relevant in Europe? What's so relevant about automatically losing about 50% of the car's fuel efficiency by switching to gasoline? So much for making a radical hyper efficient sports car. Now it's just another useless gasoline hybrid like all the others.

[O-cha]

Originally Posted by numba1guju

thank god!

Why, diesel engines can go toe to toe with gasoline engines in power and response now, BMW has several in Europe, but because of people like you they have to "appeal to a wide market" or not in code "The Americans have to buy them for it to be successful, and they know nothing about diesel".

[bdardashti]

Originally Posted by maswastage

WTF? Who says diesel is only relevant in Europe? What's so relevant about automatically losing about 50% of the car's fuel efficiency by switching to gasoline? So much for making a radical hyper efficient sports car. Now it's just another useless gasoline hybrid like all the others.

+1. Guaranteed fuel consumption will increase.

[DimSum]

How much money are we looking at for one of these i8s?

[numba1guju]

Originally Posted by DimSum

How much money are we looking at for one of these i8s?

imma say around the 100k mark

[numba1guju]

Originally Posted by O-cha

Why, diesel engines can go toe to toe with gasoline engines in power and response now, BMW has several in Europe, but because of people like you they have to "appeal to a wide market" or not in code "The Americans have to buy them for it to be successful, and they know nothing about diesel".

i cant vouch for a diesel except for mercedes my parents used to own...im not saying diesel is bad or gasoline is better...just hoping for such a great car to get a slightly better engine...thats what the "thank god" is for


p.s. sick sig pic

[Darkpitiless]

Yes that's more like it now. Here in Kuwait we don't use diesel. Now we are going to have it

[antzcrashing]

Originally Posted by O-cha

"The Americans have to buy them for it to be successful, and they know nothing about diesel".

That is exactly what I was thinking.

But, BMW is making a foolish mistake because they can do much better in MPG with a diesel and that was one way to sell to Americans, MPGs talk.

Now the car will be only decent in fuel consumption and the only way to really market it is the cool body style.

Bad move BMW. You just through your ACE away.

[-=Hot|Ice=-]

What are the power train figures on the car, again?

[E39hijinks]

I like how all of you are sitting behind a computer screen giving orders to BMW headquarters on how to market and produce their cars. Stunning!

[IancoleTX]

Great, now just take out the hybrid system and you've got a properly interesting car.

[Jason]

Originally Posted by -=Hot|Ice=-

What are the power train figures on the car, again?

The specs for the originally intended diesel-electric hybrid setup are in the first post.

[OdomPHD]

WTF. The diesel revolution will never get off the ground here in the US unless it gets good and "sporty" reviews that really catch the young American's eye. So why in the name of God would BMW make it's first super car, it's only competition for the Italian cars and others like the R8 etc., the ONE car that will get a huge amount of attention....a gas burner.

It was planned as a diesel, but now...almost strictly for the US market (as it would seem)...they have altered their approach and have gone mainstream with this gorgeous car. Why? It seems counter productive to put advertising up for diesel models in the US and then throw away the diesel factor of this super car, which in my opinion would have been BMW's "diesel jewel." A HUGE boost to the diesel name and a way to break the old ideology.

Sometimes BMW just doesn't make sense. Either way though, this car will be a hit. No doubt in my mind.

[Cornhusker]

It could be pretty amazing if it's still super light and they use the new 245hp (or better) 2.0L turbo in combo with the electric for 320+ hp.... MPG could still be 50+, right?

[maswastage]

Originally Posted by Cornhusker

It could be pretty amazing if it's still super light and they use the new 245hp (or better) 2.0L turbo in combo with the electric for 320 hp.... MPG could still be 50 , right?

I doubt it. It'll probably be about 40. And in any case, the point is no longer about how efficient it is but how efficient it could have been. Even if it does end up getting 50 mpg, it'll be all the more frustrating knowing that just means it could have been getting 70 .

[antzcrashing]

Originally Posted by maswastage

I doubt it. It'll probably be about 40. And in any case, the point is no longer about how efficient it is but how efficient it could have been. Even if it does end up getting 50 mpg, it'll be all the more frustrating knowing that just means it could have been getting 70 .

+1

[JoeyFiasco]

come on guys. if you can afford this car, i am sure you are not worried about fuel costs. the point of the concept was to develop BMW's efficiency technology initiatives and PR. the idea of the production car, is to make money for BMW.

[Augenbrauezug]

Originally Posted by numba1guju

imma say around the 100k mark

I thought it started around the 125k mark, and was floating up towards to 200k. Mom's husband is looking at getting one if it's closer to 125, sure hope so, I'll have to go swap cars with him once if he does.

[Diver]

Regulations have nearly killed off diesel engines in the US. Now we get to import a lot more oil as a result. After the EU, the US is BMW's largest market by far. So if they say diesel is only relevant in Europe, they might mean it is not relevant in the US.