Two Detroit concepts for BMW

As well as pulling the sheets off a new 3 Series, M5 and ActiveHybrid 5, BMW will show two futuristic concept cars at Detroit next month, the i3 and the i8. These two concepts are all about sustainability while still being part of a premium brand.

The i3, formerly known as the Megacity Vehicle is an all-electric car aimed at urban drivers while the i8 is a premium plug-in hybrid sports car. Offering zero-emissions motoring, the i3 has 170bhp and 184 lb-ft of torque and can hit 62mph in less than eight seconds. It seats four in a lovely leather interior, has wide-opening, opposing coach doors and 200 litres of boot capacity. If you forget where you parked it (and we've all been there), you can find it using your smartphone. The smartphone can also be used to help you find charging stations.

Meanwhile, the i8 has a three-cylinder 220bhp internal combustion engine delivering 221 lb-ft of torque and an electric drive system fitted over the front axle. The promised fuel economy is an awesome 94mpg and it can travel up to 35 miles on electric power alone. There's a 2+2 seating configuration so four people can travel in sporty style and the lithium-ion battery can be charged via a domestic power supply.

The new 3 Series is bigger than ever and will come with three levels of trim, the Sport Line, Luxury Line and Modern Line. There is a choice of a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed automatic. The new 328i will have a 2.0-litre twin turbo engine pumping out 245 bhp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It will hit 62mph in 5.9 seconds and fuel consumption is at 44.1mpg. The 335i will boast a 3.0-litre straight six engine with 306 bhp and 295 lb-ft of torque. There will also be an Active3 Hybrid version on offer.

The 340 bhp ActiveHybrid5 will also be premiered in Detroit as well. Emissions on the latest version are down to 149g/km and it can travel for around 2.5 miles on electric power. There's also a booster function for extra power and the coasting mode, with the engine off, is active up to 100mph.

BMW power fans will be keen to check out the latest M5 - it looks pretty darn hot, has the usual interior luxuries and leather but it's really all about what lurks under the bonnet. In this case, revheads can expect a petrol-powered V8 twin turbo direct injection engine with an eye-popping 560 bhp and 502 lb-ft of torque. The 0-62mph sprint is achieved in just 4.4 seconds and if you're really putting the foot down (er, hopefully on a track day and not the M1 on Christmas Eve...), it will hit 124 mph in 13 seconds. Top speed is a rather mad 155 mph but if you're feeling extra crazy, why not splash out on the M Driver's Package with a top speed on offer of 190 mph. In case any M5 owners are concerned about their carbon footprint, fuel consumption is 28.5 mpg and CO2 emissions of 232g/km.

In any case, it will be a very busy stand at Detroit but for now, we'll have to make do with the pictures.

www.bmw.co.uk



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By Georgia Lewis

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