BMW has revealed a convertible and doorless concept version of its i8 hybrid supercar at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Named the i-Vision Future Interaction Concept, it is the second show car previewing a drop-top version of the BMW i8, after the i8 Spyder revealed at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show.
It not only highlights the company's intention to put a convertible version into production soon, but also showcases a whole host of new technologies and ideas - as well as fully autonomous driving capabilities – for future BMW models
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This is where the doorless aspect of the i-Vision Future comes into play – the company is keen for people to see beyond the i8 Spyder skin and into the cockpit, where the technology lies.
Most of it focuses on new ways the driver can interact with the car. Top of the bill is "Airtouch" – BMW's latest gesture-control functionality.
A panoramic 21-inch screen dominates the interior, wrapping around the dashboard to handle the likes of music and maps. Three sets of sensors can be used by both driver and passenger, who gesture to make selections and change settings. The large screen can also be made smaller to avoid distracting the driver.
Auto Express reports that BMW intended the system to resemble a "children's toybox, from which items can be picked up, used and discarded more flexibly". This is to avoid the number of looping menus drivers sometimes face when interacting with cars currently.
The i-Vision's wheel displays different colours for the various driving modes (blue for manual, red for fully autonomous) and sits in front of a new instrument cluster using a 3D display.
The car also features the intelligent personal assistant BMW Connected and makes use of Cloud computing to access real-time data. Emails, phone calls and alerts are all handled by the Cloud-based assistance while route-information can be pre-loaded before the driver gets in.
Evo says BMW revealed nothing in terms of specs for the car, but despite the clear emphasis on connected technology, it is quite clearly "an i8 Spyder in the making".
BMW i8 Spyder on the way
08 December
A convertible version of BMW's i8 could be on the cards very soon, according to several sources on the internet. The i8, introduced in production form at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, is BMW's hybrid sports car.
It uses a 1.5-litre turbo-charged three-cylinder and a 98Kw electric motor for a combined power output of 357bhp, making it capable of 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 155mph - all while being able to return up to 134.5mpg.
The i8 has won praise for its design and driving characteristics, but a new convertible version could be entering the fray shortly.
Auto Express reports that a concept version of the convertible could be on show at the 2016 Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas in January, with a production model likely to follow not long after.
A convertible i8 has been seen before in concept form - at the 2012 Beijing Motor Show - but, two years into production of the coupe, the new concept Spyder is likely to be very different.
The Sunday Times says that the roofless i8 will be seen in January and claims sources within BMW confirm the car will be debuted at CES 2016. The paper says it will demonstrate a new camera- and radar-based system for detecting other road users in place of conventional wing-mirrors.
There's a chance that the concept could preview a potential facelift for the i8, and Autoblog also claims that there could be a power hike.
The 1.5-litre three cylinder could be replaced by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder, as well as a higher-capacity battery which could take the overall power output up to 450bhp.
The £105,000 coupe is one of two cars currently in BMWs 'i' stable, alongside the smaller - and much more affordable - i3. Both represent attempts to inject desirability into electric and hybrid propulsion.
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