Roadster 2.5i Low Miles 2 Dr Convertible Automatic Gasoline 2.5l Straight 6 Cyl on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW mulled ten, eight, and six-cylinder engines for i8 before going hybrid

There's little doubt that the 2015 BMW i8 is one of the most radical and groundbreaking performance cars this industry has seen in a long time. From its unique carbon-intensive construction to its 1.5-liter, three-cylinder and electric motor plug-in powertrain to its concept-car appearance, the flagbearer for BMW's new i venture challenges the very notion of what it takes to be a supercar.
Yet apparently the i8 almost didn't do that at all. Yes, it probably still would've had innovative assembly techniques, serious performance and come-hither bodywork, but according to a new report in the Telegraaf, it was very nearly a much more conventional beast, drawing its power from a V10 engine. According to the report, that line of development never got much beyond the drawing board, but BMW engineers then shifted their focus to both V8 and six-cylinder motivation, going so far as to build prototype cars. The higher cylinder-count engines were eventually dropped altogether after BMW decided to turn the i8 into a hybrid, with the six-cylinder reportedly nixed due to heat management and weight issues. In the end, of course, BMW went with the PHEV powertrain that offers a total system output of 362 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque - plenty of thrust for this lightweight, all-wheel drive coupe while still enabling an incredible 94 miles to the gallon on the EU cycle. Regardless of how it turned out, it's still fascinating to think that BMW didn't have a much firmer conceptual idea of what it was after when it started the i8's development.
Here at Autoblog, we're genuinely thrilled about this new generation of greener hybrid super- and hypercars, a movement spearheaded by the i8, Porsche 918 Spyder, Ferrari LaFerrari and McLaren P1. But even so, our inner-gearheads can't help but wonder what might have been had BMW pursued a more conventional i8, either in place of, or in addition to, the car they did build. What do you think? Have your say in Comments.

BMW denies collaborating on Apple Car

BMW and Apple already have a few possible partnerships coming in the future. For example, the Bavarian brand is likely using CarPlay at some point, and there may be an Apple Watch app for the i3 and i8 eventually, too. However, there is absolutely no plan for the German company to collaborate on the oft-rumored Apple car, the automaker says. The rumor of this shared development first cropped up in the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport, according to Reuters. The report claimed that the Apple cars could be sold from Apple Stores but serviced at BMW dealers. "We are in regular talks with companies from the IT and telecommunications sector, including Apple, concerning topics like connected vehicles. Developing or building a car is not a topic of these discussions," said a BMW spokesperson responding to the allegations to Reuters. The Apple car has been a scorching hot topic as of late. The tech giant reportedly has assigned around 200 people to the project, including former employees from Tesla and A123 Systems. The EV model could be ready as soon as 2020, according to some stories. This latest collaboration rumor seems especially dubious when you consider BMW's investments to develop the i3 and i8, though. With more models possibly on the way, it doesn't seem to make much sense to take on a development partner so late in the game. Last year, there were similar stories about a deal between the automaker and Tesla, which were also dismissed.

BMW may be planning AMG Black Series competitors

Word has it BMW has its heart set on giving the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG Black Series a run for its money in the US. According to BimmerBoost.com, the German automaker has been making more and more noise about offering a number of specialty models aimed specifically at enthusiasts. While at the Detroit Auto Show this year, the BMW PR machine revealed 2013 will be "an interesting year" and that buyers can expect one or two products aimed specifically at swiping buyers from the clutches of the C63 AMG Black Series. The news came courtesy of Automobile writer Marc Noordeloos' Twitter machine.
Noordeloos reportedly interviewed several executives familiar with the M models while in Detroit, and says the M division would like to offer hardware like the M3 CSL, GTS or CRT to buyers here in the States. That sounds great to us, but saying something doesn't make it true, and manufacturers rarely find it in their hearts to bring money-losing machines to our green shores. Still, that won't stop us from crossing our fingers.