The production BMW i8 was designed by Benoit Jacob. The production version was unveiled at the 2013 International Motor Show Germany, followed by 2013 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Its design is heavily influenced by the BMW M1 Homage concept car, which in turn pays homage to BMW's last production mid-engined sports car prior to the i8: the BMW M1. The BMW i8 features butterfly doors, head-up display & rear-view cameras. Series production of customer vehicles began in April 2014. The electric two-speed drivetrain is developed and produced by GKN. It was the first production car with laser headlights, reaching further than LED lights.
The i8 has a vehicle weight of 1,485 kg (3,274 lb) (DIN kerb weight) and a low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26. In all-electric mode the BMW i8 has a top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph). In Sport mode the i8 delivers a mid-range acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h (50 to 75 mph) in 2.6 seconds. The electronically controlled top speed is 250 km/h (155 mph).
In 2017 BMW created the Protonic Special Edition i8's, with exclusive colour schemes and interior packages. The Protonic Frozen Black Edition comes with exclusive BMW individual Frozen Black Matt paint finish, exclusive seat designs and further interior tweaks to make it fell that bit more special.
