BMW is all geared up for its 100th birthday in 2016 and what better way to celebrate than to unleash a higher-performing variant of its revolutionary i8. As CAR UK reports, the new car - codenamed M100 - will be a present to itself.
In addition to that, the M100 will also be a farewell gift for BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer, who is expected to resign in 2016 or early 2017. The project will be BMW's most determined effort in blending its expertise in developing cars from the M division as well as the 'i' umbrella.
Project M100 will be helmed by Roberto Fedelli - who moved from Ferrari to BMW - and is currently expected to carry the i8S moniker. Although it is loosely based on the BMW i8, the new car is set to feature so many new components and tech that it could be described as a completely new model.
Only the carbon-fibre upper structure and aluminium chassis is expected to be carried over. A complete redesign of the car will enable more "efficient packaging" via the elimination of the rear seats to make way for a higher cargo capacity.
Performance is most definitely set to improve with the inclusion of a new suspension setup, wider tyres and bigger brakes along with ground-effect dynamics. Two engine options are reportedly being considered - a twin-turbo, 2.0 litre four-cylinder or a 3.0 litre, inline six-cylinder mill.
The former option will provide approximately 320 hp while the latter puts out close to 480 hp. As in the i8, either petrol engine will drive the rear wheels while an electric motor will spin the front wheels. Paired up, the total power output is expected to stand around 500 hp with torque figures in excess of 700 Nm.
When it makes it debut, the BMW i8S is expected to weigh more than the current official figure of 1,490 kg for the i8. Not exactly a problem when the added firepower will be enough to propel the car from rest to 100 km/h in an expected time frame of 3.5 seconds plus a top speed higher than the i8's limited 250 km/h.
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