Singapore-based car fanatic and digital artist Theophilus Chin has taken the roof off BMW’s i8 Coupe to provide us with a glimpse of the forthcoming Spyder variant.
Already seen in concept guise, the Spyder will once again utilize a lightweight carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP) passenger cell with power coming from a combination of a turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine developing 170 kW (231 hp) and 320 Nm of torque along with an electric motor developing 96 kW (131 hp) and 250 Nm.
The strengthened monocoque will add a little weight, meaning 0-100 km/h with arrive in a whisker over 4.5 seconds before the fun stops at a limited 250 km/h (155 mph) top speed. A removable targa roof design similar to the Porsche 918 Spyder‘s would be the most practical solution, dodging the need for unnecessary motors and mechanisms.
We predict that it will surface in Shanghai next April before swinging into production towards the end of the year.
[Source: Theophilus Chin]