Official: BMW i8 to cost $300K

BMW has, as it suggested it would two years ago, put a $300,000 price tag on its ground-breaking new plug-in hybrid super-coupe, the i8.

First deliveries won't take place until March next year – a year later than expected due to strong global demand – and BMW Australia said in April, when the first local examples arrived, that 15 of the 50 i8s it expects to sell in 2015 were already spoken for.

The i8 is BMW Australia's second plug-in model after the i3 hatchback, which is now on sale from $63,990 before first deliveries in mid-November.

Neither the i3 nor i8 will be sold here via dedicated BMW i Stores, as they are overseas. Instead, six local dealers will be authorised to sell them: BMW Melbourne in Southbank, BMW Sydney in Rushcutters Bay, Brisbane BMW in Fortitude Valley, Perth's Auto Classic in Victoria Park, Adelaide BMW in the South Australian capital and Rolfe Classic BMW in Phillip, ACT.

A further 11 Australian BMW dealers, "all positioned in areas convenient to prospective BMW i owners", will offer service and repair facilities for the i8, which will be available for test at all six sales outlets from December.

At $299,000 plus on-road costs, the i8 costs almost $8000 more than BMW's current sports flagship, the M6 Coupe ($292,145), and is positioned almost mid-way between top-end German coupes from Audi (R8 4.2; $279,500) and Mercedes-Benz (CL 500; $336,145).

For the money, BMW Australia says the i8 will come standard with "just about every add-on feature from the factory... leaving only the character of the BMW i8 to be personalised by the customer".

Just four exterior colours will be available – Sophisto Grey Brilliant Effect and the BMW i-unique Ionic Silver, Protonic Blue and Crystal White.

Three 20-inch wheel designs will be on offer alongside three interior design schemes: Carpo, available with dark Amido or light Ivory White leather trim and highlights; or Neso, which combines black cockpit surfaces with light Carum Grey leather.

BMW i Blue seatbelts and anthracite headlining are available as standalone options in combination with the Carpo and Neso interior lines.

Apart from its carbon-fibre passenger cell, standard safety features include pyrotechnic seatbelt tensioners and belt force limiters for all seats, six airbags covering all seats, the full suite of Dynamic Stability Control systems as well as hybrid-specific all-wheel drive, acoustic pedestrian protection in electric-drive mode and tyre pressure monitoring.

There is also Driving Assistant, which provides camera-based aids such as collision and pedestrian warning systems, High Beam Assist and rear-, top- and side-view cameras with object recognition function.

Other standard features include adaptive LED headlights, head-up display, anti-dazzle interior and exterior mirrors, parking sensors, interior LED lighting, alarm, keyless entry and starting and 11-speaker, 360-Watt harman/kardon sound.

Audio choices include FM and DAB+ digital radio, Bluetooth streaming from your own device or a 20GB internal hard-drive within the Professional navigation system – all displayed via an 8.8-inch colour screen.

There's also a suite of BMW i ConnectedDrive features as standard, including Teleservices, Intelligent eCall, ConnectedDrive Services with BMW Online and Apps, Remote Services, Real Time Traffic Information, concierge services and internet.

Finally, the i8 comes with BMW 360 Electric services, including home and public charging options.

Charging time is one hour and 45 minutes via an optional 16-amp 3.7kW BMW i Wallbox, or two and a half hours via a 10-amp domestic power outlet.

Another 360 Electric service is Flexible Mobility, whereby customers can choose from a selection of BMW Group models for up to 12 days a year for holidays and the like, "the cost of which can easily be integrated into the finance contract under the BMW Financial Services Electrify Program".

Measuring just 4689mm long and 1293mm high but 1942mm wide, the i8 incorporates a 170kW/320Nm turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine driving the rear wheels and a 96kW electric motor driving the front wheels, making for 266kW and 570Nm total peak outputs.

BMW claims its supercar hybrid can hit 100km/h in 4.4 seconds using full engine/motor performance and yet can run on its electric motor for up to 35km with a top speed of 120km/h.

Average fuel consumption is expected to be less than 2.1L/100km and CO2 emissions less than 49g/km.