BMW will peddle their wares at Goodwood, possibly let slip a new model
Over in the UK, plans are already afoot for the late June Goodwood festival of speed. Quite a few manufacturers will be flinging their cars around the storied racetrack, and BMW will be one of the few with an electric car that has ‘fricken laser beams for headlights. Though the first i8s will show up for purchase in June, the laser equipped ones will not show up until the leaves turn interesting colors and the grass turns brown. The real potential news here is that of a special anniversary edition M car of an unknown variety.
[slider id=180392]
Mini will show up too has drafted in Paddy Hopkirk, the famed driver who pushed the original Mini to victory over 50 years ago in the Monte Carlo Rally. Hopkirk will not be the only ambassador for the scrappy and sometimes almost pugnacious brand: the John Cooper Works concept will be daylighted here for the first time in the UK, though this is the same car as was shown at the Detroit Motor show in January. Stay tuned for the i8’s hillclimb time and feel free to check out the press release after the jump.
-By: Sawyer Sutton
BMW Group at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed Press Day
BMW’s most advanced sport car ever, the new BMW i8, will be seen in action for the first time in the UK at The Goodwood Festival of Speed on 26-29 June 2014. Along with a line-up of the hottest new BMW M cars on stand, this summer’s Festival promises one of the most exciting displays ever for the Bavarian manufacturer.
The BMW i8 will steer its way up the famous 1.16 mile course, showcasing the searing acceleration of the new plug-in hybrid sport car. The delivery of the first customer i8s will start in June 2014, while the introduction of optional BMW laser headlights for the BMW i8 is scheduled for autumn 2014. The BMW i8 will be the world’s first production car to offer this innovative lighting technology.
The BMW pavilion will host the fifth-generation of the iconic high-performance sports car from BMW M. The new BMW M3 Saloon and new BMW M4 Coupé will entice visitors to an already exciting stand featuring other new M models, including a special anniversary edition on display. Meanwhile, as part of the Moving Motor Show, selected customers and media will have the opportunity to drive either the new BMW M3 or new BMW M4 up the hill and see a special M4 Coupé on display – the PistonHeads Fan car
MINI has its own attractions and will showcase incarnations of the all new MINI Hatch. A contemporary evolution of the classic MINI design, the new car features significant improvements in technology, engine efficiency and power delivery, driving dynamics, quality and personalisation. Built in Oxford, the new MINI Hatch has a range of three entirely new engines, including a new ground-breaking 1.6 litre three-cylinder engine, and each featuring MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology.
Performance-oriented MINI fans will be able to see the MINI John Cooper Works Concept on display for the first time in the UK. The Concept premiered at the NAIAS 2014 in Detroit and represents the next generation of the sporty John Cooper Works model. Developed with extensive race track expertise, the car features large air inlets in the front apron, a rear spoiler as well as distinctively designed side sills and rear apron – complemented by a sports brake and sports exhaust system.
MINI will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of rally legend, Paddy Hopkirk, winning the 1964 Monte Carlo rally in a Mini Cooper. Paddy will be on the MINI stand to answer questions about his famous victory and sign autographs.
