Report: BMW working on i9 to celebrate company’s centenary
BMW has been known to be working on something special for the 2016 model year, which represents the automaker’s first 100-years in existence.
Rumors were posted in the past about a successor to the legendary M1 supercar from the 1970s, the only mid-engined car ever built by Munich’s finest (Rumor One, Two, Three, and Four). All of this hinted at a potential 600hp-plus mid-engined car that would essentially be a follow-up to the original. But now, Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport reprots that BMW could be producing a more hardcore version of the i8, possibly called the i9.
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According to the rumor, the extra power would be supplied by replacing the current i8’s 231hp 1.5L TwinPower turbo three-banger for a larger motor, as well as supplementing a more powerful electric motor with more than 130hp on tap.
The updates are likely to add weight to the existing i8, which only tips the scales at an impressive 3,285lbs, though BMW could be using more carbon fiber and aluminum to make sure it doesn’t increase too much. Additionally, BMW is adamant about maintaining the i8’s 50/50 weight distribution. Additionally, the i8 is already a rather quick car, sprinting to 62 in just 4.4 seconds for a top speed limited by the usual gentlemen’s agreement of 155 mph.
Source: Auto Motor und Sport
