Road test: BMW i8

Calling all techno-geeks. BMW’s latest plug-in hybrid could be the car for you — if you can afford it.

The i8 is a two-plus-two performance car capable of 155mph and, at least in theory, 135mpg.

Add styling that would have Flash Gordon banging on the showroom door, including dramatic front-hinged dihedral doors, and you have the most sophisticated car BMW has ever produced.

Believe it or not, power comes from a 1.5-litre three cylinder petrol engine which started life powering the Mini. Add twin turbos and an electric motor and you have a total of 362hp, giving neck-snapping acceleration of 0-62mph in 4.4 secs, 570 Nm of torque and yet emissions of only 49g/km. Sounds like witchcraft.

The passenger cage is made of carbon fibre mounted on an aluminium chassis. Body panels are aluminium and thermoplastic and air passes over the body through aerodynamic channels over the front and sides of the car, adding up to a slippery shape and the body mass of a gym shoe. On the road the car is easy to drive and comfortable, with an unusually good ride for a model of this type.

A plethora of driving modes means you can plug the car in to the mains for maximum electric shove, or leave it to recharge itself while it’s on the move.

Luggage space of 154 litres in its leather-lined boot just beats that of the Porsche 911, although for ultimate driving pleasure, enthusiasts would probably still plump for the Porsche.

Even if its real-world fuel consumption ends up more like 40-50mpg, the i8, the second in BMW’s new i Cars sub-brand after the i3, is a game-changer which makes conventional supercars look old-fashioned.

BMW i8
Top speed: 155mph;
Combined MPG: 135;
Emissions: 49g/km;
Price: £94,845 (inc government grant)