BMW i8 Is Now the Top-Selling Hybrid Sports Car in the World

BMW i8, that made its global premiere in 2013, was recently crowned the world's highest-selling hybrid sports car. Global sales of the Bavarian luxury carmaker's first purpose-built, plug-in hybrid sports car eclipsed the combined figure of all other hybrid sports cars. To be precise, a total of 5,456 units of the BMW i8 were sold last year. Though BMW first debuted the i8 at the 2013 Frankfurt International Motor Show, the car went on sale in international markets only in August, 2014. In India, the BMW i8 made an appearance at the 2014 Auto Expo before being launched here in February, 2015.

BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition

With that being said, BMW will present the first special-edition model of the i8 at the Geneva Motor Show - the Protonic Red Edition. The BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition gets 'Protonic Red' paint finish with accents in Frozen Grey metallic, BMW W-spoke 470 light-alloy wheels, red double-stitching, and applications in high-grade carbon fibre and ceramic among others provisions. The inaugural special-edition will be built in Leipzig from July.

Ian Robertson, BMW AG Board Member for Sales and Marketing, said, "The success of the BMW i8 speaks for itself. It is already the world's most successful hybrid sports car and has comfortably exceeded our own expectations. I can think of no better illustration of the relevance of our young BMW i brand."

Also Read: BMW i8 Review

The 2+2-seater sports car's plug-in hybrid system comprises a turbocharged three-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo petrol engine and an electric drive system. While the 1.5-litre engine develops 228bhp and drives the rear wheels of the BMW i8, the 129bhp electric drive sends its power to the front wheels. The BMW sports car promises an all-electric range of up to 35 kilometres and a top speed of 120Km/h.