Formula E’s BMW i8 Safety Car Has Us Wishing For An i8 M

BY Brad Anderson | Posted on

The 2019 BMW i8 Safety Car premiered at Formula E’s opening round for 2019 in Mexico on Saturday, February 16.

BMW’s hybrid sports car has been a staple in Formula E for a number of years, with the electricracing series acting as the perfect location to promote the car. For the 2018/2019 Formula E season, thei8 safety car has been adorned with an updated livery and it looks great.

The German automaker focused heavily on ensuring that spectators are provided with an interesting perspective of the i8 and its paint when looking down at it from grandstands. The livery across the engine cover and roof includes elements of blue and whit,e while the rest of the car also pairs the blue and white with purple and black.

As with BMW i8 Safety Cars used in previous Formula E seasons, the vehicle is outfitted with a number of bespoke parts. These include a huge rear wing, a front splitter that protrudes well in front of the bumper, sports seats, and a roll cage. It really makes us wish BMW built an i8 M.

In its most recent form, the i8 features a mid-mounted turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine with 228 hp and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque. Coupled to this engine is a 141 hp electric motor that lifts combined power to 368 horses, allowing for a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 4.6 seconds.

In an ideal world, we’d love to see BMW further develop the hybdird powertrain to at least 500 hp. When combined with some chassis upgrades and new aerodynamics, the world could have a BMW i8 M to lust over. Well, you never know…

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