The Next BMW i Model Begins To Take Shape

BMW has just silently admitted Tesla as its ultimate competitor.

Couple weeks ago, a short video on YouTube has shown the Tesla Model X being tested on a street in Palo Alto, California. And last week, Tesla introduced its new entry-level Tesla Model S — Model S 70D — with the All-wheel-drive feature and dual motors included as standard, and the price tag down to $67,500 before state incentives.

Today, we’ve heard that the next BMW i model will be a four-door sedan — probably to compete with Tesla Model S. The German carmaker said that this concept is aimed to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of BMW in 2016, and the conceptual work is on its way now.

Our source reported about the heavy inheritance of the new i model compared to the original Vision EfficientDynamics concept, including winged doors. The BMW i3’s type reverse-hinged doors has also been under consideration.

In terms of exterior design, the i design language will be absolutely dominating to ensure the car stands out very much like the i3 and i8. Apparently, the car will likely be a four-door version of the BMW i8. The Carbon Age with aluminum chassis and other lightweight materials will also be used to achieve a significantly lighter weight.

The model will be eDrive with plug-in Hybrid but using the Power eDrive philosophy — a new BMW technology that allows exceptional performance with fuel efficiency. A similar drivetrain will be introduced in 2016, using a four-cylinder engine combined with electric drivetrain.

Autonomous? Yes. And hopefully the DMV will reach the decision about self-driving vehicles by that time.

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