Wayne Cunningham wrote:

 

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In the upper reaches of automotive performance, the hybrid sports car is becoming a real thing. Witness the Ferrari LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, and McLaren P1. Those examples seem like efforts to maintain the relevance of high-end performance in an oil-starved world.

But BMW may just be cracking the code with its i8.

 

Unlike the competition, which tend toward evolutionary changes built from existing models, BMW designed the i8 as a wholly new car, constructed from the ground on up to exemplify performance and minimal fossil fuel consumption. And deviating from the i3 model, its sibling in BMW's new i brand, the i8 actually looks good.

Low-slung with an elegant roofline, the i8's body looks futuristic. Rather than the flowing contours of metal construction, the body panels reflect their carbon fiber origins, looking more like individual pieces brought together in a cohesive yet segmented whole. The doors slice upward and twist out, an opening mechanism made possible by their lightweight design.

 

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