What concept car, unveiled in 2009, later inspired the BMW i8?

The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept, unveiled in 2009, later inspired the BMW i8.

BMW presented the Vision EfficientDynamics at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show as a futuristic plug-in hybrid sports-car study. Its streamlined 2+2 shape, lightweight construction and emphasis on electric assistance previewed the design and engineering direction that BMW would develop under its Project i program.

The concept used a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-diesel engine together with electric motors. BMW quoted a combined output of 356 hp, a 0–100 km/h time of 4.8 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h. Its low drag coefficient and lightweight aluminium-based structure emphasized efficiency as much as performance.

BMW announced production plans in 2010, and the concept evolved into the i8. The production car switched to a three-cylinder petrol engine and used a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, but retained the concept’s central themes: carbon-fibre construction, dramatic styling and electric performance. The i3 Concept was related to BMW’s electric-car program, not the direct predecessor of the i8.