i8 Coupe

Make
BMW
Segment
Coupe

Last week's big news came in the form of two new concept cars from BMW that are getting close to production. New details have just come out concerning BMW's i3 and i8 concept cars as the German automaker hosted a series of lectures this past weekend focusing on these two new vehicles. Anticipation of their debut in September is steadily mounting. Both the i3 and i8 feature BMW's new carbon fiber "Life" structure, which is part of their new "LifeDrive" system.

The carbon fiber serves the dual purpose of being extremely light and surprisingly strong. Carbon fiber will be fitted to both the exterior and interior on the pair of cars. The 2,755lbs i3 is powered by a 170hp electric motor which allows for 184lb-ft of torque. An optional rear-mounted range extender will almost double the distance the i3 can travel, up to around 186 miles. The 0.6-liter engine will run on gasoline. BMW's i8 weighs in at just under 3,300lbs. The i8 features a dual-clutch transmission and a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder mounted-in-the middle coupled with an electric motor.

When both of the i8's engines work in harmony they can put out 402lb-ft of torque. The i3 and i8 are both very much in the concept stage, as several changes have already been planned for both models as they enter production. From AutoBlog Green, Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW's Senior VP of Design, has already alluded to plans nixing the strikingly low side windows on the pair of concepts. The i3 concept features a glass ceiling that will most likely be substituted with a carbon fiber roof. The cars are set to debut this September at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show.

Check out BMW's official video below on the new i-Series models for a better look at the new concepts. Keep an eye out at the 26 second mark for a CarBuzz app sighting. Just kidding, but enjoy the video nonetheless.