BMW to start presale of i8 roadster in China with EV-only range up to 55km

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- The BMW i8 roadster will be available for presale at the impending Auto Guangzhou 2018, said the BMW group. It will be the German automaker's seventh NEV model launched in China's market.

The BMW i8 roadster made its world's premiere at the 2017 LA Auto Show. Based on the new BMW i8 coupe, the i8 roadster features a soft convertible roof which can be lifted or lowered within only 15 seconds and whilst travelling at up to 50km/h. By dispensing with the hard-roof model's rear seats, the ragtop features an even lower roofline that emphasizes its supercar proportion.

BMW launches two additional colors for the i8 roadster-- Donington Grey and E Copper. There are various amenities inside the vehicle, including the active cruise control, the collision risk alert system with braking function, the parking distance control, the BMW-developed head-up display as well as laser headlights, etc.

With the electric motor and 1.5L turbocharged engine providing a maximum output of 374hp, the i8 roadster has a 55-km range in EV-only mode and can sprint from 0-100km/h in as little as 4.6 seconds, which may seem quick until you compare it with the times of similarly priced two-seaters.