When it comes to exotic cars we normally don’t like the word “leak.”  Coolant leak, oil leak, gas leak (heaven forbid) are all terms that are unsavory to enthusiasts, but when it comes to automotive debuts, leaks are an exciting occurrence.  In this installment we bring you some leaked images of the *production* BMW i8 ahead of its Frankfurt debut coming up.  The i8 concept was first introduced in Frankfurt two years ago and has been continuously teased and spied ever since, but to no avail in terms of getting a peak at the actual production car.  So, now that we finally have a look at the roadgoing hybrid sports car, it is markedly different than the concept, something we mildly expected.  The car’s overall shape is analogous to the concept but it loses many of the futuristic cues; the scissor doors and the unique C-pillar remain.  As a reminder, the i8 is powered by a hybrid drivetrain that includes a 231-horsepower 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine located behind the rear seats and a 131-horsepower electric motor mounted on the front axle.  The gas-burning engine sends power to the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission while the electric motor spins the front wheels through a two-stage automatic gearbox.  All of this is good for 362 horsepower, 420 lb-ft. of torque, 4.5 seconds to 60, a top speed of 155 mph, a perfect 50/50 weight distribution, 113 mpg in a mixed European cycle, and emissions less than 59 grams of CO2 per kilometer (making it cleaner than even the smallest, most frugal economy car in Europe.

– Evan W.

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