The news comes from Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, which has made some wild claims in the past so we would take the latest with a grain of salt. According to the magazine, the new i9 will follow in the footsteps of BMW’s last supercar, the M1, but will also highlight the automaker’s commitment to vehicle electrification by packing a hybrid drivetrain.
BMW is unlikely to develop a new chassis for the i9, so it would likely be based on the i8’s design. However, a six-cylinder engine is said to replace the i8’s three-cylinder, and assuming it’s a straight-six it’s not clear how it will fit in the i8 chassis without serious modification. That’s because the engine in the i8 is transverse-mounted.
Auto Motor und Sport also reports that the new i9 will weigh more than the 3,285-pound i8 because of its uprated drivetrain, but thanks to more power (the i8’s peak is 362 horsepower) its performance will be better. The 0-60 mph run is said to take less than 4.0 seconds.
If BMW ever gets around to building a proper super sports car, should it have a big-cube, high-revving engine or a sophisticated hybrid system? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.