LA MOTOR SHOW: BMW i3 Concept Coupe

The new BMW i3 Concept Coupe has broken cover ahead of its official unveiling at the Los Angeles international Auto Show, a premium electric hot hatch with a lightweight carbon fibre body.

Based on the five-door BMW i3 hatchback, which is scheduled to arrive in Australia in the first half of 2014, the new i3 Concept Coupe is a litmus test for a sporty but affordable electric car from the premium brand, and is powered by an electric motor that outputs 125kW/250Nm.

The car's power is siphoned through a single-speed transmission and though BMW has not released official performance figures, it is powered by a similar engine to the i3 hatch, which accelerates from 0-100km/h in under 8.0 seconds and has a top speed of 150km/h.

Displaying a sporty new design, the BMW i3 Concept Coupe sits 18mm lower than the i3 hatch, and despite appearing wider sitting on its de rigueur 20-inch alloy show wheels, it is actually narrower and longer, measuring 1768mm wide and 3964mm long.

Based on the same platform and sharing the same 2570mm wheelbase as its five-door hatch cousin, the new i3 Coupe design features a more steeply-raked windscreen and sloping rear window to create a more athletic appearance. The doors are new, and the car's carbon-fibre nose and tail have been redesigned to reflect its persona.

According to BMW's press release, the car's "visual impact is largely shaped by the gracefully flowing coupe roof line and the fresh interpretation of the BMW i ‘stream flow’ design".

BMW says the i3 Concept Coupe is a properly-sporty hot hatch. The Lithium-Ion battery pack mounted underneath the floor ensures a low centre of gravity, improving handling dynamics which will "convey an undeniable sense of dynamism and driving pleasure," we're told.

The four-seat interior is not as wild as we've come to expect from concept cars, which hints further at its production viability. However the cabin does make use of several renewable materials, including sustainably-managed European light eucalyptus wood trim, and wool-blend seats which are leather tanned with natural olive-leaf extract.

BMW claims the car "assumes the title of the world's first fully networked electric vehicle" thanks to an array of connected online systems designed to keep owners linked to the vehicle at all times. The BMW i3 Concept Coupe gets its own iOS/Android smartphone app -- eRemote -- that communicates with the car to let drivers know how much charge is left in the batteries, for instance. It also features a nav system that presents accurate cruising-range data based on real-time traffic updates.

If the "zero local emission" BMW i3 Concept Coupe vehicle receives a positive reception at the LA motor show and beyond, BMW has hinted that it would put the vehicle into production, saying it "demonstrates the potential for conceivably extending the model range".

Piers Scott, Head of Corporate Communications at BMW Australia, said that if the i3 Concept Coupe made it to the production stage, the vehicle would be considered for introduction in Australia.

Mr Scott also noted that the BMW 'i' Series would expand beyond the current i3 and i8 models.

"The decision to unveil concepts that left numbers unused was intentional. We do see the 'i' brand becoming a fully flourished sub-brand," he said.

More news and coverage of the 2012 LA Motor Show

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