New car models have long been a way for manufacturers to introduce their latest futuristic shapes and materials to create designs which look like nothing seen before. This approach can be highly popular if done well, but can also fail if the car doesnt meet up to customers initial expectations. BMW are a car maker who have seen continued success over the last few decades by testing these limits, but their latest range of hybrid cars is nothing short of a brand new generation for the company and car design as a whole.
Will You Choose A Hybrid BMW Lease For Your Next Car?
The new range of electric and hybrid BMW cars look like theyve been taken straight out of a science fiction movie, which signals clear intent from the German company to differentiate their new models from their line of standard petrol cars. The first two releases under the new BMW i sub-brand is the BMW i3 all-electric car and the BMW i8 plug-in hybrid. Both were unveiled as concept cars back in 2009 and now 5 years later they are ready to hit the roads.
Importantly both have the specifications to match their exterior looks. The all-electric, rear-wheel drive i3 hatchback offers 170 hp, seating for four, a top speed of 93 mph, and a 0-60 time of less than 8 seconds. The hybrid i8 coupe, which uses an electric motor running the front wheels with a turbocharged three-cylinder powering the rear to provide 4 wheel drive, a 0-60 time of under five seconds and a perfect 50/50 weight distribution ratio.
The interiors of these cars keep up the standards which have been set for the looks and performance. Both contain a clever mix of luxury and technology to create an environment which contains all of the latest driving features, without overwhelming the driver with screens, knobs and buttons. Both the i3 and i8 benefit from BMWs Life-Drive platform which makes use of light-weight materials developed by the company with both cars using a specially designed aluminium chassis, and the i8 using parts made from polycarbonate glass.
Already there are companies who are looking at what products and infrastructure they can create ready for the new era of electric and hybrid motoring. DesignworksUSA, who are part of the BMW group, have designed a solar car port which could be used with the i3 and i8. It uses solar roof panels which you drive the car underneath and then charge using the energy stored, with any extra electricity created fed back into your house.
These new cars are just part of the beginning for what lies ahead. Throughout this century hybrid and electric cars are set to be developed further and refined in a similar way that petrol powered car have over the last century. And its not just the cars which are going through dramatic change; the way in which people buy and own is changing too. With the rate in which new models are developing, its even harder to keep up with the latest models. With a BMW lease from Select Contracts you will be able to use their latest cutting edge designs every time you take out a new contract.
Select Contracts Trusted Providers of Mercedes & BMW Lease Contracts
At Select Contracts we specialise in providing personal and business car leasing for any make or model, including all of the very latest 2014 vehicles. We can provide a quote for any make or model of car, including many Mercedes and BMW lease options. All our vehicles come with free UK delivery from our national network of dealers and vehicle preparation centres.
For more information on any of our BMW lease or other car leasing services, please get in contact with us by emailinginfo@selectcarleasing.co.uk or call 0845 6770 770.
