Red-letter day for one BMW i8 fan
Red paintwork doesn’t make the i8 go any faster. But it does make it a lot more exclusive.
If you are a fan of BMW’s rather brilliant i8 plug-in sports car (who isn’t?) and you have a special liking for the colour red, then you are in luck.
As long as you’re quick. BMW New Zealand has just announced that just one example of the limited-production Protonic Red Edition i8 is coming into the country.
‘‘The BMW i8 has stood out from the sports car crowd,’’ says BMW NZ managing director Florian Renndorfer. ‘‘The limited-edition Protonic Red Edition is even more exclusive, reinforcing the i8’s combination of performance, efficiency and style.’’
The BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition is unique thanks to its metallic paintwork – never seen before on an i8 – with contrasting Frozen Grey metallic accents and Orbit Grey 20-inch alloy wheels.
Inside, the special i8 gets red (surprise) double stitching offsetting the anthracite headliner, carbon fibre interior trim and smooth black ceramic finish to the gear selector switch cover and central console. The floor sections are also differentiated by velour and leather floor mats with red stitching.
‘Protonic Red Edition’ door sill finishers are also present, just in case you forget what the car is.
While it’s pretty much just a red i8, it is still an i8 and there will be just a single example officially sold by BMW NZ. So it’s still pretty special.
The BMW i8 Protonic Red Edition will arrive in the fourth quarter of this year.
It will cost $282,000, plus onroad costs.