Once more with feeling
THE i8 IS BACK, and this time the roof’s gone. But there’s more to the Roadster than meets the eye – tweaked suspension, weightier steering and an uprated battery make this a serious upgrade. Roadster prettier-than-coupe shock The i8’s futuristic design looks all the better when the fabric lid has been electrically stowed.
From its shark-like nose to rear buttresses, a more raked windscreen and a duo of swooping nacelles behind the cockpit, the Roadster looks even sleeker and more striking than the coupe.
More to work with
The Roadster’s product leader Rainer Rump reckons the i8 looked hotter than it drove so the tweaks, which will follow on the coupe, aim to put things right.
The carbonfibre shell ensures the Roadster is still skateboard stiff but revised steering gives more feedback through the wheel, and means it can be thrown at apexes with greater accuracy and confidence. A rev counter on the head-up display and a loudspeaker that pumps out EQ’d engine noise make the driving experience more dramatic too.
Performance is nearly identical to the coupe’s, so the Roadster gets to 62mph in a respectable 4.6sec. Electrical power has risen to 141bhp (combined is now 369bhp) and the car’s EV-only range is up to a marginally more useful 33 miles.
Bite to match the byte
The i8 loses a roof, but finally gains some supercar character to match its unique looks. The Roadster still isn’t as agile as a similarly priced Porsche 911, nor as violently quick as a Honda NSX, but it’s tighter, more intuitive and more rewarding to push.