Apparel
The days of thinking “Prius!” when the word ‘hybrid’ is spoken are over. The days of spotting a hybrid car by its unusual and distasteful design are also, mostly, over. Well, at least it’s not a general rule-of-thumb that an ugly car on the road must be hybrid anymore. This shift in vehicular psyche is the result of automakers, such as BMW, Tesla, and Porsche, making an effort to blend their less-traditional hybrid models into the rest of their lineup. But in the case of BMW, and this Vossen Forged BMW i8 Duo, there’s no blending-in happening anywhere—and with the help of Lou La Vie (@loulavie) and James McDonnell (@lordmcdonnell), we were able to show it!
Constructed with more carbon fiber and composites than any BMW before it, the i8 is not only the first exotic car that the company has produced in recent years, but also the first to hide the engine in the rear since the M1. But unlike the M1, the i8 also hides an electric motor up front, creating a perfect 50:50 weight distribution.
While the BMW i8 is very much a performance-oriented car, it provides the best of both worlds by also harnessing surprisingly-competitive efficiency among its exotic counterparts, at just under 30 miles per gallon, average. Very aggressive and, for BMW, untraditional aesthetics also play a major role in the car’s efficiency, while providing a striking new look to the generally-recognizable BMW lineup.
And while BMW’s vision with the i8 is nothing short of stunning, what harm is there in making a couple tweaks here and there? After seeing what a difference the mild drop (care of H&R Springs) makes to the i8’s presence, it’s hard to think that BMW wouldn’t prefer it that way if it weren’t for safety standards here and abroad.
And with the addition of some of our finest Precision Series wheels, the Vossen Forged BMW i8 Duo stops the show. And with the white i8 on VPS-304 stealing the show, there’s something very ominous and ravishing about its darker, VPS-301-clad twin. Good and evil, perhaps? You be the judge.
Fitted with 22×9″ and 22×10.5″ Vossen Forged wheels, the matching BMW i8s are held to the tarmac with Pirelli 245-30-22 and 285-25-22 tires, providing the grip necessary for a car with two motors—though we put that grip to the test in the video..
Words / Photos: Sam Dobbins (@sdobbins_vossen) ///// Video: Anthony De La Paz (@dela_vossen)
Additional Photos: Jordan Krate (@jordan_vossen)
