A teaser image of the BMW Vision Car concept has been released, and while not all that much can be told, Autocar reports that the new interior picture might be that of an BMW i8 Spyder concept. The Vision Car concept is set to be unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, next year.
The noticeable feature in the image is the large coloured widescreen display on the passenger’s side. There doesn’t seem to be buttons of any sort, which suggests that a gesture control system could be the star feature. The automaker has confirmed that AirTouch will be present in the concept – occupants can control the entertainment, navigation and communication systems without touching any buttons.
Said system makes use of a number of sensors to monitor and record movements of the hand between the centre console and interior rearview mirror. The system can already be found in the new BMW 7 Series, however with a different name – Gesture Control system. AirTouch on the other hand, will be more advanced as it allows for 3D gestures.
According to the brand, the latest iteration of the gesture control system “reduces the number of steps needed to make a selection.” To illustrate this, BMW says that when activating the phone pad, the system automatically “brings up contacts or call lists to the top select level so that a call can be made with just one further action.”
If it is indeed the i8 Spyder concept, improvements to the connectivity, safety systems as well as subtle changes to the powertrain and batteries could also likely be announced at CES. The topless i8 is expected to carry on with the mid-mounted 231 hp/320 Nm 1.5 litre TwinPower Turbo three-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, with a front-mounted 131 hp/250 Nm electric motor.
Like the coupe, the electric motor gives the i8 an all-wheel drive configuration. Combined, the current car makes a total of 362 hp and 570 Nm of torque, surging from 0-100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and with a top speed of 250 km/h. The hybrid sports car achieves a claimed fuel consumption figure of 47.6 km per litre, while only emitting 49 grammes per kilometre of CO2.
We took the BMW i8 coupe for a spin recently, against the Mercedes-AMG GT S and Jaguar F-Type R. Check out the video here.
GALLERY: BMW i8 Spyder Concept
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Aww crap and I thought this was BMW showing their new design philosophy for their next generation models since their interior needs a major revamp!
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