BMW i3S Performance to join facelifted i3 line-up

BMW is set to unveil the facelifted i3 range at the coming Frankfurt Motor Show, and it will be joined by the i3 Performance which, as the name implies, is expected to bring additional straight-line punch to the compact electric car’s performance. It is expected to gain 20 bhp over the standard car’s 168 hp, for a new peak of 188 hp, according to an Autocar report.

The slight gain in sprinting ability comes without cost to available driving range, which is said to remain at 300 km with the 94 Ah battery, according to BMW. That is the same as the current BMW i3 which was updated last year with the 94 Ah battery, which, in turn, takes less time to charge compared to the previous 60 Ah model despite the added capacity.

The upcoming i3 Performance’s chassis also gains revisions to go with the added oomph, which include a 40 mm-wider front track and a 10 mm-lower ride height compared with the standard, updated i3. The Autocar report also added that the i3’s dynamic stability control system has been revised to endow the car with added traction in wet conditions.

Elsewhere in the updated i3 range, the chassis and powertrain remain as before, where the 168 hp motor and 94 Ah battery is carried over. Detail changes on the i3’s exterior will mark out the update, with revised bumpers front and rear, updated lights, new wheel designs, and a wider palette of colours, with optional two-tone schemes.

Inside, the updated i3 will also receive a new range of trim, along with an updated iDrive infotainment system with the “latest software and interface developments” as launched in the 5 Series and other, recently facelifted BMWs – might that include gesture control?

GALLERY: BMW i3 facelift spyshots