UK's green light for BMW i8 engine 13 | 06 | 2012

BMW HAS CONFIRMED the 1.5-litre petrol engine, which will be used in its all-new i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, will be built in the UK (see more official photos of the i8).

Work will take place exclusively at the Hams Hall engine facility near Birmingham. Last year the plant produced 440,000 engines.

The i8 hybrid electric supercar, which will make its debut in 2013 and will cover the 0-62mph sprint in under five seconds, will be powered by a 344bhp three-cylinder TwinPower turbo engine.

In addition, it will be mated to a plug-in hybrid electric drive, giving 20 miles’ electric-only running and 78mpg overall.

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“Our Hams Hall engine plant will make an important contribution to the future success of the new BMW i brand,” BMW Board Member Ian Robertson said.

Confirmation of the production of the three-cylinder engine is part of the £500 million investment announced for Oxford and Hams Hall last year.

Understandably, it will be linked to production of the new MINI and will be an expansion of BMW’s plans to produce a range of new three-cylinder turbo engines.

The Birmingham plant was selected despite stiff opposition from engine facilities in Austria and Germany.

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Jim McGill