BMW i8 spied in the Arctic Circle

Just days after the i3 was spied in Scandinavia, the BMW i8 has turned up in the Arctic Circle.

Caught wearing sky-inspired blue and white camouflage - as opposed to the traditional black and white getup - the i8 prototype looks virtually identical to the Vision EfficientDynamics concept which debuted at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. Despite the similarities, the prototype has a repositioned third brake light and a revised rear fascia with an integrated diffuser.

While the production model is slated to use a petrol engine, the VED concept featured a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbodiesel engine and two electric motors that produced 262 kW (356 PS / 351 hp) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque. This enabled the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds, hit a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph), and averge 3.76 L/100 km (63 mpg US). More importantly, thanks to plug-in hybrid technology, the Vision EfficientDynamics could travel up to 50 km (31 miles) on electricity alone.

The BMW i8 is scheduled to be launched in 2013 and is rumored to cost approximately £150,000 (€175,285 / $242,680).