Gallery: The BMW i8 Spyder Concept Live at NYC i Born Electric Tour

With the BMW i Born Electric Tour finally in New York City, we got our first in-person look at the 2012 Concept Vehicle of the Year Award, the BMW i8 Spyder. The Spyder version of the concept has pretty much the same guts as the four-seater hard-top, featuring both an electric motor and a combustion engine working in tandem. The estimated pure electric mode will give you 20 miles, but used as a hybrid, the car is rated at 87 miles per gallon. With a TwinPower turbo engine, the hybrid remains true to sports car form, getting to 60 in less than 5 seconds.

Some things to note:

• The body is made entirely of carbon fiber, keeping the weight extremely low. 
• Due to the fact that the front electric motor doesn't need to be cooled, the front kidney beans are closed, forcing air around the car instead of into the car
• The rims are shaped like fans to keep air flowing to the back for the car. 
• Those little vents right before the rear tires force air into the rear combustion engine to help keep it cool. 
• The electronics are linked to "smart" navigation that reads traffic conditions and speed limits and adapts the way the engines are working to maximize efficiency. 
• There are two scooters in the back.

Related: The 15 Best BMW M Series Cars

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