Cars & Stuff   +  test drive

When the first production version of the BMW i3 rolls off the assembly line in Leipzig in late 2013, it will mark the provisional culmination of 40 years of development work at BMW. It all began at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, where the BMW starting line-up included two electrically powered test vehicles. The converted BMW 1602 models served as a means of transport for the members of the organizing committee, and were also deployed as support and camera cars in various long-distance events. However, there could be no questioning that lead batteries weighing 350 kilograms and with a range of around 60 kilometres (37 miles) were hardly ideal for a production car. BMW therefore launched a series of research and development projects with the aim of bringing an improved and, above all, more efficient technology for electric drive systems onto the road.
Audi has announced plans to produce the super Audi R8 China Edition
The China Edition is based off the pre-facelift R8 V10 borrowing exterior and interior elements from the friskier GT, such as the front bumper winglets, alloy wheel designs, the carbon fiber mirrors, rear wing and the part leather, part Alcantara interior with carbon fiber trimmings.
The interiors are further decked up in luxurious materials including shark skin and colored stitching; the handbrake and steering wheel are draped in Alcantara, and the instrument shield is finished in carbon matte. R8 emblems can be seen adorning the interiors of the car.
Power for the Audi R8 China Edition comes from a 5.2 liter V10 engine making 525-hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. Mated to the R tronic transmission and a quattro all-wheel drive system, the model runs from 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds.
The entire cost of the R8 China Edition hits at 2,628,000 yuan, which is around $420,000 based on current exchange rates.