If anyone ever asks you if a hybrid car can be genuinely exciting, just point them in the direction of this mid-engined, 360hp, scissor-door supercar. Yes, it's a BMW and yes it has four seats (just) and yes it has the engine from a Mini, but, genuinely, this is still one of the most striking cars ever to be put on the road. That starts with styling that looks as if it were rolled directly from the motor show stage into your local dealer and continues with those dramatic up-and forward doors. The cabin is spartan but comfortable (at least in the front) and you rest smugly in the knowledge that it's mostly made from space-age carbon-fibre. Fire up the engine and you might be faintly disappointed to know that it's a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo taken from a Mini Cooper, but an on-board system makes it growl hilariously, and it's backed up by a plugin hybrid system that delivers an extra 130hp kick from its electric motor. Combine the two and if the i8 isn't exactly Ferrari-quick, then it's certainly fast enough for most, and the handling remains sublime right up to the point where those narrow wheels and tyres make it feel slightly skittish. At €140k, it's hardly cheap, but compared to such as the (conventional) Audi R8 or perhaps a McLaren 570S it's an utter bargain, and far more future-proofed.
Price range: €142,360 to €153,890
Co2 emissions: 49g/km
Which one? Standard one is just fine. In blue and silver please.
PCP from €POA