There are some pretty remarkable cars competing in hill climb championships across Europe but this BMW i8-based creation might just be the most remarkable of them all.
The car has been brought to life by Team Edlinger who also competes in an E30 3-Series with the V8 from an Indycar. In creating a successor to its E30, the team opted for the i8 thanks to its more aerodynamic shape and has then proceeded to make so many changes to it that it now hardly even resembles its former self.
No part of the i8 hill climber is more remarkable than its powertrain. Whereas the car originally left the BMW factory with a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine and a hybrid system, Team Edlinger has taken a unique approach by installing not just one, two, or three, but four 4-cylinder 999 cc engines sourced from the BMW HP4 super sports bike. Each of these engines rev all the way up to 14,800 rpm and powers a single wheel. Collectively, the four engines generate 868 horsepower and operate on 100% e-fuels.
Hill Climb Fans reports that each of the four motors is controlled separately but a complex electronics system. The i8 also features a bespoke titanium exhaust system and carbon ceramic brakes at all four corners with six-piston calipers up front and four-piston units at the rear.
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Underpinning the car is a bespoke carbon fiber safety cell with a design similar to that of an LMP1 car. Team Edlinger has also installed a trick Sachs damper system and crafted a custom body aimed at boosting downforce. Despite the vast number of changes made to the car, it weighs just 1,000 kg (2,200 lbs).
While the custom i8 was first unveiled in July last year, it doesn’t appear to have competed at any hill climb events thus far and development of it is likely still ongoing.
H/T to The Drive