A special BMW i8 Concours d'Elegance edition sold for $825,000 (around £493,000) at an auction during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in America.
The car, which is the first BMW i8 to be sold in the US, went for a record price at a charity auction held by Gooding and Company. Its estimate was originally set at $200,000 (£119,550). Proceeds went to various charities supported by the Pebble Beach organisers.
The standard i8 will go on sale in North America this autumn for $135,700, which equates to just over £81,000.
Revealed during the week of events around Pebble Beach, the exterior of the BMW i8 Concours d'Elegance edition features bespoke 'Frozen Grey' metallic paintwork. Its interior is trimmed in brown leather with contrasting blue stitching and seat belts.
The words 'Concours d'Elegance' are laser-etched inside with 'BMW i8' embossed on the front seats. A plaque in the rear of the car carries the signatures of the BMW chiefs who made the car a reality.
In the UK, the i8 is available with the government's £5000 EV grant, making its retail price £94,845. Powered by a 129bhp electric motor in conjunction with a 1.5-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol engine, the i8 produces a total of 357bhp and 420lb ft of torque.
Capable of sprinting from a standstill to 62mph in 4.4 seconds, the i8 has a top speed of 155mph. Official fuel economy is rated at 134.5mpg and CO2 emissions at 49g/km.
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