The police force in the United Arab Emirates capital, Dubai, has added the hybrid BMW i8 to its fleet of cars that includes Corvettes, Ferraris and Lamborghinis.
The BMW i8 was formally handed over to the Dubai Police force chiefs during a recent video released by ArabGT.com
Priced at $135,000 in the US (£79,000 in Britain, AUD$299,000 in Australia), the i8 is powered by a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine hooked up to a synchronous electric motor.
The BMW i8 can accelerate from 0-60mph (0-100km/h) in 4.4 seconds, and burns fuel at a rate of just 2.1L/100km. It is the first hybrid car to join the Dubai fleet, which could indicate a new direction taken by the police force towards a more eco-friendly form of transport.
The purchase of expensive vehicles such as the i8 is nothing new for the Dubai Police force as its fleet already includes makes such as Aston Martin, Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes and Rolls-Royce, among others.
According to the Huffington Post the UAE has the 6th highest number of millionaires per capita in the world, with many of its wealthy well-know for driving similar high-powered supercars.
However, the BMW i8, like all of the other supercars in the Dubai Police force fleet, will be used mainly for promotional purposes with the cars placed around various tourist attractions as a means of engaging with car enthusiasts and the public.
