The BMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid sports car developed by BMW. The i8 was part of BMW's electrified fleet and was marketed under the BMW i sub-brand. The production version of the BMW i8 was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show and was released in Germany in June 2014. Deliveries to retail customers in the U.S. began in August 2014. A roadster variant was launched in May 2018. Production ended in June 2020.
Gianclaudio
Aerodynamic Artisan
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I think it looks very nice, and thankfully BMW still make simple, tasteful, not mega bling jewelry headligths like their competition.
D
Deleted member 25
Guest
First of all, this is the first time in a while that they really present a new car in the show itself and not just before or just after, second the biggest surprise with the car is how different it's from he concepts, the stance is radically different, at first i was afraid but immediately after seeing more photos it reminded me of the 70's supercars and that's cool, finally the tech is really incredible and that interior is just masterful.
bimmerjph
Diesel Dynamiker
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I wonder if they will put a V12 in it.
BMW have already said numerous times that there is no M version of the i8. Jesus this is almost getting as bad as the whole V6 in the M3/M4 ordeal.
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I think it looks stunning, inside and out.
However, two things:
1) This car DOES have competitors. Any car in the $100,000-$150,000 price bracket is a competitor. Just because it has very low fuel consumption doesn't mean it isn't competing with the likes of the GT3 etc. The low fuel consumption is an advantage but people who can afford these cars don't care about the fuel consumption.
Saying it has no competitors is just BMW's way of saying it can't really compete with the likes of more conventional performance cars, so we'll just say it isn't competing with them.
2) The drivetrain technology may be futuristic now, but it's advancing so fast that in a couple of years it will have become outdated very quickly. That will hit second hand values hugely.
However, two things:
1) This car DOES have competitors. Any car in the $100,000-$150,000 price bracket is a competitor. Just because it has very low fuel consumption doesn't mean it isn't competing with the likes of the GT3 etc. The low fuel consumption is an advantage but people who can afford these cars don't care about the fuel consumption.
Saying it has no competitors is just BMW's way of saying it can't really compete with the likes of more conventional performance cars, so we'll just say it isn't competing with them.
2) The drivetrain technology may be futuristic now, but it's advancing so fast that in a couple of years it will have become outdated very quickly. That will hit second hand values hugely.
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- Name
- Derek
I am sure BMW won't be standing still either as long as the i8 is engineered with future upgrade in mind.
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And you think BMW will replace the batteries free of charge? So in three years when battery tech is better, with less batteries needed thus making it lighter, or better range is available, people will want to buy the i8 second hand when the new model has the latest tech?
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Obviously the car is aimed at early adopters or at least that is who will buy it and I doubt they will care too much about residual value compared to their desire to be seen with the latest and hippest gadget.
For me, the disappointment is that it is not a lighter, faster, sportier Tesla S. If Tesla can pack 85kwh of batteries and 415HP electric motor into a conventional steel bodied 2100 kg mid sized sedan that can comfortably seat 5 and their luggage. Why can't BMW even come close to those numbers in a 1500kg CF 2+2 sports car.
For me, the disappointment is that it is not a lighter, faster, sportier Tesla S. If Tesla can pack 85kwh of batteries and 415HP electric motor into a conventional steel bodied 2100 kg mid sized sedan that can comfortably seat 5 and their luggage. Why can't BMW even come close to those numbers in a 1500kg CF 2+2 sports car.
EnI
Piston Pioneer
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@Sunny
Tesla is primarily an US-centric product. i8 - on the other hand - is a GLOBAL product. Not all countries & cities have an already developed charging infrastructure. Therefore a decision to make a plug-in hybrid sports car (instead of fully electric one), and that's why offering a REX on i3 - which is considered to be sold in much larger numbers than pure electric i3.
I'm sure i8 could feature more powerful electro engine & more batteries instead of 3-cyl petrol ICE + fuel tank. BMW obviously chose a different approach for some reason, don't you think.
Sure Tesla is - currently - a leader when it comes to EVs. Mainly also due to being a small & nimble company with no issues that other automotive companies have to deal with (production logistics, product planning with inter-model parts sharing in mind, etc etc). But be sure Tesla will come to that point @ some time. As a companies grows, the more challanges has to overcome. And automotive business is not a .com business at all. By growing bigger Tesla will need some serious partners within existing automotive industry - and that leads to parts sharing & consequently more rigidity.
But what Tesla has achieved with Tesla S is really impressive. Coming out with Mk1 model that's so impressive in all aspects. They packed the car with best tech possible, made a premium product, introduced a desirable simple design, made a marketing hype ... The copied Apple marketing / product model, and they succeed. For now. But in the long run I don't see Tesla as a serious player in automotive industry.
Tesla is primarily an US-centric product. i8 - on the other hand - is a GLOBAL product. Not all countries & cities have an already developed charging infrastructure. Therefore a decision to make a plug-in hybrid sports car (instead of fully electric one), and that's why offering a REX on i3 - which is considered to be sold in much larger numbers than pure electric i3.
I'm sure i8 could feature more powerful electro engine & more batteries instead of 3-cyl petrol ICE + fuel tank. BMW obviously chose a different approach for some reason, don't you think.
Sure Tesla is - currently - a leader when it comes to EVs. Mainly also due to being a small & nimble company with no issues that other automotive companies have to deal with (production logistics, product planning with inter-model parts sharing in mind, etc etc). But be sure Tesla will come to that point @ some time. As a companies grows, the more challanges has to overcome. And automotive business is not a .com business at all. By growing bigger Tesla will need some serious partners within existing automotive industry - and that leads to parts sharing & consequently more rigidity.
But what Tesla has achieved with Tesla S is really impressive. Coming out with Mk1 model that's so impressive in all aspects. They packed the car with best tech possible, made a premium product, introduced a desirable simple design, made a marketing hype ... The copied Apple marketing / product model, and they succeed. For now. But in the long run I don't see Tesla as a serious player in automotive industry.
EnI
Piston Pioneer
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It's not so simple. Sure manufacturers can make batteries swappable. But it's not like in electronic device case - when you can insert a battery with better capacity & you'll have a better autonomy, and that's it. We are talking cars here. Energy management is way more complicated than in some consumer devices. Sure better batteries (of same size and weight! - otherwise all the mechanical chassis settings would have to be reworked!!!) can be inserted - but in that case all the energy management software / firmware has to be redone completely.
But, yes ... EVs are prone to HUGE depreciation since they are becoming similar to electronic devices, where a new generation is usually much better than the previous one (especially the first few generations - since it's a fresh constantly in-development tech). Buying such a car is a suicide - so I guess leasing is much more appropriate way to go here.
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BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, abbreviated as BMW is a German multinational
manufacturer of luxury vehicles and motorcycles headquartered in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
The company was founded in 1916 as a manufacturer of aircraft engines, which it produced
from 1917 to 1918 and again from 1933 to 1945.
Official website: BMW (Global), BMW (USA)
Official website: BMW (Global), BMW (USA)
