In June 2020, the BMW i8’s manufacture came to an end after a little over six years. Alpina lost the opportunity to produce its first hybrid or electric vehicle by abandoning the i8 project. BMW isn’t planning on building a precursor, but it will expand its hybrid products in the future, so Alpina could someday join this segment.
Since 1965, Alpina has been in business. In the beginning, the company focused on tuning BMW engines for racing, but in the 1980s it changed into an automaker. Alpina has altered several models of the BMW 3 Series, 5 Series, 7 Series, and 8 Series over the years, but it also created a limited-edition Z8 roadster variant.
Now available at BMW dealerships, Alpina models include the B7 and XB7, based on the 7 Series and X7, respectively, in the U.S. lineup.
When Ciprian was a little lad and the Lamborghini Countach was still the coolest automobile poster you could hang on your wall, his enthusiasm for everything with four wheels (and more) first began. Ciprian’s career as a writer started long before he received his Bachelor’s degree, but it wasn’t until then that his passion for automobiles evolved into a career.
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BMW stopped producing the i8 when?
Benoit Jacob was the designer of the BMW i8 in production. 2013 Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez was followed by the 2013 International Motor Show Germany, where the production model was unveiled. The BMW M1 Homage concept car, which itself pays homage to BMW’s last mid-engined sports car in production before the i8, had a significant effect on its design.
Butterfly doors, a head-up display, rearview cameras, and partially fake engine noise were all features of the BMW i8. Customer car series production started in April 2014. The two-speed electric drivetrain was created and manufactured by GKN. As opposed to LED headlights, it was the first production vehicle using laser headlights.
The i8 had a low drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.26 and a vehicle weight of 1,485 kg (3,274 lb) (DIN kerb weight). The top speed of the BMW i8 in all-electric mode was 120 km/h. The i8 achieved a midrange acceleration from 50 to 75 mph (80 to 120 km/h) in 2.6 seconds when in Sport mode. 250 km/h was the electronically controlled peak speed.
In December 2019, one of the restricted Ultimate Sophisto Edition models, the 20,000th i8, was created. On June 11 of 2020, the final i8 left the factory. 20,465 vehicles were made in total, with 16,581 coupes and 3,884 roadsters.
Will BMW produce a new i8?
For the 2024 model year, the i8 M—or whatever name BMW chooses for its upcoming hybrid sports car—will be completely new. As we come closer to the car’s release date, which is anticipated to be somewhere in 2023 as a 2024 model, we anticipate learning more.
How come BMW no longer sells the i8?
On Thursday, the final i8 to be produced rolled out of the Leipzig BMW facility. Actually, the PHEV’s manufacturing was scheduled to stop in the middle of April. However, because of the factory’s closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, manufacturing was delayed until June.
Since manufacturing on the i8 began six years ago, exactly 20,448 vehicles have been sent from the factory. According to a press release from BMW, the final vehicle was an i8 Roadster in “Portimao Blue” and it was sold to a buyer in Germany.
The i8 was the first plug-in hybrid vehicle in the whole BMW Group when it made its debut in 2014. The hybrid sports car was never successful outside of its specialized market due to its intricate carbon body and six-figure base price. The i8 “embodies the departure into electric mobility like no other car,” according to Hans-Peter Kemser, head of the BMW plant in Leipzig. The model served as the inspiration for the current variety of plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Currently, one shift of production for the Leipzig-based BMW i3 produces 116 units per day. Hans-Peter Kemser, the plant manager, claims that if demand for e-cars in Germany increases, production of the i3 might be expanded to two shifts and thus boosted to 250 units per day.
There won’t be a straight replacement for the i8. In the interim, there have been rumors that the 2019 Vision M Next concept car may be produced in large quantities. The BMW board of directors reportedly decided against the 441 kW sports car, also against the backdrop of the Corona crisis, primarily due to “costs and the volume,” according to media reports. However, the hybrid sports car (this time with a four-cylinder petrol engine instead of the three-cylinder in the i8) did not get beyond the planning stage.
What took the place of the BMW i8?
The future BMW Vision M Next, a concept automobile with dimensions similar to those of the present i8, was the highlight of the #NextGen event. An i8 replacement has been in development for the past year, but we weren’t aware that it will mix the best of the M and I worlds.
As a result, we can now confirm that the Vision M Next will indeed replace the current i8 in the lineup and go into production in early 2023. Last week, BMW R&D chief Klaus Froelich said something similar, telling Car Sales that the i3 and i8 won’t have direct competitors.
He said that the future i4 sedan will take over for the i3, and that a BMW M model based on the Vision M Next will replace the i8.
There is no direct successor for the i3 and no direct successor for the i8, he added, adding that M is quick, fierce, and enjoyable and that always works.
Instead of the totally electric i8 replacement that the most of us were expecting for, we’ll be receiving a plug-in hybrid with a 2.0 liter four-cylinder turbo engine and twin electric motors. BMW stated that the combination would produce 600 horsepower, which would allow for a 0-62 mph acceleration time of 3.0 seconds and a top speed of 186 mph.
By opting for a plug-in hybrid powertrain, according to Froelich, BMW will be able to bring weight down to a more manageable level. A fully electric M Next would have rendered the car too heavy—4,850 pounds—so that decision was taken. Froelich claims that although the manufacturer intended for the Vision M Next concept to weigh 3,750 pounds, it really came in much lighter.
Is there a BMW i8 for 2022?
2022 BMW i8 Car The price range for the 4 and 2 Seater Coupe BMW i8 2020 in the US is between $147,500 and $163,300. Its measurements are 4696 mm long, 2217 mm wide, and 1288 mm high, with a ground clearance of 114 mm.
How recent is the BMW i8?
The 2021 i8 has a single powertrain that combines a 1.5-liter three-cylinder gas engine that has been turbocharged with an 11.6-kWh battery and two electric motors. The three engines work together to provide 369 horsepower, which can drive all four wheels.
BMW i8: Supercar or not?
The BMW i8 is a cutting-edge supercar that shows hybrid vehicles don’t have to be dull. In order to give serious performance, a potent turbocharged petrol engine and a cutting-edge electric motor team up, plus some look-at-me style ensures that you’ll stand out wherever from Kensington High Street to a Green Party convention.
The i8 initially went on sale in 2014, but in 2018 it gained an upgraded electric powertrain and increased electric range. Even with the upward-hinging doors splayed wide open, the BMW’s outrageous appearance still looks more dramatic than cars like the Honda NSX and Audi R8.
Although the cabin is less theatrical, it nevertheless features a sophisticated minimalist design with plenty of soft materials and a digital driver’s display as standard instead of traditional dials.
The BMW i8 has four seats, which is unusual for supercars and helps to make it surprisingly simple to live with. The 154-liter boot may not have enough room for a set of golf clubs, but it is larger than the Audi’s load bay, and the front seats in the BMW provide plenty of room for taller passengers to sit comfortably.
The i8 is one of the quietest and greenest supercars available, but it’s definitely not a car for wimps – just look at those ridiculous doors!
The i8 is also more enjoyable to drive than the majority of conventional supercars, in part due to its unnervingly silent electric motor and reassuringly plush suspension. Driving in the city isn’t particularly challenging because of the reasonable visibility and the lack of bothersome wind or tyre noise at freeway speeds.
But when you switch to sport mode, things get a little rowdier. The i8’s speakers broadcast synthetic engine noises into the cabin as the three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine whirrs to life. The BMW i8 will sprint from 0-62mph in a still-pretty-blooming-exciting 4.4 seconds thanks to the quick shove from its electric powertrain, albeit it’s not quite as thrilling as hearing a 5.2-liter V10 screaming away behind you as in a R8. That outruns a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 in speed.
The i8’s extensive use of lightweight carbon fiber maximizes its electric-only range while also making it as maneuverable as feasible on a winding country road. You can travel up to 75 mph for about 30 miles and practically silently on a three-hour charge from a dedicated wall charger. When you run out of electrical power, the gasoline engine automatically kicks in to propel you forward while also recharging the batteries.
This means that, unlike many other electric vehicles, the BMW i8 will never cause you to experience range anxiety. The many safety features you receive as standard, such as automatic emergency braking, which applies the brakes if the vehicle detects an obstruction on the road ahead, also aid in relieving your concerns.
The i8 is a very accomplished sports hybrid and a worthy alternative to models like the more traditional Porsche 911 and the more expensive Honda NSX, even though it isn’t the most thrilling supercar to drive.
A BMW i8’s top speed is what?
The i8 has a top speed of 155 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in under 4.4 seconds. As a result, its straight-line performance is comparable to that of a genuine BMW M vehicle.
The i8’s engine, which BMW expertly designed, is responsible for the power. Unbelievably, the 1.5-liter, three-cylinder MINI Cooper served as the engine’s source. However, it has been altered to provide more naughtiness, producing 231 horsepower while receiving an additional 143 horsepower from an electric motor. The i8 is by no means slow thanks to the innovative hybrid configuration.
As a result, the i8 not only has a sharp appearance but also has the ability to move quickly when necessary, and since it is a BMW, the driving experience is also rather good.
A two-seater BMW i8?
Although the i8 Coupe has four seats, the back seats are only suitable for small passengers or one of Snow White’s friends. With that in mind, the two-seater nature of the soft-top variant doesn’t cost you anything. In reality, you get a useful shelf that can hold a few soft bags and even a leather-wrapped pocket for maps (though we’d stick with sat-nav).
If you’re thinking about taking a weekend trip, you should definitely use that shelf. The trunk of an i8 Roadster is considerably smaller than those of a Mazda MX-5 or even the Volkswagen Up. For that, thank the mid-mounted engine.
Has the BMW i8 four seats?
Due to the i8’s low roofline and substantial sill, which you must elevate your foot over before sliding into the seat, it can be a little more challenging to enter the interior than it would be in a more traditional vehicle. The BMW i8’s interior is just as eye-catching as its outward design, so the difficult maneuvering is worthwhile.
Additionally, the i8 is a relatively quiet motorway cruiser once you’re inside because to its low roofline and aerodynamic bodywork.
The driver and passenger have adequate head and legroom; it is snug but not constricting. Back seat passengers won’t fare as well, though. BMW refers to the vehicle as a 2+2 rather than a four-seater, which means that the back seats are best kept for sporadic usage by young children.