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.
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i8 BMW interior
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.
The I8 is useful.
For the majority of people, the car’s practicality is one of the most crucial factors to take into account when choosing a daily driver. Unbelievably, the BMW I8 is an extremely useful car.
Even though it doesn’t look like it, the BMW I8 has two back seats. Even though they might not be large enough for an adult or even a teenager, a small child could ride in the back seat in comfort and safety. Although getting out of the car to let the rear passengers out may not be convenient for the driver or another passenger, this is a feature of every coupe with a back seat and isn’t a significant concern. What’s significant is that, if dropping the kids off at school is part of your daily routine, the compact back seats make this a practical daily driver.
A surprising amount of cargo capacity is available in the I8. Opening the trunk hatch reveals a lot more space than you’d anticipate, and perhaps more than you’d find in many other exotic sports vehicles. For briefcases or a monthly grocery run, there is adequate room. The back seats are leather-wrapped pads woven into the carpet that runs around the back of the cabin, so if you need more room, you can use them as extra storage without having to worry about damaging the leather.
Cargo, Comfort, and the Interior
Even though the i8 prioritizes design over utility, front-seat occupants won’t experience a tight fit. Due to the folding top taking up the space that the coupe’s jump seats occupied, the i8 roadster only has enough for two occupants. Power heated seats and leather accents are included as standard inside elements. There are no choices for heated seats, a power-adjustable steering wheel, or lumbar support in the passenger seat. As you might anticipate, the i8 has very little capacity for luggage and very little cubby area for the modern conveniences. Because there is no storage in the front trunk, unlike some mid-engined sports cars, the i8’s rear baggage area is long but shallow, and we were only able to fit one carry-on suitcase inside.
Is the BMW i8 a reliable vehicle?
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.
Is the BMW i8 being replaced?
BMW displayed the Vision M Next design concept, which most likely hinted at the following electric sports car.
Gran Turismo was the beginning of it all. Sean has always had a fascination with things that move thanks to his early PlayStation days. He worked as a freelancer for Motor Authority, The Car Connection, and Green Car Reports before joining the Roadshow team. Sean has a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and it does have Holden badges, in the garage.
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It’s probably best if we don’t discover more about the vehicle programs that were canceled as a result of the coronavirus epidemic because doing so simply fuels regrets about what might have been. But regrettably, it appears that the anticipated BMW i8 replacement is no longer an option.
As a result of the coronavirus forcing so many businesses to cut costs, BMW canceled the replacement, according to a story from Germany’s Manager Magazin in late April. Low-selling sports vehicles are never the wisest investments, and as the world frets over the future of the economy, a sports car probably elicited unfavorable responses within BMW. According to the article, the automaker ended the program primarily due to costs. Naturally, we have no way of knowing if this is the case, but it probably is.
The Vision M Next design study that BMW unveiled this summer gave us a potential sneak peek at the upcoming sports car. The crazy style appeared to be a beautiful step up from the already futuristic i8 and was wedgy, edgy, and cutting-edge. The vehicle had a turbocharged inline-four that produced 600 horsepower and could travel 62 miles on electricity alone, making it a powerful plug-in hybrid. The technology used, such as facial recognition to open the car, was characteristic of a concept from the future.
BMW declined to comment further on the rumors, emphasizing that the Vision M Next was “not a concept car for a specific model but a design study that was displayed at numerous motor shows last year.”
We’ll probably never find out what happened to the i8 replacement, though. We can find solace in the fact that there are a ton of other M models.