Since it was initially introduced, the BMW i8 has been attracting attention as a cutting-edge automobile. While some people are unsure, others think it will eventually become a classic car.
Thanks to its innovative technology and distinctive form, the BMW i8 will certainly become a classic vehicle in the future. However, it will take some time before it reaches that point and is unlikely to bring in any significant profits for investors in the near future.
But why was the i8 such a unique vehicle, and how might it fare as a long-term investment?
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The BMW i8 Is A Super Sports Car With Flaws
Despite the BMW i8’s devoted fan base, many people thought its business model was flawed. Some could argue that the BMW i8 was years ahead of its time and that the world market was just unprepared for such a cutting-edge vehicle. The car also suffered significant depreciation due to its high price tag of $150,000, which many people thought was excessive for a three-cylinder hybrid sports car.
Despite its shortcomings, the BMW i8 is a powerful sports car with cutting-edge technology, speed, and a striking look that will undoubtedly continue to catch people’s attention for many years to come. An upcoming Classic!
BMW i8
The BMW i8 is a peculiar vehicle. Although it seems to have been around for a very long time, its concept automobile looks have hardly changed at all.
Given how unique it is, this has the potential to become a classic. With electrification becoming the norm and BMW’s goal of demonstrating the coolness of hybrid performance cars having been accomplished, there is no actual need for the vehicle. Performance hybrids will merely be incorporated into the BMW lineup as a whole. Perhaps evidenced by the revelation that the i8’s successor has been scrapped.
This makes it a definite future classic, along with the reality that it’s doubtful a major manufacturer will ever create a vehicle with such outrageous look again.
Is the BMW i8 a vintage car?
Production has come to a conclusion, and the Bavarians will now work on other electrified projects. The i8 will continue to be remembered as one of the coolest and most intriguing BMWs ever, though. Without a doubt, the BMW i8 is a design landmark and future classic for the company as well as the entire industry.
Did the BMW i8 do well in sales?
- BMW will stop making its i8 hybrid sports car in April after six years of manufacturing.
- 2014 saw the introduction of the i8, and BMW went on to sell over 20,000 vehicles. The i8 is now the most well-known sports car of its class, according to BMW.
- With butterfly doors, 374 horsepower, 420 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-to-62-mph pace of 4.4 seconds, the i8 isn’t your standard hybrid.
- An i8 is still available right now. The starting price for the coupe model is $147,500, while the price for the convertible model is $163,300.
Most people associate hybrid vehicles with boring but practical commuter vehicles like the Toyota Prius. However, the BMW i8 served as evidence that even while plug-in hybrids sip gas rather than guzzle it, they do have a place among the envious.
And in April, after six years, its reign as the upcoming sports car will come to an end.
After months of rumors of the i8’s demise, BMW officially honored it last week. It is safe to assume that the decision has nothing to do with the coronavirus epidemic because a corporate spokesman confirmed the news when it first surfaced in January.
When the i8 production line does come to an end, it will be the end of the vehicle that helped many people understand what good fuel efficiency and performance—two things that were once mutually exclusive—look like when they work together. Given the availability of the Porsche 918, Ferrari LaFerrari, and McLaren P1, it wasn’t the only hybrid sports vehicle at the time, but it was more affordable—almost pedestrian—than the others.
Thus, since the i8’s release in 2014, BMW has sold more over 20,000 units, as opposed to the seven-figure P1’s production limit of 375 vehicles. According to BMW, this makes it the best-selling vehicle of its class.
The BMW i8 is a supercar, right?
Electric and hybrid vehicles were originally considered to be fairly plain and uninteresting. Then, a few of the most well-known and prosperous automakers in the world got engaged, assuring that the future of electric and hybrid vehicles was no longer depressingly dark. One of such producers was BMW, which unveiled the amazing i8 in 2014.
The BMW i8 is a futuristic sports automobile that is frequently referred to be a supercar, despite its eco-conscious character. Given its striking appearance, this is not surprising at all.
But ought to you purchase one? Does it live up to its appearance? Does it merit being referred to in the same sentence as a supercar? Discover our eight (get it, i-eight…) justifications for why it is a great deal on a “supercar” by reading on.
A BMW i8 draws attention, right?
When cruising around in a hot vehicle like a BMW i8, you should be prepared to attract a lot of attention. On the other hand, it is undoubtedly undesirable to receive an excessive amount of unfavorable attention, such as from the police. Even less appealing is drawing police notice as you prepare to drag race your expensive Mercedes against a Mercedes C3 AMG IPE and a Porsche 911 GT3. Thankfully, technology can be used to address practically any issue in the 21st century.
Before tearing up a quarter mile of pavement, take a look at how this stealthy BMW i8 makes its license plate instantly vanish.
Why did BMW discontinue 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.
How far is the range of a BMW i8?
The BMW i8 Coupe has a combined fuel economy rating of 149.8 mpg and CO2 emissions of 42 g/km. The official range of the electric vehicle is 34 miles, which represents an increase of 50% over the previous generation. These numbers are from the updated WLTP test, however they have also been connected to the NEDC “equivalent.”
The official combined fuel economy for PHEVs in NEDC testing and the new WLTP cycle, as regular readers of Green Car Guide reviews are aware, is meaningless because real-world economy will fully depend on how far you drive and what percentage of your journey is done on electric power.
We averaged 44.0 mpg on the 350-mile trip from Manchester to Birmingham to Bedford and back in the real-world test described above. That’s a commendable outcome for a vehicle like the i8 that is enjoyable to drive. We got 51.5 mpg on average overall. Of course, getting the official 150 mpg rating could be simple if you only drive locally and with electric power.
In eDrive mode, you can travel up to 75 mph on electric power. When the gasoline tank and batteries were both full, the i8 showed a range of 380 to 500 miles.
The i8 has to be plugged in to charge, just like any other plug-in vehicle. It is advised to use a home charger, while you may also use quick and rapid public chargers all throughout the UK.
Is Tesla faster than the BMW i8?
Still, when measured in terms of 0-60 mph, Tesla annihilates the i8. It completes the dash in roughly 3.2 seconds as opposed to 4.2 seconds for the BMW. But the BMW is unquestionably superior in several areas.
The i8 will it be replaced?
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.
How much does a BMW i8 need to be maintained?
The BMW M4 appears to be a fantastic alternative if you’re looking at sports vehicles. Sporty BMWs are particularly hard-hit by depreciation while having a starting price of $71,800. You should be aware of high repair expenses, just like with the other models on our list.
We’ll also look at Edmunds’ estimated price for a 2019 model to keep things consistent. A 2019 M4 will cost you about $8,038 in maintenance fees over the course of the first five years, according to Edmunds. You’ll supposedly wind up paying about $2,561 for repairs.
Consumer Reports states that the typical cost of replacing a fuel pump is $1,135. However, according to Consumer Reports, you’ll probably have to pay roughly $3,589 if you have an M4. It is also important to keep in mind that the M4 is a performance model and as such has numerous custom parts that are widely available and hence cannot be found for less.