After just six years, BMW is discontinuing the i8 sports variant.
The i8, the first plug-in hybrid model from German carmaker, was unveiled in production form at the Frankfurt auto show in 2013 and had its American debut in 2014.
The model did experience a 43% boost in sales last year on the big U.S. market, reaching 1,102 units. In Canada, where the i8 increased from a meager 18 units sold in 2018 to 264 last year, the growth was much more pronounced.
In order to focus on creating and releasing a number of new electric cars as part of its ambitious aim to market 25 electrified models by 2023, BMW is putting the i8 on hold.
The iNext SUV’s manufacturing is anticipated to start in the middle of 2021. The i4 sedan follows, with development expected to begin at the end of the same year. Following the cancellation of the Geneva Motor Show, this month saw the virtual debut of the latter model.
According to the European testing cycle, the i4 car and the iNext SUV should each have a range of about 600 km, which translates to 450–500 km in North America.
In This Article...
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.
Has the BMW i8 been canceled?
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 doesn’t intend to create a precursor, but it will soon broaden its selection of hybrid vehicles, opening the door for Alpina to someday enter this market.
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.
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.
How recent is the BMW i8?
The i8 Coupe (and the newer Roadster) are finishing their product life cycles with the 2020 model year, six years after its market debut. Both all-wheel-drive variants are propelled by a hybrid 1.5-liter three-cylinder gas engine with 228 horsepower and a hybrid synchronous electric motor from BMW. While the electric motor drives the front wheels with a two-speed automatic gearbox, the power from the engine is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. In the end, a hybrid-specific AWD system is produced. In comparison to the i8 Roadster, the i8 Coupe can reach 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds. The top speed of both variants is 250 km/h. For the i8 Coupe and i8 Roadster, the electric range is 55 km and 53 km, respectively. The aerodynamically enhanced bodywork of the two-seat Roadster has model-specific gullwing doors and a soft-top roof. The open sky or an all-season fabric soft top with enhanced soundproofing are both options for passengers inside. While the car is moving at up to 50 km/h, the electrically controlled convertible top opens and closes in less than 16 seconds.
What is a replacement for a BMW i8?
The successor to the i8 may borrow design elements from the M1, and we anticipate that it will go on sale in 2023 for about $160,000. The performance of the new BMW i8 hybrid sports car will be prioritized more. A potent plug-in hybrid powertrain with up to 600 horsepower will be used.
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.
BMW i8 is it electric?
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.
How trustworthy is the BMW i8?
i8 BMW’s dependability BMW placed 27th overall in the 2020 edition (down two spots from 25th in 2019), with 20.4% of owners reporting one or more problems within the first year of ownership.
Can the BMW i8 just operate on gas?
As a result, the BMW i8 can be operated normally, economically, with gasoline, with batteries, or with both. The i8 is near-silent and incredibly smooth when running on electricity, and it has front-wheel drive.