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 (75 mph). 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 (155 mph).
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.
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During its lifespan, BMW produced about 20,500 units of the i8.
BMW i8 production is over, but the Germans made sure the hybrid sports vehicle made a statement by painting each of the remaining 18 units in a distinctive shade. These were colors that had never been used on the car during its entire manufacture run.
BMW claimed that producing 18 vehicles in a row in a unique color presented a hurdle. It required technicians to manually paint them. To obtain some components in the specific shade, the organization had to liaise with vendors.
BMW i8 U.S. & Canadian Auto Sales
Here are the BMW i8’s annual and monthly sales data for the United States. We can all agree that electric vehicles are the way of the future, and BMW is making every effort to lead this historic market transition. The BMW Group has the widest selection of electric vehicles of any manufacturer, offering a total of seven under the BMW and Mini brands. The “i-series” is a sub-brand of BMW that it uses for independent-standing automobiles (vs being part of the traditional 3, 5, 7 series model ranges). The BMW i3 and BMW i8 are the two models that BMW currently offers.
Don’t forget to look at the monthly Auto Sales By Brand post’s BMW Group Sales Reports and comparisons of the BMW brand to all other brands. Check out the monthly Premium Sporty Car Sales charts to compare the BMW i8 to its competitors. Additionally, you can find specific BMW-related sales reports here: BMW Brand, 1-Series, 2-Series, 3-Series, 4-Series, 5-Series, 6-Series, 7-Series, Z4 and Z8, as well as the i-Series, i3 and i8, as well as the X1, X3, X4, X5, and X6
BMWi8 (I12)
The BMW i8 wasn’t really a sports car, more of a showpiece. Its unveiling astounded the world due to its tiny internal combustion engine, which could propel a car from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in just 4.4 seconds and up to 250 kph (155 mph). But the vehicle itself was an engineering triumph.
The 2+2 coupe’s sleek, aerodynamic vehicle was a plug-in hybrid. when auto manufacturers were launched it
Production of the BMW i8 will end in April.
BMW has confirmed that the i8 plug-in hybrid sports vehicle will no longer be produced starting next month, nearly six years after it was first prominently featured in the portfolio of the German automaker.
Following a decision to concentrate technical efforts on building a new line of electric cars, including the iX3 CUV, i4 sedan, and iNext SUV, BMW’s Leipzig plant in Germany will stop producing the Porsche 911 rival in mid-April. Within the next five years, an electric sports car based on the Vision M Next concept from last year is also anticipated.
Since it debuted in 2014 as a coupe, the first model to represent BMW’s I sub-brand has sold more over 20,000 units globally. In 2018, the model received a facelift, and the open-top i8 roadster model was introduced to the roster. Data from Wards Intelligence shows that there were 6,776 delivery in the United States.
The i8 debuted on sale in 2014 as the high-performance flagship of BMW’s then-new I division, positioned in the lineup above the i3 hatchback. It was first unveiled as a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid concept at the 2009 Frankfurt car show.
The i8 has led the way for an expanding lineup of plug-in hybrid BMW models during its six years on the market and also helped pioneer carbon-fiber construction techniques that have since been incorporated into various parts of other, more traditional BMW models, such as the Carbon Core body structure of the most recent 7-Series.
Throughout its entire manufacturing run, the futuristic-looking sports car was only offered with one available powertrain: a front-mounted electric motor coupled to a 1.5L gasoline 3-cylinder engine situated in the middle. Although output was increased from 357 horsepower to 369 hp during the 2018 refresh, performance metrics have essentially remained the same.
BMW has announced that after a limited run of 200 Ultimate Sophisto Edition vehicles, i8 manufacture will terminate. Although BMW acknowledges the 20,000th i8 was created in December as part of the creation of the Ultimate Sophisto Edition, exact production numbers have not been disclosed.
This puts it much ahead of other BMW sports cars in terms of output; the M1, which debuted in 1978, had output of 399 units, and the Z8, which debuted in 2000, had an output cap of 5,000 units.
According to Wards Intelligence data, the i8 sold 555 units nationwide in 2014, 2,265 units in 2015, 1,594 units in 2016, 488 units in 2017, 772 units in 2018, 1,102 units in 2019, and 122 units through the first two months of 2020.
Although they imply it may be reincarnated as an electric competitor to the second-generation Tesla Roadster and a battery-electric successor to the Audi R8, BMW officials have told Wards that a final decision on what direction an i8 replacement could take has not yet been taken.
They also imply that BMW is pursuing a race-to-road strategy for upcoming electrified sports cars in an effort to establish a connection between the manufacturer’s participation in Formula E racing and upcoming i-division road vehicles under construction.
The achievement of 20,000 sports hybrid plug-in vehicles is impressive.
The 20,000th BMW i8 plug-in hybrid, one of the last of the i8 Ultimate Sophisto, was built by BMW in Leipzig this month (limited edition of 200 units).
The most popular plug-in hybrid sports car in the world, according to the German manufacturer, is the i8. The i8’s manufacture will finish in April 2020 after several years (since 2014).
What does the I in the BMW i8 stand for?
Born Electric served as the tagline for the 2011 launch of the BMW I brand. The letter I which once stood for injection in BMW’s gasoline and diesel engines, is now used to represent the future of mobility. A comprehensive approach to sustainable mobility is embodied by the BMW i. BMW considers not only the final product but also the manufacturing process, which now makes use of 100% green energy, renewable and recycled materials, and digital services while using 70% less water.
The first vehicle in the I Series was the BMW i3, which was introduced in 2014. Due to the combination of aluminum and carbon fiber, the i3 is an eco-friendly electric vehicle for city driving that isn’t any heavier than a regular vehicle. comprising a synchronous electric motor with a single gear and utilizing a 94Ah lithium-ion high-voltage battery (33kWh). It has 170 horsepower, enabling a 0-62 mph time of 7.3 seconds, but it also has a 186-mile range.
Eighty percent of all surfaces visible to front passengers on the i3 are constructed of recyclable or renewable materials, making it a showcase for environmentally friendly products. When it comes to resources, BMW I is also thinking along those lines; starting in 2021, its electric motors will utilize two-thirds less cobalt and no rare earths. One of the most popular high-end electric vehicles in Europe is the BMW i3.
Are BMW i8 vehicles still being made?
The quirky hybrid sports car from BMW has now reached its end of manufacturing, six years after it first appeared on our roads. The remaining 18 vehicles have been given special paint jobs designed by their owners to commemorate the milestone.
The i8 was the first of its type, including cutting-edge lightweight materials, a cutting-edge hybrid powertrain, and a look you’d expect to see on a concept car. It was unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. Although its overall performance wasn’t its strongest suit, the nearly 20,000 units it sold over its career prove that it was a welcome addition to the sports car market.
The final examples, which range from Austin Yellow, which was initially spotted on the M4, to British Racing Green and Le Mans Blue, are undoubtedly stunning to behold. The degree of customization in these cars presented some significant logistical and process obstacles, but our I manufacturing unit has once again shown that nothing is impossible, according to plant director Hans-Peter Kemser.
Several components had to be hand-painted to provide a good finish due to the uniqueness of some of the specified colours. Kemser continued, “Yet again, we have demonstrated our capacity to fulfill the highly exacting standards and personal requirements of our customers with exceptional skills and one-of-a-kind solutions. We should all be extremely proud of the fact that the BMW i8 production is coming to an end with such a grand finale.
The hybrid sports car’s production is coming to an end just ahead of BMW’s all-electric effort, which is anticipated to be spearheaded by the i4 saloon that was unveiled in concept form earlier this year.
At the company’s Leipzig facility, the last i8s were handed over to their owners last week.
BMW i8: A 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.