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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Final sales figures for the hybrid coupe and roadster, the BMW i8
Last week saw the unveiling of the final 18 coupe and roadster versions for the BMW i8. As a result, the final production figures are now, pardon the pun, final. The progressive hybrid sportscar has a total of 20,465 units available on the market.
Since the BMW i8 Roadster was released later and at a greater price, it makes sense that the i8 Coupe is the more popular model. Before the production of the BMW Group’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid came to an end on June 11, 2020, with a Portimao Blue model, 16,581 BMW i8 Coupes were created in Leipzig. 2014’s first week of March saw the launch of the i8 Coupe.
The two-seater BMW i8 Roadster is far more exclusive than the four-seater coupe with its two “emergency seats” in the back, having sold 3,884 units since summer 2018.
The BMW i8 initially had 362 horsepower, but 374 horsepower was added in the summer of 2018. The BMW i8 Roadster has only ever been produced in the more potent variant. The electric motor was “tuned” in order to boost power output. A 40 to 50+ kilometer electric range was available with the BMW i8 facelift.
The final 18 BMW i8 cars were painted with a specific color that was brand-new for the i8. As a result, this assignment presented a lot of difficulties because the paint shop had to be altered to meet these requirements. The cars were essentially hand painted in order to address these problems.
These final 18 vehicles were each developed in close consultation with the persons who would eventually acquire them in order to produce really unique combinations. More information about these vehicles is available here.
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.
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.
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.
What makes the BMW i8 unique?
The BMW i8 offers sports car acceleration thanks to the 320 Nm of the combustion engine and the 250 Nm of the electric powertrain. The hybrid sports car can also go up to about 75 mph (120 km/h) in electric mode, which is a locally emission-free mode, if desired.
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.
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.