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.
In This Article...
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.
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).
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.
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
Key Figures
In 2021, BMW sold 18i8.
BMW sold 191i8 in 2020.
With a 90.58% YoY decline, they sold 173 more units in 2020 compared to 2021.
Price ranges for the 2020 BMW i8 range from $147,500 MSRP to $163,300 when fully equipped.
The 1.5-liter I-3 engine that powers the BMW i8 produces 228 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. The BMW i8 has a 6-speed automatic transmission.
the is 3,501 pounds at curb weight. 81.0 cubic feet of interior passenger space.
United States BMW i8 Below are sales statistics broken down by year, quarter, and month. including the most recent BMW i8 sales statistics. Compare the BMW i8 to the competition in the categories of cars, electric vehicles, and premium sport/performance vehicles.
Are BMW i8s still produced today?
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 is the value of an i8 BMW?
Priced at $164,295 is the 2020 i8 Roadster. However, both models are eligible for state and federal tax benefits, which is unusual for a supercar. For comparison, the Acura NSX, a coupe-only hybrid supercar, starts at just under $160,000. The Audi R8 is priced from about $170,000.