Both a soft-top convertible and coupe version of the 2019 BMW i8 are offered. While the i8 Roadster substitutes the roof mechanism for the seats, the i8 Coupe has 2+2 seating. The plug-in hybrid powertrain in both vehicles delivers a total of 369 horsepower.
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EV Performance, Power, and Motor
The i8 from BMW has just one available powerplant. A 1.5-liter, three-cylinder turbocharged gas engine is coupled with an 11.6-kWh battery and two electric motors in this vehicle. With their combined 369 horsepower, the trio of engines can move all four wheels. But it’s not the quickest supercar around: In 4.1 seconds, the 2019 i8 roadster we tested could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph. The same mild steering we’ve questioned in many recent BMWs is present in the i8. More feedback is preferred, especially in a vehicle designed with sporting purposes. Surprisingly, the ride is smooth, and road imperfections are felt but never sharply.
Roadster performance, braking, and handling of the BMW i8 convertible
The BMW i8 Roadster inherits BMW engineering’s advantages of light weight and low center of gravity. The distinctive, aerodynamic BMW i8 concept LifeDrive module combines the Life module’s carbon-fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) casing with the Drive module’s lightweight aluminum construction. The special Drive module generates the passenger cell from carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, while the Life module provides the Powertrain, suspension, high-voltage battery, and crash system (CFRP).
The hybrid BMW i8 Convertible Roadster is loaded with performance-focused handling and braking features. The i8 Roadster’s all-wheel drive is combined with hybrid-specific Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Brake Fade Compensation, Start-Off Assistant, Electromechanical Parking Brake, Brake Drying, and Brake Stand-by features as well as Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), and Dynamic Damper Control (linked with Dynamic Driving Control). High-performance, 4-wheel cross-drilled, ventilated 13-inch disc brakes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Dynamic Brake Control (DBC), and Cornering Brake Control are featured in the BMW i8 Roadster’s design, which also has a 5-link rear suspension (CBC).
Used BMW i8 Convertibles from the best local dealers can be tested out at home.
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When I photographed the BMW i8 during our weekend review road trip three years ago, one of the things I enjoyed the most about it was how out of place it appeared. However, the hybrid sports car’s design attracted so many sideways glances, started so many talks, and at the time felt so avant-garde that, if I had been given $150,000, I would have doubted ever having one.
But this week at the LA Auto Show, BMW updated the i8 significantly for the first time since it was introduced and divided it into two variants. Despite a more modern color scheme, the new i8 Coupe mostly retains its previous appearance. But the new i8 Roadster convertible is what attracted my attention right away.
The two rear “seats” found on the Coupe and the original i8 were completely eliminated to make room for the new roof, which BMW claims opens or closes in about 15 seconds. In my opinion, this was a totally fair tradeoff because they were so small that even a toddler would have had trouble fitting in them.
The new soft-top roof has something about it that makes the rear pillars of the car considerably more noticeable than they ever were. And that, in my opinion, is positive. I like the flowing, futuristic look of the original, but the new Roadster has a more aesthetically up-to-date appearance thanks to the way those forms cleave off suddenly. Additionally, I believe it still somewhat resembles the nearly $2 million Porsche 918 Spyder, at least from the back.
According to BMW, the new Coupe and Roadster are nearly identical in size, with the former being two millimeters taller than the latter. But for some reason, I find the i8 Roadster’s overall design to be more streamlined and finished because of the drop top. However, it weighs around 132 pounds (60 kg) more.
Regardless of the new i8 you select, they will both provide a slight performance improvement over the old. BMW claims that the new i8s produce 17 more horsepower than their predecessor—exactly 374 hp.
According to BMW, the improvements in the new model result from the electric motor’s increased output as well as the battery’s increased capacity. This combination should increase the all-electric range by around 10 miles to a total of 33 miles. In terms of performance car specifications, it’s still a minor improvement that, when written down, seems more like a rounding error than a noteworthy advancement.
It’s unfortunate that the rest of these new i8s are almost identical. The half-menacing appearance of the front end has not changed, while the central console, screens, and knobs on the interior are all original.
The question is, will anyone give a damn once they’re in the driver’s seat? Most likely not. Due to how well the nimble onboard electric motor and 3-cylinder engine coordinate, I always found the old i8 to be a lot of fun to drive. And it won’t be the first thing on my thoughts if and when I get into the new Roadster’s driver’s seat. Of course, neither the precise release date nor the price of the new i8s have been disclosed by BMW.
BMW i8
BMW created the plug-in hybrid sports automobile known as the BMW i8. The i8 was marketed under the BMW I subbrand and was a member of BMW’s electrified lineup. The BMW i8 production model debuted at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show and went on sale in Germany in June 2014. In August 2014, deliveries to retail consumers in the US started. In May 2018, a roadster variation was released. June 2020 marked the end of production.
The 2015 BMW i8 featured an electronically regulated peak speed of 250 km/h and could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.4 seconds (155 mph). A 7.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack allowed the 2015 model year i8 to have an all-electric range of 37 kilometers (23 miles) on the New European Driving Cycle. The range in EV mode was 24 km when tested using the U.S. EPA cycle (15 mi). In 2018, BMW upped the battery capacity of the i8 Roadster and Coupe to 11.6 kWh, extending the NEDC electric range to 55 km (34 mi) for the coupe and 53 km (33 mi) for the roadster.
Under the NEDC test, the BMW i8 coupe’s fuel economy was 2.1 L/100 km (134.5 mpg-imp; 112.0 mpg-US), with carbon emissions of 49 g/km. The i8’s combined fuel efficiency was assessed by the EPA at 76 MPGe (3.1 L gasoline-equivalent/100 km; 91 mpg-imp gasoline-equivalent) and 29 miles per gallon (6.7 L/100 km) while it was operating in pure gasoline mode.
The BMW i8 became the most popular plug-in electric sports car in the world by March 2020, with global sales of all variants topping 20,000 units, outpacing the combined sales of all rivals in its sector.
The i8 coupe is a convertible, right?
The BMW i8 Roadster, which was introduced in 2018, was futuristic down to the last component. For maximum impact, its imposing lightweight carbon-fibre dihedral doors were ideally paired with the unique all-electric soft top (convertible) roof. The full length of the black belt, which had a characteristic V form, highlighted the car’s alluring low-hung design. The new Carpo interior trim, which is available in Ivory White/Black and could be applied to many different surfaces, was one of the vehicle’s standout design elements.
What is the price of the BMW i8 convertible?
The MSRP for the 2019 BMW i8 Roadster in the US is $163,300. Starting in the spring of 2018, the US market will have the convertible i8 variant. The price is exclusive of taxes, destination fees, and handling costs.
BMW produces convertibles, right?
For those seeking a luxury compact coupe, convertible, or 4-door that is similar to the 3 Series but has more funk, there is the 2022 BMW 4 Series.
Is the BMW i8 being replaced?
BMW displayed the Vision M Next design concept, which most likely hinted at the following electric sports car.
Gran Turismo was the beginning of it all. Sean has always had a fascination with things that move thanks to his early PlayStation days. He worked as a freelancer for Motor Authority, The Car Connection, and Green Car Reports before joining the Roadshow team. Sean has a 2016 Chevrolet SS, and it does have Holden badges, in the garage.
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It’s probably best if we don’t discover more about the vehicle programs that were canceled as a result of the coronavirus epidemic because doing so simply fuels regrets about what might have been. But regrettably, it appears that the anticipated BMW i8 replacement is no longer an option.
As a result of the coronavirus forcing so many businesses to cut costs, BMW canceled the replacement, according to a story from Germany’s Manager Magazin in late April. Low-selling sports vehicles are never the wisest investments, and as the world frets over the future of the economy, a sports car probably elicited unfavorable responses within BMW. According to the article, the automaker ended the program primarily due to costs. Naturally, we have no way of knowing if this is the case, but it probably is.
The Vision M Next design study that BMW unveiled this summer gave us a potential sneak peek at the upcoming sports car. The crazy style appeared to be a beautiful step up from the already futuristic i8 and was wedgy, edgy, and cutting-edge. The vehicle had a turbocharged inline-four that produced 600 horsepower and could travel 62 miles on electricity alone, making it a powerful plug-in hybrid. The technology used, such as facial recognition to open the car, was characteristic of a concept from the future.
BMW declined to comment further on the rumors, emphasizing that the Vision M Next was “not a concept car for a specific model but a design study that was displayed at numerous motor shows last year.”
We’ll probably never find out what happened to the i8 replacement, though. We can find solace in the fact that there are a ton of other M models.
The i8 Roadster can it be converted?
The i8 Roadster’s major technological advancement, aside from the battery cell advancements (see above), is the structural adjustment that was done to the vehicle to convert it from a coupe to a convertible.
BMW engineers literally ripped off the roof of an i8 coupe because the i8 was never intended to be an open-top vehicle. They started a development program to bring the car to market once the carbon tub stopped flopping around like a teenager without access to free Wi-Fi, but this wasn’t without its difficulties.
Even though the roof piece reduced most of the carbon tub’s rigidity, BMW nonetheless placed a plate to the underside of the tub to position all four corners as firmly as possible. A few more layers of carbon fiber have been added rather than adding steel to the hollow chambers of the A-pillars and windscreen header rail in order to strengthen them.
The butterfly doors are one of the few completely new components, along with the fabric top, and is a feature that neither BMW’s clients nor BMW would consider giving up. Although they don’t appear to have changed much, new doors and hinges have been installed to account for the new roof configuration.
Additionally, engineers found that when the roof was down, warm air from the radiators up front would drift into the cabin. As a result, the nose vents were blocked, and the warm air was channeled into the wheel arches. A new splitter under the front bumper was used to address the aerodynamic problems the fix caused.
Due to weight, complexity, and space constraints, a metal opening number like that on the BMW 4-series was never explored for the roof. The only option was a cloth thing that operated electrically because customers didn’t want a lift-out targa-style panel. As a result, the back seats have been removed, and a 100-liter storage cubby has been added, maintaining some usefulness. The front of the roof has a composite panel put by BMW engineers between the layers of fabric to prevent the roof material from “ballooning” while the hood is up and the car is moving at a reasonable pace.