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.
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BMW ends production of the i8 super hybrid permanently.
On Thursday, the final i8 to be produced rolled out of the Leipzig BMW facility. Actually, the PHEV’s manufacturing was scheduled to stop in the middle of April. However, because of the factory’s closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, manufacturing was delayed until June.
Since manufacturing on the i8 began six years ago, exactly 20,448 vehicles have been sent from the factory. According to a press release from BMW, the final vehicle was an i8 Roadster in “Portimao Blue” and it was sold to a buyer in Germany.
The i8 was the first plug-in hybrid vehicle in the whole BMW Group when it made its debut in 2014. The hybrid sports car was never successful outside of its specialized market due to its intricate carbon body and six-figure base price. The i8 “embodies the departure into electric mobility like no other car,” according to Hans-Peter Kemser, head of the BMW plant in Leipzig. The model served as the inspiration for the current variety of plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Currently, one shift of production for the Leipzig-based BMW i3 produces 116 units per day. Hans-Peter Kemser, the plant manager, claims that if demand for e-cars in Germany increases, production of the i3 might be expanded to two shifts and thus boosted to 250 units per day.
There won’t be a straight replacement for the i8. In the interim, there have been rumors that the 2019 Vision M Next concept car may be produced in large quantities. The BMW board of directors reportedly decided against the 441 kW sports car, also against the backdrop of the Corona crisis, primarily due to “costs and the volume,” according to media reports. However, the hybrid sports car (this time with a four-cylinder petrol engine instead of the three-cylinder in the i8) did not get beyond the planning stage.
2014 Pebble Beach featured the BMW i8 Frozen Grey and the BMW Vision Future Luxury Concept.
The BMW i8 was a breath of fresh air at a time when most people connected hybrid automobiles with models like the Toyota Prius. Six years later, it still looks just as magnificent as the day we first saw it.
Hans-Peter Kemser, Director of the BMW Leipzig Plant “The BMW i8 is a distinctive car that was made by distinctive workers. The BMW Group has competence in lightweight construction that is unmatched in the automotive industry thanks to the experience gained here at the Leipzig plant.
Leipzig cannot exist without the BMW i8. The i8 is a brand representative for both our facility and the BMW Group. throughout the previous six years. in the future as well.”
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).
It’s the final BMW i8.
BMW revealed last Friday that it has completed manufacturing of the final i8 at the car’s Leipzig assembly plant, two months later than anticipated. The 20,500th i8 built, a Roadster with Portimao Blue color, was sold to a private owner in Germany.
The 2011 concept version of the BMW i8 marked a significant advancement in the company’s design philosophy. It was one of the most ambitious production vehicles in the history of the firm, including futuristic styling, a mid-engine design, and swing-up butterfly doors. The i8 also cleared the way for BMW’s hybridization and electrification aspirations along with its hatchback brother, the i3. It marked the beginning of a new era in propulsion for the company with a plug-in hybrid system connected to its 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-three cylinder engine. It stood out from the competitors because to features like an electric motor to drive the front wheels and a carbon fiber-reinforced plastic chassis.
The BMW i8 was designed to introduce the I electric car sub-brand when it first entered showrooms. The business unveiled plans for two more i-branded vehicles over its lifecycle: the iX3 crossover, which will go into production this summer, and the i4 sedan, which hasn’t been seen in production form yet.
It’s difficult to predict whether BMW will switch out the i8 for another cutting-edge sports car. With intentions to bring it into production, the business unveiled the Vision M Next (above), a daring design with comparable dimensions and swing-up doors, in 2019. But according to reports from earlier this year, the project has been put on hold because of issues related to the coronavirus. Simply wait and see if BMW has any long-term plans for the nameplate.
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WHO MAKES THE BMW i8?
Actually, the PHEV’s manufacturing was scheduled to stop in the middle of April. However, because of the factory’s closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, manufacturing was delayed until June. Since manufacturing of the i8 began six years ago, exactly 20,448 units have left the factory.
The BMW i8 is it being produced?
An i8 Roadster in Portimao Blue served as the last car built. In the course of the six-year production cycle, BMW produced about 20,500 units.
A BMW i8 is from what country?
EV Performance, Power, and Motor The i8 from BMW has just one available powerplant. It couples a 1.5-liter three-cylinder gas engine with two electric motors and an 11.6-kWh battery pack.
What caused BMW to halt i8 production?
The BMW i8 is no more. After just six years, BMW is discontinuing the i8 sports variant. The first plug-in hybrid model from German carmaker, the i8, was shown at the Frankfurt auto show in 2013 and made its debut on the American market in 2014.
Why did BMW discontinue the i8?
The BMW i8 has reached its end. Following a brief six-year life, BMW is discontinuing its i8 sports variant. The German automaker’s first plug-in hybrid model, the i8, was originally unveiled in production form at the Frankfurt car show in 2013 and had its American market debut in 2014.
Which BMWs are produced in the United States?
BMW is produced in five separate nations. BMW has production plants in Germany, Mexico, China, South Africa, and the United States.
How much does a BMW i8 cost to insure?
As a daily driver, the i8 really shines. Comfortable seats, good visibility, and ease of traffic maneuverability are all present. It may throw you around a little on a rough road, but it won’t ruin your trip. The doors are not too bad in terms of quality.
Can you operate a BMW i8 every day?
Although you can plug in the i8 to fully charge the battery, if you drive in EV mode and completely drain the battery, you can recharge it while you’re on the road. This is especially noticeable in Sport mode.
How quickly does the BMW i8 reach 60 mph?
- On the driver’s side door, push the button to open the fuel door.
- Look at the dashboard to see the message “Preparing To Refuel.”
- If this process doesn’t finish on its own after 30 seconds, wait some more.
- The car’s trunk should be opened.
- the vehicle’s passengers side access panel should be removed.
How is a BMW i8 refueled?
A typical BMW i8 insurance quote is $2,810 annually, vs $1,428 for the typical automobile type. Depending on the provider, the cost of BMW i8 insurance might vary by as much as $2,192 annually. Depending on the model year, BMW i8 insurance costs can vary by up to $562.
How long does a battery in a BMW i8 last?
You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered if a BMW is a foreign vehicle. Bavarian Motoren Werke is referred to as BMW. Since its founding many years ago, BMW has been a German-owned enterprise.
Can the BMW i8 just operate on gas?
In general, hybrid batteries have a lifespan of 6 to 10 years. There are anomalies in both ways, and warranties frequently provide coverage when products don’t live up to expectations. Although the batteries cannot be serviced by the average customer, it does provide warning signs that a repair or replacement may be forthcoming.