When an automobile is discontinued, the reason for the production halt is usually due to weak sales, which caused the BMW i8 to fail.
Being unique in the automobile industry isn’t necessarily a good thing, but BMW constructed this incredible hypercar to prove to the world that it could. It was capable of offering owners a magnificent drive, and that much is true. We can lament the loss of the i8, but at least it gave us a better idea of what we want from the BMW brand’s i-Division.
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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.
BMW will stop producing the i8, its ultra-futuristic sports car. This is how it became the most popular vehicle of its class.
- 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.
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.
Its first hybrid vehicle would have been the Alpina i8.
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.
Conclusion
Fortunately, we already know why BMW will discontinue making the BMW i8. According to its official website, the BMW i8’s manufacture was halted for other reasons than poor sales. BMW is concentrating on creating a number of new electric vehicles, such as the iX3 compact SUV, i4 saloon, and the iNext SUV SUV.
Additionally, BMW is developing a new electric vehicle called the i12 with unquestionably superior features to the i8. We’ll simply have to wait and see what kind of new vehicle BMW unveils; it’s expected to be far better than the i8.
BMW stopped producing the i8 when?
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.
Will BMW reintroduce the i8?
The pricing range for the 2024 BMW i8 M is anticipated to be between $165,000 and $180,000 when it is unveiled in 2023 and goes on sale later that year. Although the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 was not widely regarded as a huge success, it did exhibit all of BMW’s strengths in terms of driving and design.
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 trustworthy?
The BMW i8 was last manufactured in 2020, hence the model year 2020 would be the most recent. You’ll weigh your alternatives and select the one that best suits you.
But occasionally, you may count on a few difficulties. Most of its problems, including those listed above, can be avoided with routine servicing and maintenance.
What will take the place of i8?
Similar to the i8, the Vision M NEXT is a plug-in hybrid vehicle that blends electric and small-displacement gasoline power. With an electronic front axle and a supercharged four-cylinder engine, a total of 592 horsepower is produced. BMW claims it can reach 186 mph and accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in three seconds.
Is Tesla faster than the BMW i8?
Still, when measured in terms of 0-60 mph, Tesla annihilates the i8. It completes the dash in roughly 3.2 seconds as opposed to 4.2 seconds for the BMW. But the BMW is unquestionably superior in several areas.
What took place, 8?
In April 2020, BMW will stop making its plug-in hybrid i8 sports car. In a news statement from the automaker about new special models for the i8 and the all-electric i3, this information is slightly obscured.
According to the manufacturer, “The Ultimate Sophisto Edition will lead the world’s most popular plug-in hybrid sports vehicle along the finishing straight since its inception in 2014; production of the i8 will stop, as scheduled, in April 2020.” BMW, though, makes no comments regarding a potential replacement.
There is a chance that production may stop for nearly two years in 2022 because it is rumored that a new i8 will hit the market then. With more potent engines, it will still be a plug-in hybrid. The combustion engine will be raised to 250 kW, while the electric motor will be expanded to 150 kW. However, a 500 kW fully electric i8M is claimed to have been scrapped, according to a report in German media at the beginning of August; converting to a battery-electric powertrain would have required expensive adaptations.
The special i8 model, which comes in coupe and roadster body styles, is limited to 200 units and has a distinctive paint finish. For the first time, the accents are “E-Copper” in color. For this particular model, new 20-inch bicolor alloy wheels in black and E-Copper are also available. Additionally, the i8’s rear lights are now constructed of transparent glass.
The i3s in the RoadStyle variant has 20-inch rims as well, but they are narrower than usual for an i3. The double kidney inserts, the air control components in the front apron, and the accent surfaces of the side skirts are painted in E-Copper here as well, while the remainder of the car is painted in “Fluid Black.” The instrument panel is “dark matt oak,” while the “limited edition” of the i3’s interior, which only comes in less than 1,000 units, extends the “Suite” features with a special natural leather finish.