Some expensive cars have a low resale value for unexplained reasons. Whether it’s a BMW, Audi, or Mercedes-Benz, after a few years, some of these companies’ new models may be found for a much less money on the used car market.
The i8 is now the BMW model that has been most negatively impacted by devaluation. The price of a brand-new i8 at the starting level, after taxes and dealer fees, is about $145,000. The automobile is therefore unquestionably pricey. But just a few years later, the cost is less than half of what it was originally. Between $70,000 and $80,000 will get you a 2015 or 2016 model with fewer than 30,000 miles on it. Given the high resale value of manufacturers like Toyota, Honda, Jeep, and Porsche, such a sharp decline is unexpected.
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Depreciation of BMW
Since the BMW I8’s first release in 2014, its value has already decreased significantly. This spaceship-like hybrid may now be purchased used or in good condition for about $60,000 to $90,000, down from its original price of approximately $160,000. We are not surprised that the automobile lost so much worth; after all, it is a BMW, and in a few years, the cars will have aged sufficiently to have lost a sizable amount of value. BMW is one of the consumer car brands that depreciates the fastest and most dramatically on the market as a whole due to its high cost of ownership, dubious reliability, and expensive maintenance.
Large MSRP
The i8’s MSRP sticker price in its final years of production was $148,495 for the Coupe and $164,295 for the Roadster, which was almost as much as an Audi R8 V10 or a 911 GT3. You can see why people thought they got a better deal somewhere else. The BMW i8 was, however, so much more than the sum of its parts.
A carbon fiber monocoque chassis, similar to what you’d find in a McLaren costing twice as much, was hidden beneath its gorgeous polymer exterior. Even though it only had a 1.5 liter, three-cylinder turbocharged engine that was taken from a MINI, it was pushed to almost its breaking point and coupled with an electric motor to drive the rear wheels using a six-speed automatic transmission. The front wheels were then driven by a second electric motor using the previously mentioned two-speed transmission.
The i8 was all-wheel drive despite having no mechanical parts connecting the two axles. This was made possible by excellent software calibration between the two very distinct powertrains that operated the two separate axles. While a few cars can currently do it, almost ten years ago it was magic.
It is therefore astounding that you can purchase a good BMW i8 for less than $75,000. Consider this: for roughly $70,000, you can either get a brand-new BMW M4 or a supercar with a mid-engine plug-in hybrid design that resembles a spacecraft. Is the M4 a better car to drive? Yes. In ten years, will it still be cool? Virtually probably not.
We Would Never Purchase One: The Depreciation, 5/10
The i8 is regrettably one of those sports vehicles that is rapidly losing value. When you add some options to the base model, which was over $135,000 when it was brand-new, you end up with a car that costs over $145,000. Additionally, the base price of the roadster is $163,000 with no options.
Of course, purchasing a used i8 offers excellent value. There are a few available today that cost between $55,000 and $60,000.
Is the BMW i8 pricey?
Affordable is a relative term, but because this car is up to 8 years old, it may be purchased for a much lower cost.
Depending on mileage, a late 2019 model will typically cost you approximately $100,000, but if you’re prepared to settle for an early 2014 or 2015 model, you can purchase an i8 for as little as $55,000, saving you $80,000 off the initial minimum retail price.
You still get the advanced aerodynamics, carbon fiber exterior, butterfly doors, and laser lighting for an early model.
Once you get past the appearance, the drivetrain—which has a 130 horsepower electric motor and 184 pound-feet of torque—and a 230 horsepower, three-cylinder, gasoline engine with 236 pound-feet of torque combine to provide a respectable 360 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque.
With the electric motor driving the front and the gasoline motor driving the back, this effectively had all-wheel drive. The entire configuration allowed for a 4.4-second 0-60 mph pace and more over 100 mpg combined.
Why did BMW stop producing the i8?
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.
Are BMW i8 vehicles dependable?
i8 BMW’s dependability BMW placed 27th overall in the 2020 edition (down two spots from 25th in 2019), with 20.4% of owners reporting one or more problems within the first year of ownership.
Who would purchase an i8?
The i8 achieves excellent MPG since it is a sportier version of the Prius. With just energy, it can travel over 20 miles, giving you an MPG of 35 to 40. That’s fairly decent, considering how attractive the car is. It is cozy as well, more so than a Grand Tourer.
The I8 is much more useful because it has four seats as well. Even though the seats are not the largest, they can accommodate two children, making it ideal for transporting youngsters to school.
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 is the top speed of the BMW i8?
The i8 has a top speed of 155 mph and can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in under 4.4 seconds (like most BMWs). As a result, its straight-line performance is comparable to that of a genuine BMW M vehicle.
The i8’s engine, which BMW expertly designed, is responsible for the power. Unbelievably, the 1.5-liter, three-cylinder MINI Cooper served as the engine’s source. However, it has been altered to provide more naughtiness, producing 231 horsepower while receiving an additional 143 horsepower from an electric motor. The i8 is by no means slow thanks to the innovative hybrid configuration.
As a result, the i8 not only has a sharp appearance but also has the ability to move quickly when necessary, and since it is a BMW, the driving experience is also rather good.
Can you operate a BMW i8 every day?
When choosing a vehicle for your daily commute, we typically look at dependable and affordable solutions that are dependable and functional, and maybe even a little bit opulent. Unexpectedly, the BMW I8 is a contender for a daily vehicle, and it is a surprisingly good choice.
Is the i8 worth purchasing?
The BMW i8 has no significant competitors because the company put all of its effort into developing it. The i8 is a highly sought-after vehicle due to the engineering that went into its creation, the way it drives, the available performance, and the low fuel consumption. The i8 is one of the most technologically advanced vehicles to ever on the road, despite the fact that it is rather expensive. Although the i8 is pricey to purchase, operating costs are acceptable given the performance. It is also demonstrating its dependability, with only a small number of serious flaws revealed.
BMW is known for producing no-compromise automobiles, but many questioned if the German company would ever put anything so outrageous into production when it debuted the i8 concept in 2011.
But only three years later did we see the i8 Coupe, which resembled that demonstration car very little. The i8 was quintessentially BMW with its futuristic look, cutting-edge technology, and spectacular handling, yet this was a vehicle with economy at its core.
To do this, a twin-turbo 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine tuned to produce 228 horsepower provided the majority of the power. The front wheels were propelled by a 129 horsepower electric motor, while the rear wheels were propelled by this. The end result was 357bhp with official fuel economy of more than 100mpg and CO2 emissions of just 49g/km. incredibly impressive
An i8 is it a supercar?
The BMW i8 is a cutting-edge supercar that shows hybrid vehicles don’t have to be dull. In order to give serious performance, a potent turbocharged petrol engine and a cutting-edge electric motor team up, plus some look-at-me style ensures that you’ll stand out wherever from Kensington High Street to a Green Party convention.
The i8 initially went on sale in 2014, but in 2018 it gained an upgraded electric powertrain and increased electric range. Even with the upward-hinging doors splayed wide open, the BMW’s outrageous appearance still looks more dramatic than cars like the Honda NSX and Audi R8.
Although the cabin is less theatrical, it nevertheless features a sophisticated minimalist design with plenty of soft materials and a digital driver’s display as standard instead of traditional dials.
The BMW i8 has four seats, which is unusual for supercars and helps to make it surprisingly simple to live with. The 154-liter boot may not have enough room for a set of golf clubs, but it is larger than the Audi’s load bay, and the front seats in the BMW provide plenty of room for taller passengers to sit comfortably.
The i8 is one of the quietest and greenest supercars available, but it’s definitely not a car for wimps – just look at those ridiculous doors!
The i8 is also more enjoyable to drive than the majority of conventional supercars, in part due to its unnervingly silent electric motor and reassuringly plush suspension. Driving in the city isn’t particularly challenging because of the reasonable visibility and the lack of bothersome wind or tyre noise at freeway speeds.
But when you switch to sport mode, things get a little rowdier. The i8’s speakers broadcast synthetic engine noises into the cabin as the three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine whirrs to life. The BMW i8 will sprint from 0-62mph in a still-pretty-blooming-exciting 4.4 seconds thanks to the quick shove from its electric powertrain, albeit it’s not quite as thrilling as hearing a 5.2-liter V10 screaming away behind you as in a R8. That outruns a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 in speed.
The i8’s extensive use of lightweight carbon fiber maximizes its electric-only range while also making it as maneuverable as feasible on a winding country road. You can travel up to 75 mph for about 30 miles and practically silently on a three-hour charge from a dedicated wall charger. When you run out of electrical power, the gasoline engine automatically kicks in to propel you forward while also recharging the batteries.
This means that, unlike many other electric vehicles, the BMW i8 will never cause you to experience range anxiety. The many safety features you receive as standard, such as automatic emergency braking, which applies the brakes if the vehicle detects an obstruction on the road ahead, also aid in relieving your concerns.
The i8 is a very accomplished sports hybrid and a worthy alternative to models like the more traditional Porsche 911 and the more expensive Honda NSX, even though it isn’t the most thrilling supercar to drive.