When a car is discontinued the reason behind the production stoppage has to do with slow sales which led to the demise of the BMW i8.
BMW built this amazing hypercar to show the world that it could, and it certainly was capable of giving owners a glorious drive but being one-of-a-kind in the automotive world isn’t always a good thing. We can mourn the passing of the i8, but what it did provide was a better blueprint for what we want out of the i-Division of the BMW brand.
The End was Quiet
If you think the latest health pandemic had anything to do with the end of this BMW, that’s certainly not the case. This car ended production in April 2020, with the 2020 model year being the final year this car was made. The plans had been set, and announcements seemed to be hidden in the launch of other electric and hybrid models from the BMW brand.
Was the i8 too futuristic for its time? Did it have too much of a price tag for the power it produced? Did BMW simply pick the wrong way to build a car?
It’s much simpler than any of those questions; BMW is ready to expand its lineup of electric and hybrid vehicles, which means there isn’t room for a unicorn of a sports car in the mix. It’s kind of unfortunate because the i8 was an interesting car.
Look for a Pre-Owned Model if This is the Car You Desire
The BMW i8 was made in Coupe and Roadster models to give you the chance to be mean and green at the same time. This car brought an eco-friendly feeling to supercar driving, which made it unique before you ever got to the shape, build, and style. Even the assembly of the BMW was made to be 100-percent renewable which made this car an even more impressive car for an environmentally friendly drive.
When you’re looking for a car that would make a statement and show off everywhere, there wasn’t a car that would do this as well as the i8. This car was unmistakable with futuristic styling and stunning sportiness. The price tag might have been more than you wanted to fork out for a car that has a three-cylinder engine, but that was part of the appeal of this amazing rocket on wheels.
A Build that Made it Fast
Even though the gasoline part of the power was small, the build of this car was light enough to take you to sixty mph faster than some other legendary cars, including the Acura NSX and Audi R8. The reason for this incredible speed has to do with the lightweight build of the car, which has a carbon fiber and aluminum body to give you the least amount of weight possible.
A Unique AWD System
Every version of the BMW i8 came with a standard AWD system that does more than just help with the straight-line acceleration, and it aids in cornering to give you the power to the wheels that need it. This system works perfectly to give you grip wherever you need it and amazing traction on any road surface.
Taking this BMW out to the track can be a delightful experience when you’re looking to challenge your driving skills to see just how fast you can go.
Let’s Talk About that Power
BMW gave the i8 a hybrid powertrain that makes it one of the first sports cars that could reach the speeds that it achieves. The power comes from a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine plus an AC synchronous electric motor/generator. The battery pack allows for 18 miles of electric driving and is recharged in three hours with a Level 2 charger.
The power you receive reaches 369 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, with the torque being available right away. Fuel mileage is incredible for a sports car, reaching 27 mpg combined when you use the hybrid driving of this amazing car. You’ll reach sixty mph in 4.2 seconds while continuing to push power and drive hard in this amazing BMW sports car.
Style and Comfort of the Future
The outlandishly futuristic style of the BMW i8 makes it a hybrid sports car that looks like it belongs in the Tron movies. The low-slung build highlighted blue trim and scissor-type doors give this car a feeling that we just don’t quite understand yet. Once inside the cabin, you’ll find a car that has amazing comfort, impressive reusable materials, and blue accents that match the exterior.
If you’re looking for a sports car that can give you a unique build and an amazing experience, you can’t go wrong with the i8, but you might find a lot of people want to talk to you about this car.
What Features Should You See in this BMW
You’re looking at a pre-owned version of this car and should expect to find:
- Navigation system
- Leather-wrapped interior panels
- Leather upholstery
- High-efficiency LED headlights
- Fully digital instrument cluster
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Front and rear parking sensors
- 20-inch wheels
- Adaptive suspension dampers
- Crise control
- Power-folding soft top (Roadster models)
- Optional laser-beam headlights
- Terra World or Terra World Copper interior accents
- Color head-up display
- 360-degree camera system
- Pre-collision system
That’s a pretty nice set of features that can make driving your sports car more fun when you take it out every day.
Rumors of a Return
We have witnessed some models in the automotive world taking a year off here or there to get ready for a new generation of a vehicle. There have been some rumors that the BMW i8 might return sometime after the 2022 model year. Nothing is certain about that; right now, BMW is focused on offering passenger vehicles from the i-Division that can meet our desires for hybrid and electric driving without the worry of an expensive sports car.
Even though the return of the i8 is only rumors so far, we certainly hope to see it on the market once again as a new model and one that gives us something interesting to talk about.
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