Things were already brewing in Munich back in 2009 when BMW showed the world their new Vision EfficientDynamics concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show. EfficientDynamics was the group’s new umbrella name for a basket of technologies that would help the internal combustion engine use less fuel. Two years later, at the 2011 Frankfurt Show, BMW finally showed its hand. The new i8 Concept not only clarified the new sports car’s name, but also the final looks. It’s one of the few cars that made the transition from concept to reality looking mostly the same.
Base Trim Engine
1.5L Turbo Inline-3 Plug-in Hybrid
Base Trim Transmission
6-Speed Automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
The new BMW i8 was a sleek and stunning looking two-door coupe. Admittedly, not everyone loved the design, but the drivetrain was the biggest news. Instead of a V8, the i8 was equipped with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that combined a 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine with a single electric motor. What the heck, BMW?
And that question remained for the rest of the decade, from launch in 2013 all the way to its death in 2020. A sports car that was maybe too far ahead of its time to be properly appreciated, or completely misunderstood. Whatever the case, because of a lack of desirability, prices simply dropped. So much that you can buy one today for much, much less than its 2020 MSRP of $147,500.
The BMW i8: A Sports Car Ahead Of Its Time
2014-2020 BMW i8 Silver Front Angled ViewBMW
Brief History of the i8
It was, along with the i3, the first of BMW’s new i sub-brand of electrified cars.
Two concept versions were first shown in 2009 and 2011.
The production version of the coupe was unveiled in 2013.
Joined by an open-top Roadster version in 2018.
Production stopped in 2020.
Total sales of 20,465,
2014-2020 BMW i8 Silver Rear Angled ViewBMW
Who remembers BMW’s fondness for the rather elaborate marketing phrase, Efficient Dynamics? It’s a clever play on words. Dynamics refers to the brand’s image as a maker of sporty family cars, while Efficient speaks for itself. It was the buzzword of the previous decade, as the automotive industry started to transfer from pure ICE to hybrids and electric vehicles. But the i8 and its sibling of the era, the BMW i3, also gave us the German brand’s naming structure. All electric car names simply start with an “i,” as in BMW i7.
The i8 Was Built To Prove A Point
2017 BMW i8 side with doors openBMW
BMW i8: Engine specifications
Engine
1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder hybrid
Power
357 bhp
Torque
236 lb ft
0-60 mph
4.4 seconds
Top speed
155 mph
The overall concept was spot on. The tiny i3 would be the affordable people’s EV, while the i8 would be a technological showcase. Something to show the market that, yes, green can be sexy, sporty and desirable. It was also a toe in the water. The i3 was a simple battery electric vehicle, while the i8 was a plug-in hybrid. While commonplace now, it was not the case a decade ago.
bmw i8 on the road rear endBMW
To our eyes, the design was stunning. Benoit Jacob from BMW’s in-house design team is credited with the final product, and it’s a real looker. Low-slung, broad and purposeful. Like a true sports car. There were lots of angular lines, and the shape very much echoed that of the M1 from the 1970s. Its most dramatic styling pieces were the flying buttresses on the C-pillars.
The i8 therefore had it all – the looks, the advanced driving system, and a carbon plastic center tub with two pods of steel onto which the subframes were bolted on. But the market never took to it. And it was a shame.
The Market Didn’t Bite
Key facts to know about the i8
The power density of the PHEV was on par with BMW’s most powerful road cars at the time.
Dramatic styling with quintessential butterfly doors.
Short EV driving range of only 23 miles.
Total combined range of 330 miles.
It was relatively light at 3,400 pounds.
At launch, the i8 looked like a great package. There was a mid-mounted 1.5-liter-turbocharged engine driving the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox, while an e-motor sat in the front, solely responsible for the front axle. A modest, in today’s terms, lithium-ion battery pack of 7.1 kWh sat on the floor pan, providing power to the e-motor. Drivers could choose between pure EV mode, with a range of about 23 miles, or hybrid mode where the e-motor would play an auxiliary role when overtaking or when pulling away from the light. A bigger, 11.6 kWh battery introduced in 2016 upped the range to 30 miles.
And don’t forget about those butterfly doors that swing upwards as you open them. Horribly impractical, but extremely cool.
I quite liked the BMW i8, almost as much as the managing editor hated it. There was nothing inherently wrong with the car, as it did everything you’d expect from a $150,000 BMW sports coupe. It was fun to drive, nice to look at, and I even liked the fake engine noises that were pumped into the cabin. The i8 had two massive problems, however. You could buy an M6 for a lot less, and it was a lot faster and way more fun. The second problem was more serious. A Porsche 911 Carrera S of the same period cost $50,000 less, and you’d have to be a brainwashed Bimmer fan to walk away from what was and arguably still is the best premium sports car ever made. While I liked the BMW i8, I would have spent my money at Porsche without thinking twice. – Gerhard Horn, senior editor.
Why The BMW i8 Failed
2014-2020 BMW i8 Silver Front ViewBMW
Over its six years of production, the i8 could only muster 20,000 sales. What happened? We think it’s a combination of factors. It was way ahead of its time. Plug-in hybrids are readily available today, but that was not the case back then. The market also wasn’t sure what it really was: a sporty coupe, a real sports car? Acceleration was brisk, as long as the battery was charged.
The handling was also not really sports car-like. The narrow wheels (good for efficiency) didn’t provide enough grip, giving way to understeer when cornering at speed. The initial system of recuperating energy under braking was also clunky. It started off soft, but then firmed up as you went into the corner, meaning it was difficult to control at an even pace through a corner.
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That Small Engine
2014-2020 BMW i8 Silver Rear ViewBMW
And let’s face it, who really wants to have a three-cylinder 1.5-liter sports car, and pay nearly $150,000 for the pleasure? It’s like ordering a decaffeinated espresso at the Piazza delle Erbe in Italy. People are going to look at you, and not in a good way.
The market voted with their wallets, and there wasn’t a shortage of alternatives. Mercedes-Benz would happily sell you an AMG GT with a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 for less than an i8. And then there’s the Porsche 911. The 2014 911 Carrera S was still available with a naturally aspirated flat-six and a manual gearbox, and it was easily more entertaining than the i8 and AMG GT.
Only early adopters were interested in the i8. The same goes for the Acura NSX. Interestingly, both these cars, while seen as expensive at the time, offered Holy Trinity technology at a fraction of the price.
Grab one today for a steal
bmw i8 badge close up shotBMW
All of the above was bad news for BMW’s sales teams. But it’s good news for you if the i8 has caught your eye. Pricing for the BMW i8 started at $135,925 in 2014, increasing to $150,000 during its final year on sale.
According to the CarBuzz Marketplace, you can get a 2014 model with low miles for between $40,000 to $50,000. That means you can get this for less than a 400-hp Nissan Z. For later model years with the bigger battery, you’re looking at $60,000.
What’s fascinating is that some people purchased the i8 as an investment, but it didn’t work out. As mentioned a few times, the 2020 MSRP was just shy of $150,000. We know of at least one case where somebody purchased an i8, stored it in a garage, and hardly drove it. It currently only has 443 miles on the clock, and it’s selling for $104,000.
BMW has many iconic cars that will only increase in value over time, but this is not one of them.
Sources: BMW
