In 2014 BMW shocked the world with the I8 back in 2014. It was so modern and so radical as it took technology usually seen in cars like the Toyota Prius and did what Porsche and McLaren did. Make it cool. however, it was made to be far more affordable than those hypercars with base MSRP’s of $150,000. The I8 was made of carbon fiber, it was mid-engined and it had four seats. What’s not to love about it?
The I8 wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea though as it symbolized the environment and it had a tiny 3-cylinder engine. Nothing wrong with that but some people just hated it. The I8 also had only 357hp which sounds comical, until you put your foot down and see that actually it shifts. It was a 911 rival but because of the way it looked and felt to drive, a lot of reviewers put it up against the Lamborghini Huracan, a car with almost double the power.
In reality, the I8 was never a supercar. It’s more of a Grand Tourer. It’s comfortable, it has a decently sized trunk, it’s a cruiser and it has the power when you need it. Happy days then, plus with an electric-only range of twenty miles, it’s also usable as a daily. Plus its battery is charged by the engine whilst your driving so really, you never need to charge this thing.
The most economical exotic car yet? Combining the gas mileage of an economy car and the sportiness of a supercar whilst still being a luxury car like a GT. It’s brilliant and you should own one.
What’s an I8 Like to Live With?
The BMW I8 is a very nice car to drive and in some ways easy to live with. You don’t really need to charge it at all because firstly, the range is a bit pathetic, and secondly the engine acts as a generator charging the battery for you. This means you don’t have to buy some costly charging hub for your home in order to charge the car. The actual time it takes to charge with most chargers is about the same as a flight from London to Tokyo, near enough.
The cabin space is very good. There is a lot of space for the driver and passenger with very nice futuristic thin seats that have good support. The interior is very futuristic and well put together and the design is phenomenal. No issues with build quality then whatsoever. Under the hood is a 228hp 3-cylinder turbo from a Mini and an electric motor with 131 hp. Very reliable engines then and parts are also widely available since the engine itself is used heavily across BMW and Mini models. The battery though like any battery is costly to repair at over $10,000 to replace.
It’s a very stylish car. It may be a six-year-old design but it still gets plenty of looks from everyone. It attracts attention everywhere it goes as it looks so unique. Of course, you do need to get used to this. It looks and feels special then. Things keep on getting better and better.
The I8 is relatively priced to maintain. Parts are specialists though since the car has got a lot of exotic materials and parts made specifically for this car. Its servicing is reasonably priced but things like the battery, engine components, etc are not so cheap. The gearbox though is ok since its made by ZF and is used in a lot of BMW models.
It isn’t a thirsty car and you get access to electric car parking spots. Its mid-engined, sturdy, safe and handles well too.
The performance is pretty good with both engines combined pushing out 357hp originally but in the 2018 facelift, it was boosted to 369 hp. Torque has always been 420 lb-ft. The 0-60 is 4.4 seconds in the coupe and 4.6 in the roadster. Flat out speed is limited to 155 mph. It’s pretty fast then. Not Lamborghini fast or even as fast as a Mercedes A45 AMG S hatchback, but its enough.
It’s a great long-distance cruiser. However, it is a tad hard to get in and out of since the door sills are quite big. If you do have bad muscles etc then this will be an issue. The doors can also be a hassle in tight parking spaces since they open upwards. The rear seats too are useless but that’s like any GT car.
How Much Is an I8
The BMW I8 has depreciated a lot over the past few years. This is just like any other luxury BMW. The reason why is because the I8 has a lot of specialist parts and a battery that will need replacing. It also felt too experimental by BMW because they used such a small engine with such low-performance figures.
A new I8 was $150,000 but today some cars have lost almost $100,000 of their value. That’s insane. Those who have purchased an I8 new really have lost a lot. However, their loss is our gain because now you can purchase a brilliant car for the same price as an SUV. It looks crazy and it turns a lot of heads. Cheap thrills? Just watch the battery and the engine.
A new I8 isn’t possible as production ended this year in June. A car for a similar price new is the Acura NSX which is also a hybrid. But that has over 200 more horsepower and is faster to 60 by over one second.
Is The I8 More of a Posers Car?
In essence yes. Its got great handling but you won’t find this car at a race track anytime soon. It may not be too heavy weighing over 1500 kg but it just hasn’t got that sporty feeling which cars like the Porsche 911 have. It’s a comfortable car which has the performance and speed when you need it. However, with its iconic design and butterfly doors, it’s more suited to being a posers car.
There’s nothing wrong with that but if you want a drivers car, then look elsewhere as there are better options available. As a GT car, its fine but the current 8-series is far better. It is a very interesting car and is a perfect supercar for those interested in technology.
There are also a lot of mods you can do to the I8. Some look great and some look well….. let’s not discuss.
It also sounds awful. But that’s expected from a 3-cylinder hybrid. Its exhaust is mainly a speaker in the cabin and another just under the rear bumper next to the actual exhaust.
Featured image credits via: autoblog.com