BMW i8

If you’ve ever felt frustrated that science fiction movies don’t turn into reality, the BMW i8 coupe could be your cure.

BMW showed off the 2015 BMW i8 in the movie Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol and while there were hints that it would go into production, no one really expected the Munich-based brand to show it so close to a concept. The BMW i8 is the future of the automotive world in many ways.

The presence of its high-performance hybrid drivetrain, design, construction, and even the overall philosophical approach of the i8 brand, makes it a historic car that will likely become a trendsetter for its time. You may question our judgment, but we label the BMW i8 Coupe as a supercar. It’s time to change our definition of what counts as a supercar, and we’ll convince you that the i8 is a winning candidate.

First, the BMW model I8, costs $299,000, and while price is by no means an indicator, it creates an element of exclusivity.

Secondly, its performance is extraordinary. Sure, its 0-100 km/h time of 4.4 seconds is slow compared to even the new BMW M4 (4.2), but its electric heart is primarily designed to deliver amazing acceleration when turned on, with an 80 km-120 km/h acceleration time of just 2.6 seconds.

By comparison, the Aston Martin V8 Vantage S does the same in 4.6 seconds, the Audi R8 (V8) does it in 3.9 seconds, and BMW’s own M4 does it in 3.5 seconds. Thus, acceleration figures are not limited to 0-100.

Even if you ignored all that, the car looks like a real supercar.

Maybe it’s the scissor doors that need attention, or maybe it’s the fact that there are currently only two of them in Russia, and that even by early 2019 there will probably be less than 100 of these cars. Whatever the reason, the i8 will turn heads for all the right reasons.

And that’s a great reason to do a review on the BMW i8.

Appearance

The windshield frame is all carbon fiber and reinforced, and the doors are shaped like butterfly wings and don’t have frames around the glass like the coupe.

The roof itself is a fabric section that folds out of sight in a vertical position under a heavily reinforced rear section that lifts up to “complete it” before returning to its original position. This action takes 15 seconds and can be done at speeds of up to 50 km/h if necessary. Or you could stand outside the car, looking cool, holding down the button on your key fob while everyone watches the roof ballet.

There is a window behind the cab that can be raised or lowered independently of the roof. It acts as an effective wind deflector at speed, although it’s not needed below 120km/h unless you’re particularly tall (or your hairstyle). In fact, with the two door windows retracted and the roof still in place, you get most of the roadster feel without the sun falling on your head. The interior design of the BMW i8 is equally striking, and overall the sports coupe does an excellent job of being futuristic. It’s still a relatively rare sight, especially considering BMW has offered the i8 for sale since 2014. Low production volumes mean the model is nowhere near as widely seen as its Porsche 911 rival. The powertrain concept doesn’t seem all that exciting at first, especially if you like your supercars with big displacement multi-cylinder engines.

Fantastically futuristic and beautifully designed, BMW nonetheless utilizes familiar parts and technology

The BMW i8 looks absolutely stunning, regardless of color or wheel combination. Narrow LED headlights, elegant curves, spaceship-style taillights and distinctive “flying” pillars all make the low-slung car the most unusual thing you can find on the road.

As a result, you’ll have to get used to being the center of attention, because the i8 is a car that attracts a steady stream of enthusiasts to take beautiful pictures as well as surprise car fans.

The color palette is relatively small, but ranges from silver to the much more attractive blue and black. Some are more eccentric than others because of the bright accents, but BMW has resisted the urge to offer bright colors.

No matter what you choose, the options list includes exterior details like contrasting color trim on the skirt and grille, and there are several wheel options, though only in the 20-inch size to accommodate unusually thin custom tires.

Engine

As part of the “i” brand, like the i3, the BMW i8 electric car is built from the ground up for electrification. In terms of platform, they share little in common with other BMWs, and in the case of the i8, the extensive use of carbon fiber reinforced carbon fiber (CFRB) and aluminum throughout the body helps keep its weight – with batteries and electric motor – to just 1,485 kilograms (the BMW M4 weighs 1,537 kilograms).

As for the technical specifications of the BMW i8, at the front is an electric motor that can be charged from a regular wall socket (about four hours) or from a BMW wall box (two hours). It provides the front wheels with a serious 96 kW of power and 250 Nm of torque. The internal combustion engine is a 1.5-liter three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine with 170 kW / 320 Nm that supports the rear wheels. Together they produce an impressive 266 kW of power and 570 Nm of torque.

The front wheels are controlled by a computer-controlled two-speed automatic transmission (most electric cars have only one gear), while the rear wheels are controlled by a six-speed transmission that responds to steering-wheel-mounted switches.

There are four driving modes: Comfort, which relies on the BMW i8’s electric motor for speeds below 60 km/h; Eco Pro, which is similar to Comfort but more aggressive in fuel economy; eDrive, which relies entirely on electric drive and allows you to drive about 37 km without using fuel; and, most importantly, Sport mode, which keeps the internal combustion engine constantly running for maximum performance (and the worst fuel economy). The BMW i8’s consumption is only 2.1 liters of fuel per 100 km according to standard fuel test rules. In reality, this is probably extremely optimistic, and most people don’t buy supercars to save fuel.

BMW has decided to give the green light to supercars. In the style of futuristic posters, with huge proportions and butterfly-shaped doors, this is the most striking car BMW has ever made. Its performance is out of this world too, the BMW I8 accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and its handling can rival the very best sports cars on the market today. These marvelous numbers are the result of the i8’s gasoline-electric hybrid engine along with the culmination of all of BMW’s engineering expertise. It’s not the best supercar on our roads in, but it’s certainly more stunning and futuristic than anything else in its price category. The addition of a soft-top Roadster variant in 2018 expanded the i8 lineup and marked a refresh for the Coupe.

The BMW i8’s spec sheet includes a three-cylinder gasoline engine lifted from the MINICooper, which doesn’t have the same zippiness or sound. It’s only tuned for 228 hp, which isn’t much by supercar standards either. Thankfully, the BMWi8’s engine is mounted in the right place – behind the driver in classic supercar style – and there’s an additional 139 hp electric motor powering the front wheels to help create the necessary power.  Overall, the powertrain makes for a pretty productive but not excessive total of 357 hp (369 hp for the 2018 facelifted cars), supplemented by 570 Nm of torque.

Thanks to the electric motor’s instantaneous RPM output, it’s enough to give the BMWi8 acceleration that matches the car’s style. This car won’t bother the Ferrari 488 GTB, but it’s enough to make most 911 drivers nervous and be next to the AudiR8.

Interior

Press the handle of one of the i8’s stunning dihedral butterfly doors and you’ll discover a BMW I8 interior that looks as stylish as the exterior. It’s not as futuristic as the smaller i3, but the rounded-corner dashboard has a stylish design dominated by a pair of 8.8-inch HD screens: the unit in front of the driver displays the speedometer, rev counter and energy consumption scales, while the center display is dedicated to navigation and infotainment functions.

What’s more, inside the BMW i8, everything is top notch, with excellent fit and finish, soft-touch plastics, and leather for the dashboard. As with the smaller i3, recycled and sustainable materials are used here as well. The 2018 facelift brings minor changes to the BMW i8 sports car, with an active “Air Shutter” added to the hood for better aerodynamics, new alloy wheel options, and the addition of a “Coupe” badge to the rear pillars.

The i8 Roadster’s soft-top roof obviously causes more noticeable aesthetic changes, but the Coupe’s butterfly-style doors remain.

The BMW i8 Hybrid is not a car designed for practicality. It has a tiny trunk and rear seats, but front passengers will be impressed

However, actually getting into the car can sometimes be a bit problematic. The i8’s unusual swinging doors aren’t the most practical. In fact, you occasionally experience a slight panic when returning to your i8 to find that someone has parked particularly close to it, wondering if you’ll actually be able to get in.

Even parked in an empty parking lot, getting in and out requires a bit of distortion compared to a normal car, due to the combination of the hinge and how low the seats are set, but you soon get used to it.

Once inside the i8, you feel surprisingly spacious in the front, and this is especially felt with the light colored leather trim. For the driver, this car is very adaptable, with a superbly adjustable but always low seating position and very comfortable seats.

The combination of soft suspension (outside of sport mode), little wind noise, and light steering makes the i8 a very comfortable, relaxing highway car, much more so than the Porsche 911.

An impressive bonus of owning an i8 is BMW’s offer to give you a traditional BMW for long trips or family vacations.

The scheme assumes that owners receive an annual allocation of points that can be redeemed for other cars in the brand’s lineup. This certainly makes it a more sensible ownership proposition (although, it doesn’t solve the problem of impracticality on a day-to-day basis, if that matters).

As for the interior, the i8 is similar to most other BMWs, including a driver-focused center cluster with the latest version of iDrive pumped through an 8.8-inch high-resolution screen.

While this may be frustrating at first – given that the rest of the car looks like it’s from outer space – the beauty lies in the ease of use. There is no reason why a futuristic car should be difficult to use.

Electronics

Despite the futuristic dashboard design, the infotainment system is pulled straight off BMW’s parts shelf, meaning you’re dealing with roughly the same iDrive system used by everyone from MINIs to the 5 Series. It’s one of the few disappointments in the new sublime cabin. The iDrive rotary dial control system was and remains unintuitive.

However, it comes with a 20GB hard drive for music downloads and is therefore the latest and most advanced version of the system (until the 2016 BMW 7 Series), so it includes lots of extra features like real-time traffic information and BMW’s virtual assistant. The in-dash display is standard, but the internet functionality costs £95, while the Harman / Kardon stereo upgrade (recommended) costs around ten times as much.

With the introduction of the i8 roadster, which led to the Coupe body update for 2018, the infotainment system has also been updated, while a head-up display has been added to the options list.

Features

Sad to admit, but by the end of the second day, the fake engine and exhaust note was getting a little addictive.

Is this the future of automobiles? Where we rely on speakers for that orchestral note that was once the signature of a powerful engine? Perhaps, but there are modern cars, such as the Jaguar F-Type, that have taken a completely different route, extracting the most natural sound possible. Behind the wheel of the BMW i8, it’s a pleasure to drive at speed. Its light weight makes it very enjoyable on tight and fast corners, and the electric drivetrain delivers torque just when you need it.

The BMW i8 hybrid is one of the most exotic ways to show off your “green preferences” along with colossal performance, but this model isn’t exactly unique.

The Honda NSX is another high-performance “Eco” supercar, but if drivers are looking for a sporty yet luxurious experience, they can equally consider the Porsche Panamera SE Hybrid or even the Tesla Model S . The BMW i8 partners the i3 hatchback as one of the eco lineup. BMW features advanced carbon fiber construction for a lightweight and durable design, while the sleek and attractive appearance makes everyone around you turn around.

The i8 has the impressive dimensions of a supercar – fantastically low and wide. The closest thing on the road is the Audi R8. The i8 is a little more impressive because of its wedge-shaped hood and is slightly taller than the Audi, but its width is almost identical. There are visibility issues when you sit so low in a wide car (especially in the back), but the i8 is actually surprisingly easy to place on the road. You shouldn’t have too much trouble judging corners. The most problematic is the three-quarter rear view, but all that means is that extra care must be taken when changing lanes. The i8’s two front passengers won’t have a problem with comfort, because this car is as ergonomic as it can be. There’s plenty of head and leg room, and a wide range of adjustment for the seats and steering wheel.

Supposedly it’s a 2 + 2, but you only get a pair of upright seats with limited legroom in the back – no one will thank you for squeezing your friends in there for a long trip. Of course, there’s no room in the rear cabin for a rear-facing child seat, although kids around 5-10 years old sit comfortably in the back.  Unfortunately, you won’t have that option with the i8 roadster, as folding the roof requires removing the rear seats. However, BMW has equipped extra luggage storage to utilize the remaining space behind the front seats.

There’s a trunk under the glass in the back, but it’s cramped. You can fit a couple of weekend bags, but don’t expect to fumble with large suitcases – unless you specify a bespoke Louis Vuitton luggage set. BMW specifies 154-liters of luggage space, which, for reference, is about half of a Ford Fiesta, and the rear seats don’t fold down.

Not Euro NCAP tested, but the technology and design make this car very safe, while BMW parts ensure reliability.

With so much new technology on board it’s tempting to be cautious, especially at first. However, to help put your mind at ease, the basic layout of this three-cylinder engine has already been seen in the latest MINI range, plus the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer MPV, and much of the shift box will be familiar to BMW owners.

Options

The BMW i8 is equipped as standard with anti-lock brakes for stable traction and steering stability; Electronic Stability Control (ESP) and Radar Cruise Control (ACCS); front and side airbags and side curtain airbags, high beam control, and a projection display. A surround-view camera and parking sensors make parking the vehicle as easy as possible.

The BMW i8 Hybrid has become the world’s first production car to be equipped with laser headlights as an option. The laser diodes are ten times smaller than conventional diodes, helping to save space in the headlight unit, which in turn additionally leads to weight reduction. Standard electronics features include a navigation system, BMW’s iDrive interface, Bluetooth and audio connectivity, Internet access and a Harman Kardon sound system with USB interface, iPod and satellite radio. Also included are smartphone pairing and remote control features that allow users of Apple and Android devices to remotely lock the car, turn on the climate control and perform a variety of other tasks.

Generations and configurations

Generation 1 Hybrid – restyled

12.2017 – present.

Hybrid 1st generation

04.2014 – 01.2018