It first appeared on the automotive scene in 2014. The amazingly futuristic BMW i8 is a high-performance plug-in hybrid sports car available as a two-door hardtop coupe or a convertible roadster that continues to turn heads wherever it goes. The original i8 can take you from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 4.2 seconds thanks to two electric motors (one at each axle) as well as a 1.5-liter twin turbocharged gasoline motor. The combined 369 horsepower powertrain lets you select between gas-only, electric only (for 18 miles), or a fuel-efficient blend of both.
The New M?
All that is about to change with an all-new beefed up i8 that the automotive press likes to call the i8 M model. Based on a concept sports car that BMW unveiled in late 2019 named the Vision M Next, this new i8 is poised to hit showrooms in 2026 offering more power, performance, and range, and cutting-edge driver assist tech featuring semi-autonomous travel. It promises to be the ultimate hybrid driving machine.
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While the German automaker is keeping most of the details about this sleek future car under wraps, here's what we know so far.
Photo: Car and Driver
More Power
No matter what BMW decides to call the all-new i8, it will no doubt include a big boost in horsepower, a longer all-electric driving range, and a more performance-oriented chassis than its first incarnation. Early design images make the sportscar look like something out of a James Bond film. A massive increase in power, a longer all-electric driving range, updated styling, and a more capable chassis are all expected to separate the i8 M from the model it will ultimately replace.
BMW tells us that the new car will put power to the pavement by way of an electric motor at each axle hooked to a bigger battery pack for more electric-only range, a bigger mid-mounted turbocharged four-cylinder (rather than the current three-cylinder) gasoline engine for a total output of a staggering 591 horses. This combo along with a styling redesign for even better aerodynamics, should knock at least a second off the current zero to 60 mph time, for a 3 second face-peeling rocket ride. That's Lamborghini Aventador SVJ territory!
Photo:Â Car and Driver
But there is a whole lot that we don't know about this i8 M. BMW isn't saying how big the battery pack will be or how many all-electric miles this plug-in hybrid might manage. Battery technology has come a long way since the i8 appeared in 2014 with its 11.6-kWh battery pack and we're hoping for at least the kind of all-electric range that the automaker has claimed for the Vision M Next concept car, which was 62 miles. Will the new chassis be similar to the Vision M Next concept car's low-slung design featuring 21-inch wheels up front and 22-inch wheels in the back? Time will tell.
More Tech
Will the new i8 monitor your heartbeat when you touch the steering wheel and offer memory foam seating (as the Vision M Next does)? We'll have to wait and see. We can guess that the i8 M will showcase the latest infotainment system including impressive glass touchscreens and a head-up display. What is certain is that the new i8 will build on all the safety and driver assist features that BMW is known for. High design techno wonders will include adaptive cruise control, advanced automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and the very latest in semi-autonomous driving.
Photo:Â Car and Driver
More to Come
Lithia Motors will release more information on this all-new Beemer as details become available. We've always been impressed by the amazing engineering and forward-thinking designs at BMW. This new i8 may be the most incredible sportscar yet from the German automaker and while the manufacturer suggested retail price has not been released as of this writing, we are going to suggest a price range of $160,000 to $180,000. Stay tuned.
