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BMW i8 – A Future Classic And a BMW Design Icon…

Remember Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol? It was the follow-up to the surprisingly great Mission: Impossible III. While there were several memorable moments; one of my favorite scenes in the movie is the car chase scene, featuring what would eventually become the BMW i8. At the time of Ghost Protocol’s release, the BMW i8 was still three years from production. So the car in the movie wasn’t exactly an i8 but its concept car predecessor — the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept. Visually, the two cars are almost identical. Initial reactions commented upon how incredibly futuristic the car looked. While BMW had said that a production car would come from the concept, The Vision Dynamics Concept looked like it came from another planet. Concept cars this far-out as never came to life as production vehicles. At least not until BMW was bold enough to turn such a concept into the BMW i8.

In 2014, the BMW i8 made its highly anticipated reveal and shocked the world thanks to its baffling good looks and exotic (at the time) powertrain. After its initial reveal, there was simply nothing like the i8 on the road, at least not for mere mortals. It used a curious combination of a 1.5 liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine with two electric motors; one at the back helping the engine power the rear axle and one at the front, powering the front axle. The engine used a six-speed automatic gearbox to send its power, along with the EV motor’s power, to the rear axle. While the front electric motor actually used a two-speed transmission to send power to the front. While the i8 was criticized shortly after its release for not making enough power or not being innovative enough, it actually doesn’t get enough credit. The i8 was also built using a carbon fiber chassis, which only the McLaren could also claim. So BMW had the attention of the auto industry.

One aspect of the BMW i8 that never got old was its looks. Even today, now that it’s no longer on sale, the i8 is a jaw-dropper and it will continue to be a BMW design icon for the foreseeable future. Firstly, it checks all the supercar boxes. Its low, mid-engine design immediately tells our lizard brains that we’re looking at something exotic. But then you notice more, such as the lack of function front kidney grilles, the blade-like rear wheel arch and the stunning flying buttress design in the C-pillar. There are also some fun details that really bring the design to life, such as the taillights that follow the shape of the aforementioned buttress and the fact that, if you look closely, the back of the i8 looks like it’s birthing a 991-gen Porsche 911. You can’t unsee it, after you’ve seen it - especially this particular example in the limited edition finish of Frozen Black matte paint.

The BMW i8 also offered a very unique experience in the automotive world. The gentle whir of the electric motors just barely breaking the silence as you calmly waft along. Driving the BMW i8 puts a massive, stupid grin on my face. There’s just something so fun about the way it looks and driving an all-wheel drive, carbon fiber-tubbed hybrid supercar with looks like that can make even the most hardened skeptic smile.

The BMW i8, in any form, has already left us. The Bavarians have ended production and will move onto other electrified projects. However, the i8 will live on as one of the coolest and most interesting BMWs of all time. Without question, the BMW i8 is a future classic and design icon for not only the brand but the industry altogether. Of course, it was never perfect; it lacked power, all-electric range and the thrilling drive you’d expect from a car that looked as it did; but it was still a deeply desirable machine while it was on sale and it will continue to be such a thing for future collectors.

It didn’t get the appreciation it deserved while it was on sale but it will eventually become a BMW that collectors seek out in the future.