The BMW i8 still has a design that puts newer cars to shame these days. Launched nearly in identical shape to the Concept that preceded it, the BMW i8 feels just as fresh today as it did when it arrived in full production clothing. If there’s one thing you can say doesn’t really fit in the picture, it’s the wheels. A car looking this good should have a wider set of wheels, just to complete the package.
However, the idea behind the i8 was to offer a car that was both fun to drive and eco-friendly. Thus, a couple of compromises had to be made, to convey that idea to the onlookers. The skinny wheels help out when it comes to fuel consumption and, therefore, were a necessity. Another necessity was the 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine. Albeit making more power than a lot bigger engines, the B38 unit was frowned upon by enthusiasts who were hoping for a supercar.
That’s how fantasies about a V8-powered i8 started going around on the Internet. Admittedly, I’d also love to see such a car enter production in Garching or Munich, but that would defeat the idea behind the i8. The video below, however, shows how such a contraption could sound and look like. The footage was captured at the Zolder and Spa Francorchamps tracks and shows a car using a BMW i8 shell with a proper racing body and engine underneath.
According to the video description, the car uses an S65 engine. That’s the 4-liter V8 from the E92 M3 but tuned to make 540 HP in this application. The car also weighs just 1,100 kg (2,425 lbs) which is to be expected from a racing model. Thus, considering the specs, this should be a pretty fast car. In case you ever wondered how a V8-powered i8 would look like, this is it.
