We bring you fresh images with the i8 Roadster captured during the Media Scenic Drive event from 2018. Spoiler alert: it also contains photos of the iconic BMW M1 supercar.
The i8 will forever remain a ground-breaking, visionary sports car. When it went into production in 2014, the innovative plug-in hybrid was a pioneer on all fronts. Total sales of all i8 versions from 2014 up to April 2020 exceeded 20,000 units worldwide, with the production of the trailblazing model having ceased just recently.
Just like classic E31 8 Series, the i8 will go down in history as a true BMW icon. Even though it is not entirely justifiable to label it as a very successful model given the scarce sales numbers, it’s safe to say that the i8 accomplished its role pretty well as BMW i halo car.
Serving as a launchpad for many futuristic powertrain and lightweight architecture technologies, the BMW i8 is sure to become a popular collector’s car and will forever cause deep sensations to everyone that sees the car in flesh.
In 2018, the advent of the LCI generation, BMW enriched the i8 lineup with the Roadster version. While we don’t have a clear breakdown on every model, we can tell for sure that the I15 series, denoting the i8 Roadster, did provide a boost in sales.
For example, in Europe there was recorded a significant rise in the units sold since there has been a boost from 988 vehicles in 2017 to 1,506 in 2018. The trend was similar in the US, with Y18 overall i8 sales reaching 772 vs. 488 units in 2017.
The best months with most i8 models sold were January, March, April, June and July. However, towards the end of the lifecycle, the production for the i8 was adjusted to reflect the diminished client demand. In Europe, in the first 2 months of 2020, only 93 customers chose to drive the daring plug-in hybrid sports car.
BMW also decided to send off the i8 into eternity with the special Ultimate Sophisto Edition, available for both the Coupe and Roadster versions. The i8 Ultimate Sophisto Edition came with individual appointments such as the Sophisto Grey Brilliant Effect exterior paint finish paired with the E-Copper body accents and the Accaro interior design with Black/E-Copper dovetails.
The i8 with its 374 PS / 368 hp plug-in hybrid architecture will definitely pave its way onto becoming a modern classic in the future. Together with the M1, the i8 is now a glorious resident of the BMW hall of fame.
To sweeten things up a bit, after the hurting i8 demise, we prepared a sensational gallery of images with the BMW i8 Roadster featured in Doningon Grey metallic, shining during the Media Scenic Drives event in summer of 2018.
Scroll down and enjoy the breath-taking i8 in the spectacular mountain scenery!
