Ten Years Ago, BMW Shook Up the Automotive World with the i8
This page is translated from the original post "Il y a 10 ans, BMW secouait le cocotier automobile avec la i8" in French.
- 27/12/2024 16:32
A hybrid sports car, today that’s no longer very surprising. But 10 years ago, BMW dared the unthinkable.
Ten years ago, BMW launched the i8 on the road, introduced a year earlier, a model that would shake up the automotive landscape. Visionary, bold, and opposite to the trends of the time, the BMW i8 established itself as a revolution: a hybrid sports car that combined elegance, performance, and environmental commitment. Admit it, even 10 years later, it still sounds relevant.
Originating from the Vision EfficientDynamics concept presented in 2009, the i8 marked BMW’s entrance into a new era. With its futuristic design, butterfly doors, and aerodynamic silhouette, it looked straight out of a science fiction film. But it was under the hood that the magic happened, with a small turbocharged three-cylinder 1.5-liter engine with a growling sound located in the rear-central position, paired with an electric motor on the front axle, for a combined power of 362 horsepower. Thanks to this configuration, the i8 offered all-wheel-drive hybrid transmission and a unique driving experience, combining rapid acceleration with silence in electric mode.
Beyond impressive numbers, with 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and an optimistic electric range of 37 km, the i8 represented a new philosophy. It proved that performance and sustainability could coexist in the same vehicle. Its lightweight materials, such as reinforced carbon fiber plastic, and eco-friendly production underlined this commitment. Who remembers that during a Top Gear episode, the very conservative Jeremy Clarkson favored it over the M4? Well, before disavowing himself a few days later, but still!
If the market for electrified sports cars is now booming, with hybrid Ferrari and Porsche coupes, the BMW i8 was a pioneer back then. Electrification was seen as a pseudo-eco gadget, but BMW turned it into a sports asset. Ten years later, it’s become a highly sought-after collector’s item, a rolling testament to BMW’s daring innovation.
After the release of a convertible version, production of the i8 ended in 2020, but its legacy endures. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, it reminds us that innovation and daring are the driving forces behind change in the automotive world.
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