BMW has confirmed that the production of the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car will end in April. The car was produced for nearly 6 years and was intended as a Porsche 911 rival.
The discontinuation of the model comes as BMW plans to shift its focus to a line of bespoke electric cars that include the iX3 compact SUV, i4, and iNext SUV.
BMW does have a new sports car based on the Vision M Next concept that will arrive in the next half-decade. BMW didn’t confirm the exact date that the production of the i8 would end. It has said that UK customers who want a built-to-order car will need to place an order with the local dealer by the end of February.
The car hasn’t exactly been a big seller for BMW. Dealerships in the UK has been slashing prices on the i8 as production end nears. The BMW i8 is a mid-engine 2+2 that comes with a 1.5L turbo three-cylinder engine that runs on gas paired with a low-output electric motor.
Discussions are ongoing about the future of the i8 with some indication that the car could return as an all-electric rival to the Tesla Roadster. While that is a mystery, for now, word is that the car would aim to give a clear link between the BMW Formula E effort and the I division of cars. Many sports car fans are happy to see that the EV age hasn’t done away with performance cars. A link between Formula E efforts and the EV sports car would bring the “win on Sunday, sell on Monday” mantra to electric vehicles.
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