2014 BMW i8

Highlights

• Superb example of the stunning i8

• Range-extender petrol-electric

• Full main dealer history

• Over £8,000 of work completed recently

• Recent new MOT with no advisories

Overview

Like it or not, electric cars are a big part of our future – after all, the car industry has always been evolving, and even some of the most die-hard petrolheads are now beginning to appreciate the smoothness, power and instant torque that an EV powertrain can offer. 

The challenge is finding a car that you want, because around £30k buys you something like a mid-spec electric Corsa, a plug-in MG SUV, or a second-hand BMW i8. 

Wait, hang on. A what? 

Well, we know where our bread is buttered, in that case. After all, the i8 offers the best of both worlds with its range-extender technology and back-up petrol engine, not to mention its sensational looks and its bonkers ‘dihedral’ butterfly doors. You won’t find those on any Corsa this side of a Max Power meet-up. 

First previewed at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show as the Concept Vision EfficientDynamics, the i8 was part of BMW's then fledgling "Project i" move towards electrified powertrains, and was marketed as a sub-brand, with BMW i sold separately from BMW or Mini. The BMW i3, launched in 2013, was the first ‘i’ model, followed by the i8, released in Germany in June 2014 and across Europe and the USA later that year.  

It's a clever piece of kit, powered jointly by a twin-turbo 1.5-litre petrol engine developing 230bhp, derived from that of the Mini Cooper S, and a hybrid electric motor developing 130bhp, which could be used either separately (with a full electric range of around 30 miles) or in tandem to develop maximum power, meaning a 0-60 time of just 4.4 seconds. What’s more, you can even use the engine as a generator to charge the battery back up. It’s most efficient if you plug it in overnight, but you don’t need to. It’s a clever piece of kit – the perfect compromise in a lot of ways. 

So yes, you can scoot around town with no tailpipe emissions and feel good about yourself as you duck in and out of low-emissions zones with impunity, but can happily light things if you want to once you’ve breached the city limits. Indeed, that’s how the owner of this car has used it – commuting in and out of Cambridge during the week, while still having a fun car for the weekends. 

It's one of the first i8s sold in the UK, registered in December 2014, has covered 55,600 miles from new with a full BMW main dealer service history and is finished in the launch-spec special colour scheme of Ionic Silver with blue highlights. A handsome and well-kept example of a fascinating future classic.

History and documentation 

• First registered in the UK on 6 December 2014

• £20 per year VED/road tax

• UK V5C in the current owner’s name

• MOT until 20 August 2026 – passed with no advisory notices

• Two sets of keys

• Full BMW service record (stored on in-car system and all at a main dealer) as follows: PDI 2014; 2016 @ 8,059 miles, 2016 @ 8,250 miles, 2017 @ 13,334 miles, 2018 @ 23,831 miles, 2019 @ 35,969 miles, 2020 @ 39,109 miles, 2021 @ 41,138 miles, 2021 @ 41,654 miles, 2022 @ 45,356 miles, 2022 @ 47,858 miles, 2024 @ 48,927 miles

• Recent £8,000 worth of work in warranty claim work with back-up invoice

• BMW used car warranty remains valid until September 2025 

Interior

• Black leather seats with blue stitching, excellent condition front and rear

• 2+2-style rear seats

• Leather steering wheel with blue rim

• Blue seatbelts

• Blue and red interior highlights

• Genuine BMW floor mats

• Dual-zone climate control

• Advanced infotainment system with on-board vehicle condition monitoring, sat nav and Bluetooth

• Central iDrive controller

• Charge cable

• First aid kit 

Exterior

• Original Ionic Silver metallic with blue flashes (launch colour scheme)

• No evidence of any accident damage or corrosion

• Original black 20-inch alloy wheels with no marks or evident damage

• Quality Bridgestone Potenza tyres all-round

• One very small paint chip on driver’s side a-pillar

• Some very light fading to carbon fibre roof panel

• The car has a handful of minor stone chips on the front bumper and nose cone, but nothing of any significance

• Underside appears sound 

Mechanical

• 1.5-litre turbo charged four-cylinder petrol engine and 7.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack

• 230bhp engine plus 130bhp e-motor: 360bhp combined output

• Aisin six-speed automatic transmission

• 0-60 in 4.4 sec/155mph top speed

• Fully serviced every year by BMW main agents

• Recent new heater matrix and driveshafts under warranty

Summary

The BMW i8 is one of our hot tips for becoming a future classic – its distinctive looks, allied to its innovative drivetrain, will mean it’s remembered as one of the definitive cars of its era. Being a launch-spec car, this one is well worth preserving.

Yet at the same time, it’s also a highly usable and utterly striking car that’s ideal for commuting when you have to, and enjoying when you want to. It really is the best of both worlds.

To arrange a viewing, click the 'Book Viewing' button located under the 'Place Bid' button. Viewings can be booked up until the day before the auction ends, after which the option will change to 'Contact Seller' for further enquiries. This seller is located in Cambridgeshire.