Finally - a BMW i8 Roadster worth talking about
The i8 is an infamous secondhand bargain. But what if it becomes famous again just for being good?
The last time we spotted a BMW i8 Roadster, it was in June 2020. The timing was significant because it was the same month that production of the car came to an end in Leipzig. The i8 had started life six years earlier in astonishingly high demand; partly driven by exemption from the London congestion charge, it promptly sold out in the UK. But by the end demand had slackened to the extent that it resembled a burst balloon. The year-old car we highlighted had 125 miles on the clock - and £50,000 knocked off the asking price.
At the time, we were inclined to ponder just how low used values would go. But as is often the case when no new stock is appearing at the top of the funnel, the wildly steep angle of the depreciation has flattened a tiny bit. Sure, you could buy an older, less desirable coupe for £40k when cast an eye over the market last time around, and now you get one for just north of £30k. But well-kept examples of the Roadster are still above £50k.
Obviously in the grand scheme of things that’s still a decidedly chunky amount of money to have evaporated - let’s not forget that the i8 Roadster launched in 2018 as a £124,645 model, and had you spent that much on an early 992-generation Porsche 911, there’s no chance it would only be paying you back £50k now. But back in 2020 we lamented that, for all its faults, the used values weren’t taking into account the idea that the i8 was undeniably ‘a bold, innovative, original and desirable take on the hybrid sports car, the kind of which we hadn't seen before and probably won't again’ and should be remembered as such.
To suggest that the market has come around to that way of thinking is optimistic to the point of daft when you can have a very lovely looking one in E-Copper for under half the price it was when brand new. Nevertheless, when there is also one at a franchise dealer, with just 766 miles recorded, for £99,850, you do wonder if the worm is finally threatening to turn. Of course, there can be no question whatsoever that the i8, with its three-cylinder petrol engine and charmingly small 11.6kWh battery, is a product of its time - but it is also arguably among the landmark BMWs of the past decade. And that’s traditionally a description that makes cars exceptionally collectable.
To that point - and neatly positioned between the two cars mentioned above - here’s a prime contender for preservation. Perhaps Sophisto grey metallic is not the ideal colour to show off one of BMW’s most audacious styling efforts, but the paint is said to be flawless (as it should be after only enduring 861 miles). Being a February 2020 car puts it right at the end of the production run, too - and while it won’t have been among the very last examples (the final 18 were treated to a unique paint job), it is certainly within touching distance.
But is it worth £81,995? According to the vendor, which is evidently very familiar with the car and its previous owner, it was bought new for £127,105. So you’re still getting £45k off for a Roadster that ought to be virtually no different to when it left Leipzig. But with so many other perfectly worthy examples available for an additional £20k saving, the only reason for doing so is if you think the i8 will eventually make good on its trailblazing reputation and do the sort of about-face that sees it become a highly sought after model with values to match. And if you already do think that, how long do you think it will take? And would you care to place a wager?
for now I mostly only think of classic cars (sportive) or super lightweight ala Donkervoort D8 GTO-RS or 40 or JD70 or their individual series, all those have the audi 5 cill around 400hp and around 700kg some less.
but... BMW made a nice car for what it is with the i8
And why would you not use it, its never gonna be a super rare "investment" is it, its a sports car from a mainstream manufacturer, so save the £20k+ and buy loads of crypto instead.
First thing AC Sphincter (sorry, couldn't help myself) did was to increase the tyre width in order to make them look and drive better.
At the expense of mpg of course, there by negating the point of buying a hybrid.
Also, last weeks EV tech is old tech. I wouldn't want to be given back the PC I was using two years ago!
They do look OK though.
But I really couldn't get that excited about a car that looked so good fitted with just a 3-cylinder turbo engine. Why didn't they make a proper one with an S65 or S85 engine?
In fact, name another 4 seat, mid-engined hybrid built using a carbon-fibre tub that cost anywhere close to £110k new.
or... if they want to keep a lot EV on it, make it a fast EV with a good range extender, so that you wont need to load it elsewhere? no idea if thats possible though, I guess but...
or wait till they give the next generation better EV sort like option in which it does not need to reload but all is in the system? all in one without being bulkie, say like using a small nuclear engine :-) meaning a good power something.
or... for the fans when the batteries etc get old, restore them with a great V8 and throw away the EV st, or use the older batterie for house back up energie when you have solar panels, so you can life of-grid :-)
Still think from the side, it still one of the best looking cars, a bit too much going on when looking at the rear and the relatively thin tyres ( for efficiency) do not give it gravitas and the front a tad dated now - but then the car is almost 10 yrs old
I used to wonder what the M version would be like but then I realized, anything they do would defeat the purpose of the car.
In terms of the future values, I think the main thing holding the prices of these back from sky rocketing is the tech and engine.
20 years from now, would you rather have this as your garage queen that you take out every now and then or a! E46 330Ci manual coupe….not even the M3 or Z4M, just a standard 330ci
Whenever I see an i8 particularly if parked up I always have a good luck round it , if I see likes of any 911 I don't .
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