BMW I8 News

To steal a line from Jerry Seinfeld, what's the deal with electric car names?As the automotive landscape shifts towards EVs, car makers have come up with some creative names ... and some downright odd ones.

BMW outlines its timeline for moving away from combustion and onto fully-electric underpinnings "in the second half of the decade."

BMW says its i electric brand, and M performance brand are "not completely separate" and "you will see what it means for M soon."

Bold design and revolutionary technology weren't enough to make the BMW i8 a success.The German giant has confirmed that production of the plug-in hybrid sports car will end in April, six years after it went on sale. It's part of a wider strategy change from the brand that sees it moving away from its standalone i8 and i3 models towards electric variants of its more popular models - including the X3 SUV and 3-Series.BMW had already confirmed that the i3 city car would not be replaced by a new model, but hasn't confirmed a production end date.As a farewell for the i8 it will produce 200 special editions, known as the Ultimate Sophisto Edition. It's finished in Sophisto Grey metallic paint with E-Copper accents on the 20-inch alloy wheels, kidney grille and side skirts.While the i8 was never a sales hit it did play an important role in developing technology for BMW. The body features extensive use of carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) on top of an aluminium chassis for reduced weight. The use of CFRP has now spread across several models in the BMW range, including the latest 7-Series.The powertrain was also a breakthrough for BMW. A 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine powered the rear wheels, while an electric motor sent power to the front to create all-wheel drive traction. It was capable of running on electric power only for short distances in order to enhance its green credentials further.While there are no plans to replace the i8 with a direct successor, the company has hinted that it could use the Vision M Next concept as the foundation for a new-generation flagship sports car. However, that's not expected for at least five years with the focus instead on launching the i4 sedan and iX3 and iNext SUVs.

US singer and songwriter, Khalid has joined BMW i for its Road to Coachella campaign, which begins on April 5th.Celebrating its third consecutive year as an official partner to the Coachella music festival, BMW i is “returning to the desert” with its artist-inspired ‘#RoadToCoachella’ campaign. Launching just before Khalid’s new album Free Spirit on April 5th, BMW i has custom wrapped an i3 and i8, both inspired by the Free Spirit album. The same cars will be involved with Khalid, VIPs and hand-selected influencers on a road trip from Palm Springs to Indio in California on April 11th. The same attendees will attend the festival, and document their journey with the event hashtag, #RoadToCoachella.Part of the road trip will be a Palm Springs pit-stop from April 11-14, where Khalid will be performing a ‘one-of-a-kind experience’ for his fans. 

The updated BMW i8 hybrid sportscar will arrive in Aussie showrooms later this month, debuting a new Roadster convertible that will top the range at $348,900 before on-road costs.

BMW whipped the covers off its facelifted i8 Coupe at the Los Angeles motor show overnight.

Chinese-backed Tesla-botherer Lucid Motors has revealed its all-electric Model S competitor due for production in 2018. And you shouldn't write it off as a cheap knock-off just yet.

The NSW Police Force has a new recruit – a BMW i8 hybrid supercar

Mapping the future direction of the car is the recurring theme at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.