[Aye-eight]

Originally Posted by vance

You guys really haven't taken a girl out in the car that wanted to touch up her makeup and complained about not having a vanity mirror light?

Mine just carry little make-up mirrors with built-in lights. Much more practical. Don’t require a whole car around them.

Are you seriously suggesting that that’s an issue? That’s like traveling in Concorde and saying “This whole thing is stupid. The windows are tiny.”

Really?

[LemonOne]

Originally Posted by Aye-eight

Mine just carry little make-up mirrors with built-in lights. Much more practical. Don’t require a whole car around them.

Are you seriuously suggesting that that’s an issue? That’s like traveling in Concorde and saying “This whole thing is stupid. The windows are tiny.”

Really?

People definitely don't buy an i8 because of its performance.
Let me ask, as i see you're an i8 owner, why did you get an i8?

1. Is it because of fuel economy?
2. Is it the styling?
3. Or you just wanted one because it's new (model and technology)?

No offence.

[Aye-eight]

Originally Posted by eunosracr

Gotta step up their game to Tesla like performance.

Not until Tesla steps up its game to BMW-like quality, interior design, and sheer numbers. Not to mention actually making the cars that customers have ordered ...

[Aye-eight]

Originally Posted by MalibuBimmer

I got bored out of my skull after less than 30 months. It's gone now and I have a loud AMG GT (the cheap one, which is sufficient for a 72 year old man). Not regretting it at all.

You went from “boring” to jurassic. Sorry to see you relapse.

[Aye-eight]

Originally Posted by LemonOne

People definitely don't buy an i8 because of its performance.
Let me ask, as i see you're an i8 owner, why did you get an i8?

1. Is it because of fuel economy?
2. Is it the styling?
3. Or you just wanted one because it's new (model and technology)?

No offence.

Because it was and still is the only car that combines all of the above plus two more points:

4. An established, quality-minded and driver-focused manufacturer who’s taking a fresh perspective on mobility

5. Pretty f****ing decent performance.

Why wouldn’t I buy it for performance? Because a few things out there are faster? So what? There will always be a bigger house, a faster car, a better view somewhere out there. Am I supposed to be all worried and inferiority-complexed about that? No, thank you. I get the package that works for me.

No offense, either.

[stressdoc]

Let's please keep the thread on-topic: discussion of 2019 roadster and coupe.

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by Aye-eight

Because it was and still is the only car that combines all of the above plus two more points:

4. An established, quality-minded and driver-focused manufacturer whoÂ’s taking a fresh perspective on mobility

5. Pretty fucking decent performance.

Why wouldnÂ’t I buy it for performance? Because a few things out there are faster? So what? There will always be a bigger house, a faster car, a better view somewhere out there. Am I supposed to be all worried and inferiority-complexed about that? No, thank you. I get the package that works for me.

No offense, either.

Truth !

[jcpca356]

A lot of people just don't understand the i8. I don't feel obligated to explain anything. I just look at it every morning, admire it, and drive it as much as I can. It's a beauty and a keeper. For a car that will serve as my beast, I have my eyes dead set on the new ZR1

Originally Posted by Aye-eight

Because it was and still is the only car that combines all of the above plus two more points:

4. An established, quality-minded and driver-focused manufacturer who’s taking a fresh perspective on mobility

5. Pretty f****ing decent performance.

Why wouldn’t I buy it for performance? Because a few things out there are faster? So what? There will always be a bigger house, a faster car, a better view somewhere out there. Am I supposed to be all worried and inferiority-complexed about that? No, thank you. I get the package that works for me.

No offense, either.

[orion1977]

The looks of the i8 outweighs being fractions of a second faster in another car. It's always and has always been about the looks for me.

[ChiTownM]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

What do YOU want?

Maybe a different take but what BMW lacks is a smart go-to-market strategy for non volume cars that allows us, their best customers, to at least somewhat keep our car value intact. I have bought many non volume BMW (M and i8) as an early adopter and am tired of the devaluation of the cars. I know that it's not an investment but look at this car, GTS, etc. and it doesn't bode well for the brand enthusiasm that we tend to share and highlight with others. Would love to get in contact with a high level BMW marketer one day. I did write Leo a couple of years ago and the return letter's tone and facts was such a turnoff. Glad to see him gone.

I do love the higher end product that BMW puts out. I do not regret a 2014 i8, since it is much faster than most people think and the technology actually works really well in real life. I do hate the fact that the dashboard has started to rattle recently just like a Tesla though, but that's for another day. If anybody has clues at HQ on how to address, please share.

BTW, always appreciate your information that has been shared on the forum. Please take this as constructive criticism only, not a rant.

[iHyperMiler]

In my mind the pricing relates to the actual function / performance the car offers. The i8 is very impressive, and just outright beautiful in the eyes of many people.

The performance is in the ballpark of a $100.000 Porsche, so, obviously, the price stabilizes at that level, once it has come down from the $ 150k sticker after the first year. That is also a price level more attainable for many people.

It does not seem to be dropping very rapidly below that right now?

[LemonOne]

Originally Posted by Aye-eight

Because it was and still is the only car that combines all of the above plus two more points:

4. An established, quality-minded and driver-focused manufacturer who’s taking a fresh perspective on mobility

5. Pretty f****ing decent performance.

Why wouldn’t I buy it for performance? Because a few things out there are faster? So what? There will always be a bigger house, a faster car, a better view somewhere out there. Am I supposed to be all worried and inferiority-complexed about that? No, thank you. I get the package that works for me.

No offense, either.

Very subjective response.

[LemonOne]

Originally Posted by ORIGIN M.

Truth !

[YWGT3]

Originally Posted by LemonOne

People definitely don't buy an i8 because of its performance.
Let me ask, as i see you're an i8 owner, why did you get an i8?

1. Is it because of fuel economy?
2. Is it the styling?
3. Or you just wanted one because it's new (model and technology)?

No offence.

Actually, having owned several track worthy sports cars, including the: Gallardo, F430, 911 Turbo as well as a whole bunch of BMW M and Mercedes AMG GTs, the i8, for me, brings out the best aspects of the two aforementioned categories. While possessing a track car stance with exceptionally well balanced handling, it delivers a more forgiving GT ride for the less than perfect roadways in the Bay Area. With a 3.9 and 4.0 zero to sixty time I recorded, the car is no slouch either. While it's certainly not designed for the track, the i8 offers more than enough performance for the public roads. As a dd, the i8 has been the best sports/GT car I've driven thus far. Whereas, if you're looking for track performance oriented vehicles, well that's a different story.

When it comes to the i8's styling, yes it's captivating. As for fuel economy and newness, those were less than tertiary considerations. Although, I must admit the i8's fuel economy is absurd. Most of the performance vehicles I have or owned, averaged 8-13 mpg for daily driving. The i8 seems to be sipping gas at 39.7 mpg, on average. The plus side to this has been fewer annoying trips to the pump. As for cost, I'm still getting use to how inexpensive the i8 is to insure and maintain, juxtaposed to any of the current and previous performance cars that I've owned.

The best way to find out what makes the i8 tick for yourself is to take it out for a test drive.

[Aye-eight]

Originally Posted by LemonOne

Very subjective response.

You asked me why I got one. How could my response not be subjective?

[mcc3456]

Originally Posted by Aye-eight

Apologies, but you’re not getting the bigger picture. This isn’t about M4 economics - “how many can we sell for the development and marketing effort?”.

The whole BMWi sub-branding, technology platform, model range is about being early out of the blocks on the future of mobility. It’s a strategic play that doesn’t follow the standard mass-market economics.

VW never made a profit on the Bugatti Veyron. Porsche didn’t make a profit on the 918. If it weren’t for products like this (and buyers like us) to take things forward, we’d all be in Mondeos forever. So, you’re welcome.

If you’re trying to somehow link the i8 to the Bugatti Veyron and Porsche 918, you’re living in La La Land, my friend. The i8 has been an unmitigated sales disaster for BMW, plain and simple, and there is no sugar coating it. It is the answer to a question NOBODY was asking, and has been relegated to poseurs who prefer making a look at me appearance more so than actual performance. In a nutshell, it’s the DeLorean of this decade, and even that is being charitable.

[MalibuBimmer]

Pretty much the same reason as mcc3456. As a kid in the 1950s I read Popular Mechanics about the cars of the future. They were going to fly.

That never happened. Electrification was taking its sweet time and autonomy was still a future promise too.

Then BMW came out with its hybrid which was at least a bridge to the future. I'm an old codger now, but I was still plugged into to a futurisitic car. So I got one.

Enjoyed the hell out of it for 2 years and then it bored the sh!t out of me.

[Aye-eight]

Originally Posted by mcc3456

If you’re trying to somehow link the i8 to the Bugatti Veyron and Porsche 918, you’re living in La La Land, my friend. The i8 has been an unmitigated sales disaster for BMW, plain and simple, and there is no sugar coating it. It is the answer to a question NOBODY was asking, and has been relegated to poseurs who prefer making a look at me appearance more so than actual performance. In a nutshell, it’s the DeLorean of this decade, and even that is being charitable.

It must be a really difficult concept to understand - unless it’s for lack of willingness. Lighthouse products are about showing off to the market, real-life testing technology, and getting early adopters to prepare the broader customer base for future products. So your M4 two generations from now can benefit from electric torque on a proven platform. (You’re welcome.)

Lots of people on here, especially from the US, have been complaining that BMW allegedly took the i8 from “limited production” to “mass market” (although the latter is clearly an exaggeration). How do you reconcile that expectation of limited numbers with BMW supposedly wanting it to be profitable? It’s either one or the other ... my friend.

[orion1977]

Originally Posted by mcc3456

In a nutshell, it’s the DeLorean of this decade, and even that is being charitable.

This is probably the most outlandish statement in this forum.

Please don't compare the i8 to a car that is known to overheat, accelerates 0 to 60 in 9.5 to 10.5 seconds and does 21 MPG.

I too wish the i8 were a few fractions of a second faster, but let's be clear - it's fast enough and it's faster than most cars, and it's prettier than most cars, and its more efficient that most cars.

[BanjoPaterson]

Originally Posted by mcc3456

If you’re trying to somehow link the i8 to the Bugatti Veyron and Porsche 918, you’re living in La La Land, my friend. The i8 has been an unmitigated sales disaster for BMW, plain and simple, and there is no sugar coating it. It is the answer to a question NOBODY was asking, and has been relegated to poseurs who prefer making a look at me appearance more so than actual performance. In a nutshell, it’s the DeLorean of this decade, and even that is being charitable.

You are correct in that you can't link it to a Bugatti Veyron or Porsche 918, although it shares a similar architecture in the drive train to the latter. But that was not the point of the design. The i team's design was to make a futurist looking car with performance to match the 2014 Porsche 911 Carrera, but do all of this on less than 6litres/100kms (which mine does quite regularly).

However, you are being disingenuous comparing it to a DeLorean. The DeLorean had a number of production problems, the least of which being the engine specs, with the rotary being dropped first for a Ford V6 and ultimately for a Peugeot V6 with 140 horsepower (130 for the US market); meaning it was truly under-powered. Now, I'll be the first to admit I'd like a few dozen more horses in my i8 to get the 0-100km/h times down to about 4, but that's being picky. Truth be told, it's well powerful as it is and its top speed is well beyond what I can legally do in most states in Australia. Also, the DeLorean had far poorer build quality than the i8 and was being produced by a new company that was cash strapped -- and BMW are not cash strapped.

Now that I've bought my i8, I wouldn't mind production coming to a halt so that appreciation kicks in, but even if it depreciates to the price of an etchy-sketch, it would not change my love for the car. It is the best performing and best looking car I can buy... and even if I won lotto and had millions, I probably still wouldn't trade it in for a Ferrari or Lamborghini (possibly a McLaren, though, but then you're stuck with British Engineering -- an oxymoron to those who've owned British cars in the past) as I still think it's a beautiful car, only rivaled by in looks by very few others I can think of (e.g. BMW 507, Lamborghini Miura, BMW M1 spring to mind), and none of which I can afford.

I think it gets a lot of hate because people want a car that looks so gobsmackingly goodlooking to have a V12 or such other under the hood, but that was not BMW's intent with the car, and I think it's better for it.

[mcc3456]

Originally Posted by Aye-eight

It must be a really difficult concept to understand - unless it’s for lack of willingness. Lighthouse products are about showing off to the market, real-life testing technology, and getting early adopters to prepare the broader customer base for future products. So your M4 two generations from now can benefit from electric torque on a proven platform. (You’re welcome.)

Lots of people on here, especially from the US, have been complaining that BMW allegedly took the i8 from “limited production” to “mass market” (although the latter is clearly an exaggeration). How do you reconcile that expectation of limited numbers with BMW supposedly wanting it to be profitable? It’s either one or the other ... my friend.

I think BMW expected limited numbers...until they couldn’t even hit those numbers. The only thing the i8 is limited to is the number of people who even care about it.

[NGR]

Originally Posted by mcc3456

I think BMW expected limited numbers...until they couldn’t even hit those numbers. The only thing the i8 is limited to is the number of people who even care about it.

Have you seen the press reviews? - don't think I've seen a negative review.
Have you driven one and been constantly pointed at and surrounded by people asking what the hell it is?
Have you had kids give you the thumbs and ask to sit in it or take pictures when you pull up?

Once while stopped at traffic lights on a busy street, window down, I heard a few people saying...."look at that, wow, wait til it sets off, listen, listen, hear that, silent..."
I dropped my son at his prom in mine, coming round the corner, I could hear the word spreading through the crowd "i8 coming, i8 coming, look i8". When the doors opened the crowd gasped and cheered.
Pictures of mine pop up in random places on the internet, even got papped when in Cheshire last year (where the rich footballers live).

Plenty of people care about it, doesn't mean it's the fastest/bestest thing out there but never accuse it of being ignored or unloved. If you don't respect it then that is unfortunate because you are simply ignoring its merits.

Comparing to a DeLorean - ok, don't agree at all. However, decades later the DeLorean is a classic collectors' car, loved, restored and driven by many enthusiasts - and a good one will cost a lot of money. If gull wing doors and futuristic styling can do that an engineering turkey like the DeLorean, the i8 has a bright future indeed.