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      02-16-2017, 11:07 AM   #1
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First Sighting! BMW i8 Spyder Prototypes

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BMW i8 Spyder Prototype Spotted
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Updated 5/11/17: The i8 Spyder has been recorded testing on the Nurburgring for the first time.





Updated 2/28/17: We recently got our first look at the BMW i8 Spyder with its top down. We now have the first look of the removable soft top in place. The driver flag on the side of the car also indicates that the prototype is being driven by BMW race car driver (and DTM champ) Marco Whitmann.


Have a look at the first BMW i8 Spyder prototype with its top removed. Minimal camouflage covers the car, which clearly sticks close to the concept version, first revealed seemingly eons (5 years) ago.

The i8 Spyder retains its targa roof with curvy cowls behind each seats. Although its been removed here, the roof is expected to be a two section folding roof as on the concept.

The i8 Spyder will debut with the i8 LCI and like the LCI coupe it will feature a small power bump from current levels. Production will begin in 2018, as a MY2019 in the US.


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Compare to the Concept Spyder.

BMW i8 Spyder Concept at 2012 Paris Auto Show





And here are some renderings we've done in the past giving us a look at different colors.

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      02-16-2017, 12:32 PM   #2
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Looks fantastic, ..as expected!

Now can we please give it some more power?
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      02-16-2017, 12:40 PM   #3
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Very nice... shame it's another year off!
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      02-16-2017, 01:16 PM   #4
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This car is such a looker no doubt about that. And yes, I know its purpose is to be efficient in every way possible...

But this car, with a V10 or even a TT V8 would be something worth waiting another year for...600 hp and carbon fiber galore.. hell, even charge 185k..we'd be all over it. Give us a AMG GT or Audi R8 competitor already
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      02-16-2017, 01:26 PM   #5
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What a looker!
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      02-16-2017, 01:34 PM   #6
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Such a nice looking spyder! almost looks better than the hard top.

Quote:
Originally Posted by BRCHP View Post
Give us a AMG GT or Audi R8 competitor already
maybe they are looking for a 918 competitor instead?
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      02-16-2017, 01:45 PM   #7
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Just in time for my current lease to expire
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      02-16-2017, 01:46 PM   #8
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Love it!
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      02-16-2017, 02:33 PM   #9
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Hardtop folding roof i assume?
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      02-16-2017, 02:42 PM   #10
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Nice job BMW I'll prob get this when my current i8 lease is up. And to everyone fixated on the power, that's not what this car is about ladies and gents. Most of us current i8 owners also have other much faster cars when we want to do that sort of thing.
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      02-16-2017, 03:23 PM   #11
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      02-16-2017, 03:38 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longboarder View Post
Nice job BMW I'll prob get this when my current i8 lease is up. And to everyone fixated on the power, that's not what this car is about ladies and gents. Most of us current i8 owners also have other much faster cars when we want to do that sort of thing.
I don't doubt that, but this car would attract more sales if it had a performance variant. This car looks amazing, and subpar looking vehicles (compared to this model) are stealing potential sales from it. Why leave the customer base short handed?
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      02-16-2017, 03:40 PM   #13
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Id like more power. I'll be stunned if it doesn't. BMW would look so foolish if they didn't make mechanical improvements after 5 YEARS!
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      02-16-2017, 03:58 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Unkle Steve View Post
I don't doubt that, but this car would attract more sales if it had a performance variant. This car looks amazing, and subpar looking vehicles (compared to this model) are stealing potential sales from it. Why leave the customer base short handed?
I don't know this for certain but speculate that the costs would have been dramatically higher to engineer the i8 to safely and adequately handle a lot more power.

There's very few buyers of this car already given the ergonomics - essentially zero cargo space, the difficulty of ingress/egress and limited driver visibility - so an even higher price point would further reduce sales in my opinion. If BMW did increase power with an increase to price to match, then the car would be knocking on the door of cars like Porsche 911 Turbo or GT3, Acura NSX, or possibly the offerings from Lambo, McLaren and Ferrari. Straight up this car would fail miserably in an attempt to compete there.

Plus the point of the car is efficiency at every level and so utilizing a larger internal combustion motor would have been detrimental.
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      02-16-2017, 04:12 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by F5506m View Post
Just in time for my current lease to expire
Same.
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      02-16-2017, 05:20 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longboarder View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unkle Steve View Post
I don't doubt that, but this car would attract more sales if it had a performance variant. This car looks amazing, and subpar looking vehicles (compared to this model) are stealing potential sales from it. Why leave the customer base short handed?
I don't know this for certain but speculate that the costs would have been dramatically higher to engineer the i8 to safely and adequately handle a lot more power.

There's very few buyers of this car already given the ergonomics - essentially zero cargo space, the difficulty of ingress/egress and limited driver visibility - so an even higher price point would further reduce sales in my opinion. If BMW did increase power with an increase to price to match, then the car would be knocking on the door of cars like Porsche 911 Turbo or GT3, Acura NSX, or possibly the offerings from Lambo, McLaren and Ferrari. Straight up this car would fail miserably in an attempt to compete there.

Plus the point of the car is efficiency at every level and so utilizing a larger internal combustion motor would have been detrimental.
IMO if it's in any way possible BMW should do something similar to what Tesla did, which was replace the P90D with the P100D and offer the dated model for a spectacular discount.

Then we can have a face lifted i8 with more reasonable performance for the same cost and an i8s model that is meant to compete more with cars like the Audi R8. I'm not stating that the car should be terribly less efficient when it offers the additional performance, but if Tesla can engineer awesome performing cars under 150k, then I fail to see why it can't be done with BMW.

I understand that I'm comparing an electric car to a hybrid, but for the price that the i8 is being sold for (or even a hypothetical 's' variant sold above 200k), it should be able to provide a greater driving experience.
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      02-16-2017, 05:27 PM   #17
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Was there ever a video of the tops folding? Having a hard time visualizing it.
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      02-16-2017, 07:10 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Unkle Steve View Post
IMO if it's in any way possible BMW should do something similar to what Tesla did, which was replace the P90D with the P100D and offer the dated model for a spectacular discount.

Then we can have a face lifted i8 with more reasonable performance for the same cost and an i8s model that is meant to compete more with cars like the Audi R8. I'm not stating that the car should be terribly less efficient when it offers the additional performance, but if Tesla can engineer awesome performing cars under 150k, then I fail to see why it can't be done with BMW.

I understand that I'm comparing an electric car to a hybrid, but for the price that the i8 is being sold for (or even a hypothetical 's' variant sold above 200k), it should be able to provide a greater driving experience.
Tesla? If you ask anyone who actually is involved in motorsports activities, a Tesla is not a performance car. It is singularly dimensional in that it can take off quickly from a start a couple times if the battery is substantially charged and you push a bunch of buttons in a certain sequence which takes a lot of time. The launch control systems on real performance cars are simple to initiate and have few if any limitations. And real performance cars can actually perform well in all disciplines and offer incredible driving dynamics. Have you driven a Tesla? It's anything but performance oriented.

For similar money as a 100D, you could have a Porsche 911 Turbo. People are getting 2.3 second 0-60 times with these cars which is the same time that Elon Musk is saying makes the 100D the fastest car in the world or whatever. lol. I guess he is only referring to stoplight races as over 100mph the Porsche would fly away from the Tesla (as would most any other performance car in the triple digits). And when you are participating in motorsports activities, NOTHING is zero to sixty. Almost everything is over 100mph. Try to bring a Tesla to a road course event. Or an airstrip event. It would be extremely difficult because it will run out of batteries very quickly at WOT and would need to bring a remote charging station. And even if you did, it's slow at triple digit speeds so what's the point?

So basically you are limited to public road stoplight racing with a Tesla. Which is illegal. And dangerous. And it drives like a turd on it's best day. Glad BMW didn't make this car anything like a Tesla.
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      02-16-2017, 07:29 PM   #19
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That's how the i8 should have looked from the beginning. Reminds me of the Porsche 918 Spyder. Let's hope BMW gives it a bump in power too. That would be an even better reason to go topless.
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      02-16-2017, 07:44 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longboarder View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unkle Steve View Post
IMO if it's in any way possible BMW should do something similar to what Tesla did, which was replace the P90D with the P100D and offer the dated model for a spectacular discount.

Then we can have a face lifted i8 with more reasonable performance for the same cost and an i8s model that is meant to compete more with cars like the Audi R8. I'm not stating that the car should be terribly less efficient when it offers the additional performance, but if Tesla can engineer awesome performing cars under 150k, then I fail to see why it can't be done with BMW.

I understand that I'm comparing an electric car to a hybrid, but for the price that the i8 is being sold for (or even a hypothetical 's' variant sold above 200k), it should be able to provide a greater driving experience.
Tesla? If you ask anyone who actually is involved in motorsports activities, a Tesla is not a performance car. It is singularly dimensional in that it can take off quickly from a start a couple times if the battery is substantially charged and you push a bunch of buttons in a certain sequence which takes a lot of time. The launch control systems on real performance cars are simple to initiate and have few if any limitations. And real performance cars can actually perform well in all disciplines and offer incredible driving dynamics. Have you driven a Tesla? It's anything but performance oriented.

For similar money as a 100D, you could have a Porsche 911 Turbo. People are getting 2.3 second 0-60 times with these cars which is the same time that Elon Musk is saying makes the 100D the fastest car in the world or whatever. lol. I guess he is only referring to stoplight races as over 100mph the Porsche would fly away from the Tesla (as would most any other performance car in the triple digits). And when you are participating in motorsports activities, NOTHING is zero to sixty. Almost everything is over 100mph. Try to bring a Tesla to a road course event. Or an airstrip event. It would be extremely difficult because it will run out of batteries very quickly at WOT and would need to bring a remote charging station. And even if you did, it's slow at triple digit speeds so what's the point?

So basically you are limited to public road stoplight racing with a Tesla. Which is illegal. And dangerous. And it drives like a turd on it's best day. Glad BMW didn't make this car anything like a Tesla.
I suppose I shouldn't emphasize the term 'performance' when I'm only referring to speed. What I meant was that aside from aesthetics, the i8 should provide an additional incentive for customers to purchase it. In the case of Tesla, the P100D is available for those that want additional specs, and I referenced that primarily to point out that the current models can be replaced with something more enticing for consumers to consider.

I wouldn't dream of an i8 besting a 911 turbo in performance, let alone an R8. I'm only pointing out the potential that I believe it can have with generating more sales.
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      02-16-2017, 08:01 PM   #21
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Looks pretty cool!

(And BMW has finally found a camo wrap pattern that actually works!)
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      02-16-2017, 11:10 PM   #22
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Absolutely gorgeous already. Renderings look great. Can't wait to see it in finalized form.
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