Photo: BMW
Not even two weeks passed since the BMW i8 was officially released in the UK and the batch of cars reserved for the island was already sold out according to The Telegraph. Deliveries are taking place all over the kingdom with customers being extremely happy about taking the keys to their new cars.
So, what now? Well, if you’re still looking for an i8 you should know that the waiting lists are now 10 months long meaning you’d probably get yours next summer, at the earliest.
Even the sales people were surprised of the immense popularity this car had in the UK, with one sales manager even being quoted as saying “We’ve had numerous people asking to buy the display car. Many have said to me: name your price.”
He’s Peter Adams, the sales manager of BMW’s showroom on Park Lane, in London’s Mayfair, the place that has no less than 170 orders on file, by far the biggest seller in the country. It’s understandable as well, since that’s where the world’s wealthiest usually hang around.
The price doesn’t seem to be a problem either, even though the i8 starts at just under £100,000. That’s the starting price, the cars are most likely to end up costing at least £120,000 after the customers checked the optional features they want on them. The laser headlights alone cost around $10,000.
In Germany prices start at €126,000 while in the US the i8 has a base price of $135,700. However, for now, the laser headlights are not road legal over there so even if you want to drive the price higher, you’re quite limited.
As for why Brits are stocking to buy this car, the reasons are pretty obvious. The i8 has a hybrid powertrain made up of an internal combustion 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine at the back making 231 HP and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque and an electric motor up front making 131 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) on the front axle.
Combined they make 362 HP and 570 Nm (420 lb-ft) of torque and, while the numbers are not as impressive as they might be at this price range, they do have an advantage up their sleeve: the CO2 emissions.
The i8 can go all electric for up to around 20 miles, emitting no CO2 whatsoever. But even in hybrid mode, the emissions are rated at only 49 grams per kilometer which allows their owners to avoid paying the congestion tax for gaining access in the heart of London.
Even the sales people were surprised of the immense popularity this car had in the UK, with one sales manager even being quoted as saying “We’ve had numerous people asking to buy the display car. Many have said to me: name your price.”
He’s Peter Adams, the sales manager of BMW’s showroom on Park Lane, in London’s Mayfair, the place that has no less than 170 orders on file, by far the biggest seller in the country. It’s understandable as well, since that’s where the world’s wealthiest usually hang around.
The price doesn’t seem to be a problem either, even though the i8 starts at just under £100,000. That’s the starting price, the cars are most likely to end up costing at least £120,000 after the customers checked the optional features they want on them. The laser headlights alone cost around $10,000.
In Germany prices start at €126,000 while in the US the i8 has a base price of $135,700. However, for now, the laser headlights are not road legal over there so even if you want to drive the price higher, you’re quite limited.
As for why Brits are stocking to buy this car, the reasons are pretty obvious. The i8 has a hybrid powertrain made up of an internal combustion 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine at the back making 231 HP and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque and an electric motor up front making 131 HP and 250 Nm (184 lb-ft) on the front axle.
Combined they make 362 HP and 570 Nm (420 lb-ft) of torque and, while the numbers are not as impressive as they might be at this price range, they do have an advantage up their sleeve: the CO2 emissions.
The i8 can go all electric for up to around 20 miles, emitting no CO2 whatsoever. But even in hybrid mode, the emissions are rated at only 49 grams per kilometer which allows their owners to avoid paying the congestion tax for gaining access in the heart of London.
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