Photo: Raynaldo Rowe
Whenever she sees a BMW i8, my wife always asks me what car it is. She can have Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and even McLarens pass by all day and she won't even bat an eyelid, but as soon as an i8 comes into her vision range, she can just sense it.
I'm not saying we should use our wives as a means of determining how appealing or exotic a car is, but I do think that their reaction can be interpreted as a confirmation. Because let's face it, BMW designers have nailed it with this hybrid that is both discreet and aggressive, elegant and sporty, beautiful and weird.
How do you add to that? That's a good question, one many tuners have asked themselves and failed to come up with an answer. There are so few ways in which the overall look of the i8 can be modified without also touching on its character that most tuning houses decided to stay out of it. And, to be honest, we're quite grateful for that: nobody wants to see a car this lovely getting botched up.
Vorsteiner, on the other hand, probably sees it as its duty. A longtime tuner of BMWs, the company has a history of making the Bavarian models even more enjoyable to drive than they were to begin with. That is if your understanding of "enjoyable" means being able to go really fast. To do that, Vorsteiner equipped the i8 with a slightly modified bodykit that, in true Vorsteiner fashion, doesn't just look cool, but also helps with the airflow.
The package then consists of a larger front splitter that complements the lowered suspension, matched by a rear carbon fiber air diffuser, and a set of three-piece forged wheels with ten spokes that leave a lot to be seen. But the most spectacular element of this conversion has to be the all-black paint job, with the traditional blue elements included. This gives the i8 the menacing look it deserves, even though it also hides some of the finer design details. Well, you win some, you lose some.
How do you add to that? That's a good question, one many tuners have asked themselves and failed to come up with an answer. There are so few ways in which the overall look of the i8 can be modified without also touching on its character that most tuning houses decided to stay out of it. And, to be honest, we're quite grateful for that: nobody wants to see a car this lovely getting botched up.
Vorsteiner, on the other hand, probably sees it as its duty. A longtime tuner of BMWs, the company has a history of making the Bavarian models even more enjoyable to drive than they were to begin with. That is if your understanding of "enjoyable" means being able to go really fast. To do that, Vorsteiner equipped the i8 with a slightly modified bodykit that, in true Vorsteiner fashion, doesn't just look cool, but also helps with the airflow.
The package then consists of a larger front splitter that complements the lowered suspension, matched by a rear carbon fiber air diffuser, and a set of three-piece forged wheels with ten spokes that leave a lot to be seen. But the most spectacular element of this conversion has to be the all-black paint job, with the traditional blue elements included. This gives the i8 the menacing look it deserves, even though it also hides some of the finer design details. Well, you win some, you lose some.
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