Browsing tag

i8

Why Getting That New Car May Actually Be Worth It

With countless blogs and websites stressing the importance of saving and minimizing on purchases, some may feel reluctant about splurging on a new vehicle. After all, any new vehicle is a significant investment that, for many, requires financing and adds to existing bills. Because of this, some people may have the mindset that as long as their vehicle gets from point A to B, there is no reason to search for something new. However, before the prospects of buying a new car are written off entirely, consider the reasons why it may be worth getting the car you want after …

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4.6s 2018 BMW i8 Roadster Is No-Brainer Ragtop

The i8 is amazing to drive!  In Sport+ this machine opens up its full 374HP and rockets forward with glee.  Triple turbo thrumming behind you and popping out racy noises from the exhausts. But the i8 has a problem.  It is so light because of all that carbon fiber.  Which is expensive. And intrudes on the doorsill in a major way.  This makes i8’s beautiful swan wing doors make sense.  They are very-much needed to help get in and out.  With a low roof on the coupe, this has been a barrier to the car’s wider success. This Roadster hopes …

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2018 Lexus LC500h at Amelia Island Concours [44 Photos]

Kicking off the slew of posts we have to write from the always-fun Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Amelia Island’s tight layout in the Ritz Carlton hotel in northeast Florida makes for a thrilling sensory overload.  Every step means a one-off car you’ve never seen, never imagined.  Needless to say, you can’t believe your eyes — so much HOT metal! Amelia excels in new-car promotions as well as the pre-war etc Concours categories.  After all, 10k rabid car fans in one place?  Oh, and they are wealthy!?  Let’s do a ride-and-drive! Alfa, Rolls, McLaren, Porsche, Infiniti and Jaguar were the stands. …

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2017 BMW i8 Spyder Teased Via BMW i Vision Future Interaction + ConnectedRide HUD Cycle Helmets

  BMW debuted a half-dozen new tech innovations at CES this year, including gesture control and mirror-less exteriors. But the real eye-catcher?  The BMW i Vision Future Interaction — a near-production 2017 BMW i8 Spyder. Sans two critical pieces, of course. Yes, the production car will have doors.  At first we thought the BMW i VFI Concept hid its doors in the side sills, a la the BMW Technik Z1 model sold in Europe briefly in the early 1990s. Alas, the lack of doors is just to give full view of the new cockpit controls and layouts.  This new user …

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2016 BMW i8 FIA Formula E Pacecar – Wireless Charging + M8 Mods Roadmap?

BMW has re-signed as the official safety and medical car provider for the second-ever Formula E race series! The 2015/2016 series will feature a number of electric BMW’s on track for assistance and support duties, including bikes and an X5 eDrive. The i3 will be a medical support vehicle as well. But the really fast laps demand a fast safety and pacecar, of course! And here is the perfect machine, the PHEV BMW i8. And not just any i8, either. A few interesting tidbits about this pacecar are extremely promising. Wireless charging and a huge chassis upgrade that may point …

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Update1 – VOSSEN BMW i8 Trio On 22s At Port of Miami – 200-Pic Mega Gallery

  Wonderful collection of photos to share here. Three styles of Vossen 22-inch forged alloys showcased here — with all creating very unique and distinct moods for the BMW supercar. These giant wheels work wonders for the i8’s street presence and curb appeal. They are just the final twist of exotic flavor needed to help the i8 fit in with the Ferrari, Lambo and McLaren crowds of South Beach. Before the main event of shimmery crimson wheels over white bodywork… a moody mountain set of the i8 on Vossen VPS-309 forged alloys. VOSSEN BMW i8 – VPS-309 Wheels VOSSEN BMW …

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AC Schnitzer Transforms BMW i8 into Supercar M8 of Your Dreams!

  Sure, the BMW i8 may have a highly advanced and unconventional powertrain, but this is a pure supercar through and through. In the flesh, the i8 is almost unbelievably unique and special. Its low roof and CFRP bodywork offer bodywork swirls and layers unlike any other supercar — at any price. But the i8 is crying out for an M-style makeover. For corporate political reasons, a proper M8 from BMW is not likely any time soon. Similarly, the i8 has been deeply underserved by the aftermarket community so far, but thanks to AC Schnitzer, this dream M8 can now …

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2016 Cadillac ELR Much Quicker and $10k Cheaper! 2014 Models Like a $50k BMW i8 at i3 Prices?

Putting together these turntables just now offered a chance to see the ELR in 360-degrees across its four colors. Mid-way through the black ELR, we have a revelation: this car is gorgeous! Even the 2014 model of the spinners is quite a dashing and sexy shape from all sides, with a mid-engine exotic feel to the profile especially. The 2016 ELR takes this design to the next level: a new Performance Pack brings bigger five-spoke alloys and trim tweaks to go along with its new Caddy crest badges front and rear. The 2016 refresh has some other delights in store, …

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Spec Renderings – 2016 BMW i8 Spyder

Updated 12.15.14 Here are some crude renderings of a potential 2016 i8 Spyder. These might seem silly, but it is helpful to blend the roofless style of the 2012 concept with the production nose and door detailing of the 2014 i8 Coupe. The 2012 BMW i8 Concept Spyder was a stunning showcase of the latest BMW flagship. Now that the production i8 Coupe is a huge hit around the world — and won TopGear’s Car of the Year to prove it — we’re taking another look at the drop-top version. In theory, the carbon-fiber chassis and central portion of the …

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Concept Flashback – 2012 BMW i8 Spyder – Coming For Summer 2015?

  The 2012 BMW i8 Concept Spyder was a stunning showcase of the latest BMW flagship. Now that the production i8 Coupe is a huge hit around the world — and won TopGear’s Car of the Year to prove it — we’re taking another look at the drop-top version. In theory, the carbon-fiber chassis and central portion of the i8 lends itself to the cabrio conversion very nicely. Due to how close the i8 concepts were to the production model, we believe a Spyder is not only feasible — but firmly on the radar. A few rough renderings show what …

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2014 Volkswagen XL Sport Concept Makes One Seriously Sexy BMW i8 Competitor

Here is an interesting machine! The eco-friendly supercar segment established by the BMW i8 could find a competitor in the VW XL Sport concept, which takes all the ideas and tech from the XL1 high-mileage, low-volume special and sends it to the racetrack. Much wider, lower, leaner and meaner: the XL Sport is still wholly unconventional in its style and presence. This makes it not unlike the i8 in many ways. They both certainly have stopping power: heads will turn to catch this wild machine zing past. But the carbon-ceramix brakes of the the XL Sport will surely provide actual …

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First 2014 BMW i8 Owners Take Delivery in Posh Pebble Beach Experience

Some big names in the below five-pack of the first deliveries of the BMW i8 at Pebble Beach! They include racing moguls Roger Penske and Rick Hendrick, among other luminaries. We would vote heavily in favor of the black finish — which is simply amazing, as we can see here. Well ordered, Thomas Keller! It is interesting that Chef Thomas Keller also appears to be providing dinner for the guests at this event, which is nicely symbiotic from BMW. i8 Passion Runs High As the $825,000 total from the charity i8 Pebble Beach Edition shows — the i8 is much …

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USA Debut and $825,000 Auction Grand Slam – 2014 BMW i8 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance Edition

In what is certainly a feel-great moment for the BMW as well as the Pebble Beach Foundation charity — the one-off BMW i8 Pebble Beach Concours edition racked up a stunning $825,000 sale price at the Gooding & Co. 2014 auction. The price multiple of 6.11X over the BMW i8’s $135,000 retail total is surely not just from the custom-fitted Louis Vuitton luggage or dark-matte grey paint. It also accounts for instant access to what is easily one of the hottest new cars at any price. In the flesh, the i8 PB Concours Edition is quite magnificent. Its low, lean …

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4.4s 2015 BMW i8 Glams Up London and English Countryside for UK Sales Launch

Updated 7.17.14 UK Photoshoot             The 2015 BMW i8 is beautiful. Make no mistake about it: this will instantly be the most-exciting car on the roads from the second half of next year. BMW i Visualizer – see this exact i8 and change the colors, wheels, leathers… It is significantly more challenging to grasp the i8’s performance potential in advance, like we can for most new sports cars and even hypercars from the big names. But while the i3 might be a bit funky, the i8 is stunning. Low roof, scorching pace, style for days: …

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Cool 2015 BMW i8 Animations + Live Visualizer Links

The 2015 BMW i8 is beautiful. Make no mistake about it: this will instantly be the most-exciting car on the roads from the second half of next year. BMW i Visualizer – see this exact i8 and change the colors, wheels, leathers… It is significantly more challenging to grasp the i8’s performance potential in advance, like we can for most new sports cars and even hypercars from the big names. But while the i3 might be a bit funky, the i8 is stunning. Low roof, scorching pace, style for days: this i8 is hot. It also brings forth never-before-executed concepts …

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2017 BMW i6 Materializes in Renderings As Huge Carbon-Fiber Plant of Toray Industries Heads to Spartanburg

What is next for the BMW i brand? We have been speculating on that topic for weeks now, but a recent announcement has kicked things into high gear: BMW’s Moses Lake plant in Washington state is tripling production of carbon fiber. Second *strong* indicator? Toray Industries of Japan is a leading carbon-fiber manufacturer globally. It has just announced a 400-acre land purchase in Spartanburg, South Carolina for a gigantic new production facility. This is expected to feed both the Boeing 787 plant in Charleston as well as Spartanburg’s other famous factory resident: BMW. http://www.compositesworld.com/news/toray-plans-us-expansion-for-americas-carbon-precursorfiberprepreg-lines That points to a new BMW …

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BMW Debuts Solar Carport and Triples Carbon-Fiber Output at Hydro-Powered Washington Factory

The BMW i strategy is full-steam ahead — literally. Hydroelectric power in Washinton state is making it the global carbo-fiber manufacturing hub for the BMW Group, with an extra $200-million investment announced today. This will double the facility’s output and will help BMW meet strong i3 and i8 demand, as well as support the supply chain for the expected new BMW i models. i5 and i2? i4 and i1? It really could be anything. No announcements or even concepts have indicated which number BMW might be next on the i-Makeovers list — so it really is anyone’s guess. But considering …

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Future Car Renderings – 2016 BMW i4 Imagined as Much-Lower, Much-Cooler Machine

Today is the third or fourth time we have tried to get on-board with the BMW i3 via the online builder and the mechanical specifications. The i3 is a fantastically-interesting, futuristic, and brilliant solution to low-emissions motoring: priced from $41,000 as the pure EV model, the premium for the Range-Extender gasoline option up front is just a few thousand extra – well worth it in my opinion. But the style!? Where is the style of the future? In the past? We hope not. But my word – this i3 makes the Prius look sexy and slinky. It is best compared …

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The Inimitable Future-Tech 2015 BMW i8 — Feeling Chummy with Concept M4 and 1980 BMW M1 — Fleming Flashbacks

Did you guys ever read the James Bond continuation books? There have been dozens and dozens of writers who keep the series going — since the late 1970s, I believe, the publisher has been cranking out new James Bond adventures in print.. Do they pack the F-you-too-then-Sir swagger of Fleming chain-smoking at his typewriter? No, they generally do not. But they do capture the fast-cars/legal-outlaw image that Mr. Bond so embodies.   Sidebar: I read all 22 (or whatever) of the original Bond books in a lightning-flash of perhaps five weeks. It was summer 1995 at the Hinsdale Public Library …

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BMW i8 and M1 — Dynamic Desktop Wallpapers — Alpha Testing Reveals… They Do Not Animate =]

UPDATE1: These… do not work. They do not animate once set as desktop background. Sorry guys. =] We tried. A great idea from special contributor Chris Maypole yesterday! Add some downloadable desktop backgrounds! So here they are. =]   Dynamic Desktop Backgrounds — Usage Instructions: 1. Open this image in a new tab or window 2. Rightclick image   3. Select “Set As Desktop Background”   Piece of cake!  But this is a beta. I do not know if it will work on anything besides the exact type of Lenovo stinkpad I am typing on.   Sizes: 800×372 These are …

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Cool 2015 BMW i8 Animations + Live Visualizer Links

The 2015 BMW i8 is beautiful. Make no mistake about it: this will instantly be the most-exciting car on the roads from the second half of next year. BMW i Visualizer – see this exact i8 and change the colors, wheels, leathers… It is significantly more challenging to grasp the i8’s performance potential in advance, like we can for most new sports cars and even hypercars from the big names. But while the i3 might be a bit funky, the i8 is stunning. Low roof, scorching pace, style for days: this i8 is hot. It also brings forth never-before-executed concepts …

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