The BMW i8 never really caught on but that doesn't mean it's not an important step in automotive history.
It was too expensive to be a normal commuter but too slow to be called a supercar. It was as quick as an M4 but cost twice as much. It felt big on the outside but small on the inside, its design was a point of discussion, and the doors could be a nightmare in the wrong situation. The engine is a turbocharged inline-3 cylinder that sounded like an old Honda motorcycle; not exactly exotic.
Hybrids and EVs were still auditioning for the public's respect. Keep in mind that when the i8 debuted, in 2014, the Tesla Model S was only 2 years old. The idea of an electrified performance car caused many people to laugh. Egg on face, etc.
But the i8 was a test bed for BMW's carbon fiber construction process and plug-in technology. It handled well enough and still looks like its from the future, despite being six years old.
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