By Gary Wollenhaupt
ELECTRIFYING
BMW i8 M redux 2026
THE FUTURE OF PERFORMANCE HAS ARRIVED
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If you missed out on the first-generation BMW i8 hybrid supercar, you may have another chance. BMW is hinting at a new i8, this time with an M badge, although the model name, like many other things about this version, hasn’t been finalized. The first i8 was a plug-in hybrid powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine, generating a combined 369 horsepower. The electric driving range was
a minimal 18 miles. More than 20,000 were produced from 2014 to 2020, making it the top-selling plug-in electric sports car. The next generation will be based on BMW’s Vision M Next concept. Expect a massive increase in power, a longer all-electric driving range, and a more capable chassis. It’s predicted to hit dealer showrooms at the end of 2025 as a 2026 model. The scuttlebutt is that the new version
will be powered by a turbocharged four- cylinder engine and twin electric motors, yielding a combined output of around 600 horsepower. In the Next concept, that drivetrain was capable of running 0-62 mph in 3.0 seconds, with a top speed of 186 mph. With that kind of power, the i8 M will be competitive with hybrid rivals like the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray and the Lexus LC 500h.
40 | BENARI JEWELERS MAGAZINE
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