BMW i8: Which Version to Buy and Why
The BMW i8 catalogue contains three Coupe entries across one generation and its restyling. The original i8 1.5 AT was produced from April 2014 through January 2018, while the restyled i8 1.5 AT xDrive started in December 2017.
The BMW i8 catalogue contains three Coupe entries across one generation and its restyling. The original i8 1.5 AT was produced from April 2014 through January 2018, while the restyled i8 1.5 AT xDrive started in December 2017. Choosing between them comes down to a clear trade-off: the original is the lightest at 1,485 kg, while both restyled entries raise output from 231 hp and 320 Nm to 374 hp and 570 Nm. The restyled versions deliver 143 hp and 250 Nm more, although they weigh either 50 kg or 110 kg more than the original. Price and sale data are not provided, so value can only be judged by specifications rather than purchase cost.
BMW i8 generations and versions
The first-generation BMW i8 ran from April 2014 to January 2018 as a Coupe with one listed version, i8 1.5 AT. It uses a 1,499 cc Plug-in engine rated at 231 hp and 320 Nm, paired with a 6-speed Automatic gearbox and AWD. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and reaches 250 km/h.
The restyling belongs to the same first generation and began in December 2017. It remains a Coupe and contains two database entries, both named i8 1.5 AT xDrive. Each produces 374 hp and 570 Nm from 1,499 cc and uses a 6-speed Automatic gearbox with AWD. They must be distinguished by their performance and weight figures: the 1,535 kg entry reaches 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds, while the 1,595 kg entry takes 4.6 seconds.
BMW i8 engine specs and horsepower comparison
Every listed BMW i8 version has a rear-mounted, turbocharged 1,499 cc Plug-in engine with 3 Inline cylinders, 4 valves per cylinder, direct injection and a 9.5 compression ratio. All three use a 6-speed Automatic transmission and AWD. The original version specifies 98 fuel, while both restyled entries specify 95 fuel.
| Version | Period | Power | Torque | Displacement | Fuel | Cylinders and layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i8 1.5 AT | April 2014–January 2018 | 231 hp / 170 kW at 5,800 rpm | 320 Nm at 3,700 rpm | 1,499 cc | 98 | 3, Inline | Turbo | 6-speed Automatic | AWD |
| i8 1.5 AT xDrive, 1,535 kg | From December 2017 | 374 hp / 275 kW at 5,800 rpm | 570 Nm at 3,700 rpm | 1,499 cc | 95 | 3, Inline | Turbo | 6-speed Automatic | AWD |
| i8 1.5 AT xDrive, 1,595 kg | From December 2017 | 374 hp / 275 kW at 5,800 rpm | 570 Nm at 3,700 rpm | 1,499 cc | 95 | 3, Inline | Turbo | 6-speed Automatic | AWD |
Because displacement is unchanged, the restyling’s extra output substantially changes the power-per-litre comparison. The i8 1.5 AT develops approximately 154.1 hp per litre, whereas each i8 1.5 AT xDrive develops approximately 249.5 hp per litre. That is an increase of about 95.4 hp per litre.
Torque rises even more sharply in proportional terms. The original i8 1.5 AT provides approximately 213.5 Nm per litre, while each restyled i8 1.5 AT xDrive provides approximately 380.3 Nm per litre. The engine speed associated with maximum power and torque remains the same across the catalogue: 5,800 rpm for power and 3,700 rpm for torque.
BMW i8 performance, 0–100 and mpg figures
| Version | 0–100 km/h | Top speed | Combined consumption | City consumption | Highway consumption | CO₂ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i8 1.5 AT | 4.4 sec | 250 km/h | not measured | not measured | not measured | 49 g/km |
| i8 1.5 AT xDrive, 1,535 kg | 4.4 sec | 250 km/h | 1.8 | not measured | not measured | 42 g/km |
| i8 1.5 AT xDrive, 1,595 kg | 4.6 sec | 250 km/h | 2.0 | not measured | not measured | 46 g/km |
A 0–60 mph figure is not measured in the supplied data; only 0–100 km/h acceleration is available. The original i8 1.5 AT and the lighter restyled i8 1.5 AT xDrive both record 4.4 seconds to 100 km/h. The heavier i8 1.5 AT xDrive is 0.2 seconds slower despite having the same 374 hp and 570 Nm as the lighter restyled entry. All three share the same 250 km/h maximum speed.
The lighter restyled entry has the strongest economy figures in the catalogue: its combined consumption is 1.8, compared with 2.0 for the heavier restyled entry, a difference of 0.2. It also records 42 g/km of CO₂, which is 4 g/km below the heavier restyled entry and 7 g/km below the original i8 1.5 AT. Combined consumption for the original is not measured, and city and highway consumption are not measured for any version. MPG is also not measured because the data supplies no MPG value.
BMW i8 dimensions, weight and wheels
Overall exterior dimensions, dimensions in inches and measurements with the doors open are not measured in the supplied data. The available size-related specifications are kerb weight, gross weight, ground clearance, fuel-tank capacity and wheel sizes.
| Version | Kerb weight | Gross weight | Ground clearance | Tank | Wheel sizes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| i8 1.5 AT | 1,485 kg | 1,855 kg | 117 mm | 30 L | 195/50 R20; 215/45 R20 |
| i8 1.5 AT xDrive, 1,535 kg | 1,535 kg | 1,905 kg | 117 mm | 30 L | 195/50 R20; 215/45 R20 |
| i8 1.5 AT xDrive, 1,595 kg | 1,595 kg | 1,965 kg | 117 mm | 30 L | 195/50 R20; 215/45 R20 |
The original i8 1.5 AT is 50 kg lighter than the lighter restyled entry and 110 kg lighter than the heavier restyled entry. The two i8 1.5 AT xDrive entries differ by 60 kg in both kerb and gross weight. Each version has a 370 kg difference between gross and kerb weight.
Power-to-weight arithmetic strongly favors the restyling. The original i8 1.5 AT carries approximately 6.43 kg per horsepower. The 1,535 kg i8 1.5 AT xDrive lowers that figure to approximately 4.10 kg per horsepower, and the 1,595 kg entry records approximately 4.26 kg per horsepower. In output-per-mass terms, those figures correspond to approximately 155.6 hp per tonne, 243.6 hp per tonne and 234.5 hp per tonne respectively.
Ground clearance does not distinguish the choices: every version has 117 mm. Tank capacity is also identical at 30 L, as are the listed 195/50 R20 and 215/45 R20 wheel sizes. Each version uses Independent, spring suspension at both ends and Ventilated disc brakes front and rear.
Which BMW i8 version should you buy?
Choose the original i8 1.5 AT if the lowest kerb weight is the priority. At 1,485 kg, it is the lightest entry, and its 4.4-second 0–100 km/h result matches the quickest restyled figure. It also provides the same 250 km/h top speed, 117 mm ground clearance, 30 L tank, wheel sizes, 6-speed Automatic gearbox and AWD layout as the later entries. Its disadvantages on paper are substantial: it has 143 hp less, 250 Nm less and a weaker 6.43 kg-per-horsepower ratio. Its combined, city and highway consumption figures are not measured.
Choose the 1,535 kg i8 1.5 AT xDrive if the specifications themselves determine the decision. It combines 374 hp and 570 Nm with the catalogue’s joint-best 4.4-second acceleration figure, its best 4.10 kg-per-horsepower ratio, its lowest measured combined consumption of 1.8 and its lowest CO₂ output of 42 g/km. Compared with the original, 50 kg of extra kerb weight buys 143 hp and 250 Nm more without changing the recorded 0–100 km/h time or maximum speed.
The 1,595 kg i8 1.5 AT xDrive offers the same 374 hp, 570 Nm, engine specification, transmission and AWD as the lighter restyled entry, but it is 60 kg heavier, takes 0.2 seconds longer to reach 100 km/h, consumes 0.2 more on the combined figure and emits 4 g/km more CO₂. No feature or equipment data is provided to explain that additional mass, and price is not measured. On the available numbers alone, the lighter i8 1.5 AT xDrive is therefore the strongest all-round choice; the heavier entry needs a price or equipment advantage outside this dataset to overturn that conclusion.