[DrakeKemper]

It's probably because they want to make a 10 series or some bullshit

[M5007]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Well I say never. Because as I have countlessly mentioned there is no space for a V8 or whatever else needed such as a new DCT transmission.

The i8 will remain as it is. And at it is current status the i8 is very fast and agile , a true sports car albeit a progressive one. To add any conventional ideas to the i8 defeats the purpose of the i8 and its intentions of a sports car in a Brave New World.

That's not to say that ideas are on the table on how they can use the i8s genes for something else.

I would love that car in a V8. But as Scott mentioned. There is no room for engine/transmission. But one can hope for a potential resurrection of the 8 series that adopts some of those lines/design.

[dreamspeed]

Originally Posted by Jake C

Yeah I know we have been told no 30 different ways. However some people would be quick to point out M SUV's, M Turbocharging, and BMW adopting FWD. So I think a lot of people will remain skeptical.

- J

Yup, as soon as the bean counters can show its profitable, they will make it.

[RussRamz]

no i///M? Thank f'ing God!!! I've already given up on BMW... Porsche is all that's left.

[Chris Pringle]

Originally Posted by Anodite10

X1M? X3M? X4M? Awesome!

Out of those, the current highly successful X1 client base (and to some extent the X3) is the one that could graduate into M territory, IMO. A compact 5-door SAV (non-coupe) that offers lots of power, excels in handling/responsiveness with RWD, etc. Fine if BMW wants to make it more powerful, fuel efficient (à la i8), along with xDrive and even give it a different code name (e.g., X2, X2M, iX2). But no thanks if it means having a FWD-biased UKL platform. There is already MINI for that.

[btbossman]

Good!

[Luminor513]

Originally Posted by SpokenHands

There will never be a front wheel drive BMW.
There will never be an M version of an X model.
There will not be an M sport version of the luxury-oriented 5GT.
There will never be an M badged diesel.
BMW don't do electric assisted power steering
M cars are manual only.


Never say never. Ask BMW.

+1 History WILL repeat itself. Not the first time BMW bosses have said one thing and done another. Maybe one day we will see an M i8.

[atopa2002]

If you guys were to run BMW,it will go bankrupt in 2 yrs.

[sonicbimmer19]

Originally Posted by misterbeemer

How does it matter? The M badge has been whored out so much lately! They'll probably have an i8 MSport package and put an M badge all over it for more sales. :-/

Agreed. M sport package has really watered down the actual M.
98% of people look at a base/standard car with M package and think "oh, that's an M car"

My friend has a 128i with M package and he gets asked ALL THE TIME, "is that 1M?" sigh...

The aura and the awesomeness of M has been gone a long time ago. Memory of the M1 can only last so long.

I'm super glad there won't be M version of i8. Let there be a stand alone M1 successor. As well as 8 series, X7, Z8 successor, etc.

[ddk632]

Interesting comments and thread. Let's not take this down the M Badge watering down rabbit hole... we all know where it ends and this isn't the thread for it.

To Scott's lengthy explanation of the dogmas, it is evident (and quite common sense) that market demands drive the changes that have caused these dogmas to disappear and be thrown out the window.

It makes sense. If BMW doesn't do this, then they go the way of Kodak, and we don't want that.

I see a couple of things

1. No ///M version of i8, ok. However, WHEN (not if) the market demands more performance out of the future sports car, BMWi will deliver, just as it has/is with the 6 dogmas in Scott's answer. It may take more advanced battery tech (more power without adding weight) combined with a way to get higher output of the 3 cylinder, which is already impressive.
   
2. Seeing what BMW can do with the i8, the recent concepts like the M1 Hommage, Gina, etc., I have no doubt that the M division can build the car everyone is asking for, which would compete with the SLS and the likes. This isn't that car. And, if they are building THAT car, they sure as hell are being tight-lipped about it!

I personally think that for the first iteration of a from-the-ground-up hybrid sports car, the i8 has very respectable numbers and it also has room to grow. Inevitably, BMWi will find a way to make it more powerful/faster/sportier without sacrificing the key qualities of BMWi. Just not this first iteration, and that's ok.

And yes I know there is the Porsche 918 but again that's an exotic supercar with a huge (practically LeMans derived) engine, and to me it's a hybrid just to say it's a hybrid. The BMWi brand is about the hybrid tech/philisophy at the core, and it makes sense that they won't mess with that by sticking a V8 in a BMWi vehicle.

I think part of the inherent success of the i8 is in all the negative comments. It looks like it should be a supercar, and people are disappointed that it isn't.

What if we think of the i8 as the M3 of the future?
(Yes it's not a track car, but again with new battery tech that is bound to be developed this will likely change)

That way we're not expecting the end-all be-all of sports cars. We are expecting an everyday car with serious performance. Which the i8 has. Remember, there is a large gap between a Ford Focus and an SLS AMG Black Series.

You can't have it both ways.

We all complain that the usual hybrid looks like an econoshitbox and drives like your grandmother sleepy on vicodin, and now we have a real world hybrid that looks out of this world and performs like an M3 (quoted from BMW not my assertion) and we are all upset that it's not a Porsche 918 killer for 1/10th of the price.

If we change our expectations about this car, I think a lot more people would be able to understand its purpose.

OK off my soap box, we can go back to lamenting the proliferation of M badges on everything that has wheels and the letters B, M, or W anywhere in its name....

[pkimM3r]

M-i? Why not? It was in the M:I (Mission: Impossible) franchise already but that would be just weird.

[Oliver1]

Scott is just playing the role of a typical car salesman and is trying to sell you what he has on the lot or has coming in. No plans for an M8 but hey we have an all new M4 coming in soon that is just as good. Except it looks very much like a 328i M Sport at half the price.

The i8 will share the same footnote in the history of BMW as the M1. A nice effort but poor execution.

A 'true sports car' doesn't have a tiny 3 cylinder engine. For the same price you can get an M6 with twice the performance. The performance of the i8 is what you expect from an i4 but then BMW couldn't charge twice the price to re-coupe the R&D costs.

Other than the CFRP, which has been around for how many years now? There is nothing earth shattering about the i3/i8. Put a perpetual motion machine in the cars to generate electricity and you will really have a game changer. BMW i PR reminds me of when the Segway came on the scene and how it was going to revolutionize transportation.

[Yay-Z]

Probably cos they're trying to not sacrifice sales of this i8. If they went around saying we would make an m version it would probably hurt sales.

I do see them using some of the technology from this car in future m models.

[bavarianboar]

Originally Posted by Chris Pringle

"There will be no 'M' i-Car in the future." - Obviously not if a car like the i8 is meant to compete directly against the best M supercar ever produced.

I don't know anything about how BMW works internally, but does some big wig at BMW want the rise of a new division and the slow death of a great one?

The new i division is obviously working in its own information silo, feeling they have no need to consult the M division on anything they do. I bet great things would come out if they collaborated together.

How do you know this? Enlighten us!

[sonicbimmer19]

I think BMW i8 is a sports car and a super car. It's just a different type of a car and it is literally one of a kind with no direct competition.

It absolutely is a sports car but is it a super car? the performance isn't quite a prototypical super car, but I think price and exclusivity is more important when discussing what's a super car.

BMW has done a great job with the i8. Except the genius decision of deserting a BMW design icon and implementing a signature Audi design. I cannot put into words how dumb I think the executives at BMW are. If I build a revolutionary BMW car, I make sure it is a BMW, not a BMW that is going to make everyone think "oh, Audi lights"

On the side note, this should not make BMW feel sufficient to go ahead and scrap plans for a "proper" stand alone sports/super car. I'm giving BMW until 2020 for higher end cars such as 8 series, X7, and a proper super car. If not, I'm jumping ship and upgrading to Mercedes.

[CasZy NL]

Those M wheels look great under the i8!

[Chris Pringle]

Originally Posted by bavarianboar

How do you know this? Enlighten us!

Goodness, where are people's reading skills these days? It doesn't take much to read between the lines to deduce how these divisions operate:

Mr. Frankenberg says that not only was there zero input from M engineers in the development of the i8

Carsten Pries:
It’s two different operations, there’s no fluctuation from BMW M to BMW i or any big transfers going the other way.

Scott26 further explains why BMW believes it is important to maintain such division (brand) independence in the achievement of their core philosophies:

for BMW , independence is the overall strategy or you become part of a committee which defines your strategy only if your sister brands can have it.

[Thurman Murch]

Scott had alluded to the wraith as being the top of the line BMW-derived sports car so to speak

For just ramming down the bahn or strada would be great

Hopefully we see some cooler i-derived products and a M10... I wouldn't mind the 6.6L V12TT in a rear setup mated to dct or manual or add 2 more turbos

[devitocoke]

Mi8, sounds good to me.

[Matski]

Originally Posted by SCOTT26

Unfortunately the ever changing aspects of the industry forced us to accept no more dogmas as legislation and customer reaction has lead to a progressive global market. You either progress? Which for BMW , independence is the overall strategy or you become part of a committee which defines your strategy only if your sister brands can have it.

...

For BMW M. It understands that the purest form of performance driving lies with a manual transmission which is why the upcoming BMW M3 and BMW M4 will be offered with a manual transmission as will the next generation BMW M2 Coupe.

SCOTT thanks for confirming these points, to be honest I think it was stating the obvious a little, but I guess some people do need it pointing out over and over again! So thanks for your patience!

Whilst I personally don't have a problem with BMW embracing certain technologies if it's what the market demands and legislation requires, I do worry about another Dogma no longer Holding true:-

"BMW's live up to their reputation as being the primary choice for the buyer who wants the most solid and sporting, involved, driving experience in any given segment"

... because it seems to me that both Mercedes-Benz and Audi have gained some ground here, in terms of product and general perception.

[SpokenHands]

Originally Posted by Matski

SCOTT thanks for confirming these points, to be honest I think it was stating the obvious a little, but I guess some people do need it pointing out over and over again! So thanks for your patience!

Scott26's elaborate justification of why BMW has broken every dogma they have set themselves in an effort to be more consumer-relevant, business-volume and margin-driven, and compliant with technology and regulation suggests it is not a good idea to boldly announce yet another definitive dogma 'no M for i-sub-brand'.

Scott26 makes the point beautifully that I hope the leaders of the i brand would consider.

Conversely, what if the 'M' brand wishes to take learnings from the 'i' brand - especially with regard to CRPF, weight-saving and efficiency in drivetrain and aerodynamics. They could well work together.

[SomeRandomer123]

Originally Posted by atopa2002

If you guys were to run BMW,it will go bankrupt in 2 yrs.

+1