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BMW Will Finally Make Its i8 Roadster Concept A Reality

By Miles Branman Published February 15, 2023

We’re more than a little confused by how long it’s taken BMW to make a production version of its i8 Spyder concept. Five years ago, the German automaker teased its topless i8 (two years before the i8 coupe went on sale), but every time it looked like a road-going model was around the corner, development fizzled.

Well, the wait might finally be over. A recent tweet shows a video teaser of the production i8 Roadster, along with an announcement that assembly will start in 2018. To bolster the good word, Automotive News is reporting that BMW will showcase its convertible hybrid sports car at this Fall’s LA Auto Show.

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Without a final word of confirmation from BMW, we remain a bit skeptical of the car’s LA debut. After all, just last year BMW revealed yet another concept version of its i8 Spyder, dubbed the “i Future Interaction.” Granted, this prototype was more a demonstration of technology than road-going mechanics and styling, but we still felt cheated.

BMW i8 Roadster First Look — i8 Roadster/BMW Image used with permission by copyright holder

Though the i8 Roadster will just be a derivative of the i8 coupe, BMW considers it the third member of its “i” family, which includes the i3 subcompact. Apart from its finalized design, there shouldn’t be many surprises in store for the production i8 Roadster. Power will come from the same 1.5-liter turbocharged three-cylinder and electric motor combo as the i8 coupe, rated at 357 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque.

Performance should be just off the coupe’s pace of 4.2 seconds to 60 mph due to the added weight of a folding roof. BMW may use this occasion to bump the i8 lineup’s output and range with improved battery technology, but that’s purely hypothetical. Considering how quick the Tesla Model S and new alternative energy players have become, the i8 is in real need of a performance jolt.

When the i8 Roadster does arrive in dealerships, it will be one of the only plug-in hybrid convertibles on sale (the other being Smart’s ForTwo Electric Drive).

Miles Branman developed a passion for cars early on thanks to a neighbor’s collection of rare and exotic vehicles. What…

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BMW Panoramic Vision in a rendering in a car driving down the road with futuristic buildings in the back.

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BMW CEO Oliver Zipse confirmed the introduction of Panoramic Vision on production vehicles starting in 2025 at the 2023 Annual Conference. The advanced head-up display system will be available on Neue Klasse (New Class) models, which refers to the automaker’s platform for its next-gen EVs.

Unlike a traditional heads-up display that’s usually a small square or rectangle located immediately in front of the driver on the lower portion of the windshield, Panoramic Vision spans the full width of the touchscreen. Drivers will be able to choose what information is displayed on the head-up display, including information on the vehicle’s speed, the song that’s currently playing, and the time.
If there’s one thing that’s a little off about BMW’s new Panoramic Vision feature, it’s that it’s not a real heads-up display. You see, most heads-up displays are displayed on the windshield. Panoramic Vision includes a raised lip trim piece at the top of the dashboard – just underneath the windshield – where the information is displayed. Based on BMW’s video, it does look like the feature will display some images on the windshield, but it looks more akin to augmented reality.
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Panoramic Vision looks useful and more intuitive than other heads-up displays. We’re not sure how BMW will incorporate the feature in future vehicles. In the i Vision Dee, the car had a true heads-up display with graphics on the windshield because it didn’t have any gauges or traditional screens. We don’t know if any of the i Vision Dee’s features will carry into future models, either.
BMW claims that Panoramic Vision “demonstrates the fusion of reality and the virtual world” as it turns the windshield into a makeshift projector. We’re sure not if we agree with that description of the feature, as it’s more of a glorified screen, but it’s still really cool. With the feature being a few years away from making its way into production, we’re sure we’ll be getting more details on Panoramic Vision in the near future.