This car was canceled
BMW design chief Domagoj Duke confirmed that the manufacturer was planning to release a successor to the i8 sports car, which was to be called the i16.
It was created on the basis of the Vision M Next concept, which debuted in 2019 at the BMW NextGen conference in Munich. The Vision M Next Concept used a four-cylinder, hybrid-assisted engine with a total output of 600 hp. It could reach speeds of up to 100 km/h in 3 seconds, and the maximum speed was limited to 300 km/h.
Dukek notes that the i16's design was inspired by the M1. The production version of the i16 would have received the carbon fiber reinforced plastic monocoque from the i8. According to Duke, the project was a victim of bad timing, as business complications caused by the pandemic in 2020 forced BMW to halt development.
The cost of the i16 and low potential sales were factors that influenced the cancellation of the car's release. Launch was planned for 2022.