BMW I16 IS THE PHANTOM SUPERCAR THAT WE WILL NEVER GET

There is no official BMW i16 price, because this phantom supercar never reached production. The BMW i16 was a radical mid-engined plug-in hybrid designed as the spiritual successor to the BMW i8, and it was roughly 95 percent ready before BMW shelved it in 2020. Since no i16 was ever sold, the closest answer to its value lies in comparable electric and hybrid supercars rather than a showroom sticker.

What was the BMW i16?

In what might resemble a tale from a parallel automotive universe, the BMW i16 rises as a phantom of innovation, a supercar that almost reached our roads. This spiritual successor to the emblematic BMW i8 was set to mark a new era in plug-in hybrid technology, yet its fate was sealed by the global pandemic. The i16 project, helmed by BMW design chief Domagoj Dukec, was revealed through a series of images that painted a vivid picture of what was to come. The i16 promised to inherit the composite structure of its predecessor and to advance its aesthetic impact with a silhouette nodding at the 2019 Vision M Next concept car. Unlike the controversial design of the i8, the i16 aimed to refine the supercar presence with sharper lines and presumably gull-wing doors, hinting at an evolution that was both aggressive and elegant. As Autocar revealed, the i16 could have been the M division's second bespoke model after the legendary 1978 BMW M1.

What would the BMW i16 specs have been?

Behind the scenes, development of the i16 was remarkably swift: in under a year the car was set, both inside and out, reusing the established backbone of the i8 to propel itself toward potential production. Its resemblance extended beyond looks, sharing key architectural elements such as the windscreen base positioning with the i8. As details of the i16 drivetrain were never officially confirmed, enthusiasts can only speculate how BMW might have upgraded the i8 setup. For reference, the i8 paired a mid-mounted 1.5-liter turbo petrol engine, a front electric motor and a centrally embedded high-voltage battery that, by the close of production, collectively delivered 275 kW of power, 570 Nm of torque, a 0 to 100 km/h sprint in 4.4 seconds and a 55 km electric range. The i16 was expected to push well beyond that with a more powerful plug-in hybrid system.

Why was the BMW i16 cancelled?

The global shutdown triggered by COVID-19 in 2020 brought a halt to the i16 journey from design studio to highway. Despite the effort and the advanced stage of the project, the i16 program concluded prematurely. Dukec's response to this turn of events carried a philosophical note: for designers, the development pathway is rife with such irrevocable twists. As Robb Report detailed, the M division ultimately introduced the XM super-SUV instead. While the i16 will now dwell in the corridors of unfulfilled automotive dreams, the design team passion remains undeterred, constantly chasing the next visionary project.

Photo: BMW

Where to find electric and hybrid supercars at TheArsenale

Since the BMW i16 supercar never made it to a price list, the way to own that phantom supercar feeling is through real, available machines in the same electrified spirit. Explore the Apex AP-1 electric sports car, the radical Nitid Trinity electric hypercar and the record-chasing RAESR Tachyon Speed electric hypercar.

Browse the full TheArsenale car collection to find an electric supercar that delivers what the BMW i16 only promised.