No M Versions of i Cars in the Pipeline

BMW enthusiasts are excited to know the next step for BMW after releasing the legendary BMW i8. Unfortunately for those expecting an M version of this car, there will be none.

Cypselus von Frakenberg, BMW Group head of technology communications, said at the Frankfurt IAA show that not only was there zero input from M engineers in the development of the i8, but there will be no M version in the future.

“It is separate – M and i,” he begins. “It’s two different sub-brands, but there will be no ‘M’ i-car in the future. These [M] are the high performance cars with combustion engines, and on the other side you have the ‘i’ cars with electric drive. They won’t come together. I don’t think that it would make sense to mix these two sub-brands in one car. We have the Ms, we have the i, and we have the BMW, the core brand. I don’t think it’s necessary. You look at the car [i8], it’s an i version. You look at the LifeDrive architecture of the car, it wouldn’t make sense to bring M to that.”

Caradvice publishes and interview with Carsten Pries, BMW M head of product management confirming the same information. “BMW ‘i’ obviously has a different strategic focus, very much targeting into the area of sustainablility,” he says. “It’s two different operations, there’s no fluctuation from BMW M to BMW i or any big transfers going the other way. M engineers are among the most loyal engineers, probably the most loyal I’ve ever met.” But in not being able to produce the futuristic, progressive i8, Pries claims those loyal M engineers were “not annoyed, [but] excited [about i8].