BMW i8:"You can have any interior as long as it's grey"

"Battery Tender Unnecessary" (carac)
07/07/2014 at 19:16 • Filed to: None

Taking a page from Henry Ford's playbook, the only interior you can currently order is a "Spice Grey" leather interior...part of the also mandatory $10,800.00 "Pure Impulse" package.

According to a memo about allocations, they plan for a 90/10 split between the PI package and the "Tera" package which includes a brown interior. At the time of writing this, they are likely to get that 90% uptake because it's currently the only way you can enter an i8 order into the system. The "Giga World" interior trim ($2,000) gives you a choice of black or white leather interiors, but doesn't appear in the system. The "Tera World" interior trim ($3,000) is in the system but is currently un-selectable (and will likely remain that way until the 90% PI orders are locked in). So for all intents and purposes, the base MSRP of the BMW i8 is $146,500 (still less than a fully loaded M6 GC).

The wording of the documentation out of BMW also suggests that if you want an i8 in the first two years of production, there's a 90% chance your interior color is already decided. To their credit, the "base price" does include HUD, Active Cruise, "Pro" Nav, Upgraded HK Stereo, etc. that are optional on every other BMW.

Forcing a $10.8k trim package with one interior color is probably a way to honor the $135,700 price they announced at the unveiling last year while reducing costs via economy of scale. Because, while it is by no means a cheap car, the BMW i8 is significantly cheaper to purchase in the US. The same package in Germany costs 20,200€ or $27,500 at current exchange rates meaning we essentially get the same car for $50k less including the US standard features they pay extra for.

What else does the extra $7k you pay get you?

Embossed "i8" symbols in the headrests

Blue BMW "i" Seatbelts

Gear knob in zirconium oxide (black) ceramic

Black mats with leather piping and blue stitching

Trunk/engine Cover in black leather

Laser engraved door sill

Black painted calipers with "BMW i" text

BMW i Pure Impulse (club) card for the "Pure Impulse Experience Program"

The BMW i8 has some nice tech and stunning body work...just don't expect a lot of interior variety for the first couple of years. I personally would rather have a black interior and $7k in my pocket but beggars can't be choosers when it comes to cars that already have lines of 10+ people at dealerships that are getting 1-3 cars the first year. In a strange twist, deliveries that begin in late August will be 2014 model year cars with a changeover to 2015 at an undisclosed point during the fall/winter.

That said, I haven't been this excited for a car launch in a long time.

DISCUSSION (77)

macanamera > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 19:22

Do you have an actual date when you take delivery? And also, i8-embossed headrests? How could anyone do without that?

Manuél Ferrari > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 19:23

You better be wearing a suit and transporting an ass kicking girl at all times once you take delivery of this car

Kinja'd!!!

Battery Tender Unnecessary > macanamera
07/07/2014 at 19:26

Week 35 build date, then 2-3 weeks for transport. So probably mid-late Sept is when I drive off the lot.

Vicente Esteve > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 19:35

You must me really excited. If I would get an i8 I would seriously consider white or black exterior and brown interior. Just to make it rare or unique. Still, I like reading about the purchase a lot, Congratufreakinlations!

Vicente Esteve > Manuél Ferrari
07/07/2014 at 19:36

Dude, he couldve gotten like, 5 TDI Passats for the price of that.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 19:37

They need to make a flagship Hybrid sedan with a straight-6.

Manuél Ferrari > Vicente Esteve
07/07/2014 at 19:39

Or like 3 Passat TDIs, 5 used Miatas, and a Mustang V6 :)

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Vicente Esteve
07/07/2014 at 19:40

:D But you can only drive one at a time.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura
07/07/2014 at 19:41

The next "i" car is supposedly a Model S competitor, the i5. It might come with one.

Garrett Davis > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 19:46

Do these color and package limitations apply to early pre-orderers like you? Or just people wanting to walk into the dealership?

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 19:46

What if I wanted a LWB 7-series?

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Garrett Davis
07/07/2014 at 19:49

They apply to all. Current allocations are spoken for until the end of 2015. I've locked in MSRP from my dealer but I've heard some people are lining up to pay $100k+ over sticker in SoCal...crazy.

Vicente Esteve > Manuél Ferrari
07/07/2014 at 19:51

EVERYONE says they could've gotten a Mustang V6. NO ONE DOES

Manuél Ferrari > Vicente Esteve
07/07/2014 at 19:53

They do here in the US! Mustang V6 with the Manuél transmission is the best new RWD bargain in town :D

Vicente Esteve > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 19:53

But that would mean you could have

*Starts thinking*

*Brain is processing 42X5........*

*Gives up, Opens Calculator*

*Discovers the answer is 210*

210 MPGs!!!

Garrett Davis > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 19:54

Wow, that's nuts. I would have thought at least pre-orders would have their choice of options and colors. You still have a choice on exterior color though, right?

I never understood why people pay the market inflation. I guess they have enough money that they don't care, but I would be just fine with waiting if it meant saving nearly half the cost of the vehicle, especially when waiting would mean I get my pick of colors and trim.

Vicente Esteve > Manuél Ferrari
07/07/2014 at 19:58

Want a bargain?

Kinja'd!!!

$20 Grand

283 HP

BAM!

Manuél Ferrari > Vicente Esteve
07/07/2014 at 20:05

Also brown interiors are always the answer, even if not unique!

I will own a car with really nice brown leather one day. It shall happen

Manuél Ferrari > Vicente Esteve
07/07/2014 at 20:05

lol that does seem like a pretty good deal

Vicente Esteve > Manuél Ferrari
07/07/2014 at 20:21

Saddle Leather, Red Leather, any color of leather is better for me than Black or Beige.

Vicente Esteve > Manuél Ferrari
07/07/2014 at 20:22

2nd or third best Horsepower per dollar cars for sale in the US

Manuél Ferrari > Vicente Esteve
07/07/2014 at 20:28

I wonder what the curb weight would be if you took out all the seats and just installed one racing seat for the driver. And take out all the carpet too. And all the sound deadening. Also replace the auto box with a manual. And get lighter weight wheels. And while you're at it also replace the chassis with a BMW E30 chassis.

Vicente Esteve > Manuél Ferrari
07/07/2014 at 20:30

It would be Faster than an E30, Pentastar Bro

Manuél Ferrari > Vicente Esteve
07/07/2014 at 20:33

or how about buying a Passat petrol (save money over the TDI) and then swapping in the V10 TDI from that one VW SUV?

Manuél Ferrari > Vicente Esteve
07/07/2014 at 20:34

and now i want a Pentastar E30...

Vicente Esteve > Manuél Ferrari
07/07/2014 at 20:43

:0! THIS IS THE BEST IDEA! A V10 TDI Passat! Good grief I neet to wikipedia specs and engine bay sized. Oh, and totalled V10 Touaregs.

Manuél Ferrari > Vicente Esteve
07/07/2014 at 20:55

whoo hoooo!

macanamera > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 20:56

Soo will yours be a 14 or 15? Not like it matters either way but I'm curious.

Axial > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 20:57

Gosh, I love this car. Grey is even my preferred interior colour for it.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > macanamera
07/07/2014 at 21:11

It will be a '14. I would like it to be a '15 for the obvious reason of seeming newer, higher resale, etc and the non-obvious reason that thanks to BTTF I equate 2015 to "The Future" and the car fits.

Bricks > Manuél Ferrari
07/07/2014 at 21:30

And you also have to be a scientologist, that's a biggie.

Manuél Ferrari > Bricks
07/07/2014 at 22:21

haha true

macanamera > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/07/2014 at 23:39

Yeah, that makes sense, although there is a certain allure to having the first model year of a car this...new and revolutionary.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 11:30

Kinja'd!!!

I think I'm going to have to get these belts for my car...

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 12:03

You seriously need to drive it for a couple weeks and then offload it on some moron willing to pay $50k more than you did...

ScreenShot > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 12:12

Clearly there are superior acoustics with that particular color/material that make the engine noise out of the speakers so great they couldn't resist making it mandatory.

Crest > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 12:12

Well see you in a couple of years……when the price drops under 40k

ICantStandNewJalopnik > Vicente Esteve
07/08/2014 at 12:16

This made me laugh. Good one!

PatBateman > Manuél Ferrari
07/08/2014 at 12:20

Psssst.

Kinja'd!!!

Jonathan Harper > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 12:21

What spice is grey...?

rgt881 > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 12:29

Anyone who has a grey interior is probably very very boring person and extremely depressing to be around.

Mailbox Cancer > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 12:33

Can I just say:

Grey interiors are the absolute worst. Why? Why even bother? Why even bother living? Why even bother living with yourself anymore? Why must every Audi, BMW, MB, Acura (ugh), Lexus, Infiniti, Jaguar, You-Kname-It offer A SEA OF GREY as an interior option?

Just look at this bullshit ON MODERN VEHICLES:

Kinja'd!!!

Seriously, fuck this shit. Where's the drama? Where's the contrast? Delorian DMC-12 interior notwithstanding; if this color scheme were a person (a 6 year old girl, even), I'd fight them with a baseball bat.

crabdip > PatBateman
07/08/2014 at 12:35

Hey Pat, is that bone?

PatBateman > crabdip
07/08/2014 at 12:39

You can bone it if you want, I guess. Are you a dragon?

Kinja'd!!!

Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time? > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 12:42

You didn't upgrade to the overnight delivery?

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 12:45

Funny. I remember when I was considering ordering this car I told the owner of SF BMW I wanted the blue over a red interior. Not available.

Still seems lot a ton of car for the money. I got a pic of one driving on the 1 sent to me by a friend two weekends ago, so they are trickling out or there are some factory cars in NorCal.

nramos33 > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 13:01

Kinja'd!!!

This is a picture I took at BMW Munich in March. Say what you want, but this is a beautiful car. It's super over priced and I would rather have a fully loaded Model S or a Model S and Model X, but damn it's beautiful. The i3 however, is so fugly I refused to take a picture.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
07/08/2014 at 13:03

The first US customer car is suppose to be handed over at the Pebble Beach Concours on Aug. 18th. There are still a lot of test/press cars floating around.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Remember dialing "popcorn" for the time?
07/08/2014 at 13:04

I don't have "BMW Prime" :D

ZeeeeCar > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 13:06

Color choice hasn't been a BMW strong point for a while. If you order the M-Sport package on any BMW you get the fewest exterior color choices of any trim level, and the M-Sport is the most expensive trim level! You want decent color choices on the M3/4? Well you're going to pony up for the Individual program, sort of like the mandatory package on the i8 I suppose.

ZeeeeCar > nramos33
07/08/2014 at 13:13

This is the concept. The production model doesn't have glass (plexi?) lower doors and does have external rear view mirrors. But I have to admit the production car came damn close to that concept.

The i3 unibody on display was really cool, even if the car itself is odd looking. Easy to pick up with just one hand. Hopefully that tech makes it's way to the rest of BMW's lineup.

CleverBS > Manuél Ferrari
07/08/2014 at 13:16

I like brown interiors, I just have a difficult time pairing them to a good exterior color... considering I hate white and black exterior cars (impossible to keep clean). So I end up sticking with lighter interior colors.

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 13:17

Interesting. I have heard through my network of car gurus that there might be at least one already delivered to someone in or near SF with a close BMW connection. I could confirm this but then would not be able to provide details anyway.

Bronski-Bear > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 13:48

Meh, its still an i8.

AlleVier > Garrett Davis
07/08/2014 at 14:09

If you're waiting in order to save nearly half the cost, you are not the target market for this car. Let's say a Fortune 500 CEO wants to buy this car with some part of his average 11-million-or-so compensation (let's pretend he doesn't make money from any investments). He's spending about 1.36% of his income when he buys a $150K car. Let's pretend that you're making $200K (I know, it's the internet, we all make WAY more than that). Let's further say that you've lusted for a Tata Nano and learn that it will sell for $3.5K (about the same percentage of your income as the CEO's i8). You want that sucker but a market frenzy has driven the price up an extra $2K. It's not going to bankrupt you, so what do you do?

Kinja'd!!!

C'mon. You know you want it.

Manuél Ferrari > CleverBS
07/08/2014 at 14:41

I think brown interiors look great with blue exteriors.

I saw an ad for a blue Ferrari 458 with dark brown leather once. It was the nicest combo I've ever seen!

Manuél Ferrari > PatBateman
07/08/2014 at 14:44

Very nice!

NG22 > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 15:12

I would say that sucks, because of lack of choice, but it doesn't. The interior is just as sexy as the exterior. I feel like full black just drowns out all of the subtlety that elevates the cabin from ordinary BMWs.

Bob Johnson > Jonathan Harper
07/08/2014 at 15:12

Old spice?

Jonathan Harper > Bob Johnson
07/08/2014 at 15:42

NAILED IT!!

RazorGP > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 16:10

That is retarded. Shame they have to force an appearance package with some blue coloring thrown on some bits added on. Personally I thing it looks like crap. Good thing I'm not gonna buy one.

Garrett Davis > AlleVier
07/08/2014 at 16:17

Fair point.

Vicente Esteve > ICantStandNewJalopnik
07/08/2014 at 17:32

Haha, its sad since we may be getting a minivan anytime soon. Our RWD V8 Expedition will be replaced by the mother of all evil!

ICantStandNewJalopnik > Vicente Esteve
07/08/2014 at 18:16

Minivans are the best, all-around vehicle on the road. If you can get past the stigma, they're awesome! I remember driving a Caravan for 6,000 miles in 5 days, storm chasing. It was effortless.

Vicente Esteve > ICantStandNewJalopnik
07/08/2014 at 19:16

You storm chase!? Like, TORNADO CHASE?

ICantStandNewJalopnik > Vicente Esteve
07/08/2014 at 19:23

Yup. Rarely now since being married, but I have for years. Not like those tools with lights and stuff on their cars, but like a scientist. I actually don't approve of 90% of the chasers out there. If you're not a Meteorologist, stay away from the tornadoes.

aqwayne > CleverBS
07/08/2014 at 19:23

bmw m6 gran coupe tanzanite blue with saddle interior, or the combo below works well.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthr…

Vicente Esteve > ICantStandNewJalopnik
07/08/2014 at 19:25

Wow, I swear that was my dream job when I was 8. I also think watching Tornadoes is quite dangerous as any human being wouldnt be able to tell what their direction is. I though would one day adore to see one. As a scientist, how would you suggest if I wanted to look at one?

Michael Zaite > Battery Tender Unnecessary
07/08/2014 at 19:29

Always looks dirty grey. Cool......

Battery Tender Unnecessary > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
07/08/2014 at 19:33

There's always a couple "un-official" cars that come in before the "official launch." M4's started showing up at dealers here in the US a week or two for the launch in Germany.

ICantStandNewJalopnik > Vicente Esteve
07/08/2014 at 20:39

You know, that's a tough one. I would go with an actual storm chasing company, but chances are, you'll spend thousands and be gone for a week. Tornadoes are probably something you'll never see in your life. I'm going to show you the one that got me into Meteorology to begin with. It almost tipped over my 2-Door, Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer when I was home on college break.

My dad was a storm spotter most of his life with a ham radio. We'd always ask to go with him. Well, this time I was in my own car.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/mkx/document/t…