I’ve always been fascinated by cars left on the proverbial cutting room floor. Whether it’s a design sketch tossed in a trash can or a model canceled at the very last minute, I want to know more about it. BMWBLOG first caught wind of an i8 modified in Buchloe over five years ago. Despite follow-up reporting, the electrified sports car was never officially revealed by BMW or ALPINA.
However, all is forgiven now that images of the elusive plug-in hybrid coupe have surfaced. Our colleagues at Motor1.com Deutschland spotted the one-off BMW i8 at ALPINA’s 50th anniversary gathering. The event took place at the Penzing air base in Bavaria and brought together more than 650 cars, including a one-of-a-kind MINI Cooper S (R53) by ALPINA. Sadly, that car too never saw the light of production day.
What we’ve been reporting about the special i8 all these years is true. ALPINA did give the car wider hips and a large carbon-fiber rear wing. The reworked diffuser houses a quad-exhaust setup, while front canards and a more pronounced spoiler lip further separate it from the standard BMW version. Of course, the signature multi-spoke ALPINA Classic forged wheels make it immediately clear this isn’t a regular i8.
Codenamed “Tiger,” the unique coupe isn’t just all show with any extra go. Unlike the MINI’s untouched engine, the BMW i8 doesn’t even retain its original powertrain. The three-cylinder, 1.5-liter gas engine made way for a larger, 2.0-liter four-cylinder unit, boosting combined output to 455 hp and 700 Nm (516 lb-ft). But therein lay the problem: the more powerful engine required a larger intercooler, plus two extra intercoolers ahead of the front fenders, to keep the oil and transmission temperatures in check.
ALPINA also replaced the standard six-speed automatic with an eight-speed Aisin gearbox from the second-generation M135i. These changes led to others, including a new rear subframe and bigger tires. By the time everything was said and done, the i8 had gained at least 220 pounds (100 kilograms). The added weight meant the car had to undergo crash testing to comply with regulatory standards, further driving up costs.
However, the ALPINA i8 was never put into production for another reason. Installing a bigger engine would’ve required extensive software recalibration, adding even more complexity and expense, without any guarantee that the project would pay off.
Ultimately, the project was shelved. Consequently, this one-off prototype will go down in history as a reminder of what could have been.
Additional photos are available at the source link below.
Photos: Motor1.com Deutschland
