When BMW finally designs a nice car, it gets canceled

Okay, that’s a bit exaggerated. There are certainly a few modern BMWs worth seeing, such as – in our opinion – the 1 Series, 3 Series and X1. But this BMW i16 is really beautiful.

Why are we surprised? Because BMW seems to have opted primarily for shock value in recent years, using the example of the 7 Series, the X7, the XM and the iX. Something that apparently only increases sales.

BMW i16 on the chopping block

This i16 proves that BMW can design elegant cars. It was supposed to be the successor to the i8, was already halfway ready for series production, but ultimately ended up on the chopping block.

Mixture between M1, i8 and Vision M

BMW design boss Domagoj Dukec shared some sketches on Instagram that show that the i16 is a kind of mix between the M1, i8 and Vision M Next.

Typical M1 elements are the two BMW logos on the back (the monstrous XM also has them) and the three elongated shapes in the wide pillar above the rear wheel.

Same chassis as BMW i8

According to Dukec, the BMW i16 was developed in about a year. This was possible because the model shares its carbon fiber monocoque and so-called hardpoints with the i8.

It’s unknown what the i16’s powertrain would have looked like, but rumor has it that there will be plug-in hybrid technology under the hood again, like the i8.

The corona pandemic played a role

It is unknown why the i16 never entered production. Dukec writes: “While we worked hard, the world changed in 2020. Then unfortunately we had to stop the project.”

He seems to suspect that the global Covid pandemic played a role in this. Undoubtedly, BMW had something else in mind at the time than the successor to the failed i8.