2026 BMW i8 M: Price, Release Date, Specs, And Everything We Know

BMW is preparing to release the second generation of the i8, but this time it will go full power with an M-badged version. Here's what we know so far.

BMW introduced the i8 almost ten years ago, and its fans were shocked: while the futuristic-looking vehicle looked like a supercar, its power came from a plug-in hybrid system with a turbocharged three-cylinder engine. With a total output of 369 ponies, it could get from zero to sixty in a decent 4.4 seconds. Unfortunately, that was not in the supercar territory, even by 2014 standards.

Sure, it boasted a 112 MPG fuel efficiency, but that was not something supercar buyers were looking for. As a result, the automaker sold just 20,465 units and that's one of the reasons why BMW discontinued the i8 sports car. But now, the German brand is preparing a big comeback for the i8.

The German automaker introduced the first M-badged car on the market in 1978 and produced it in 456 units until 1981, when BMW pulled the plug on it. The legendary vehicle left such an important legacy that BMW didn't dare to put the M1 nameplate on any other car it produced. But there are a few design elements that the automaker carried over on other vehicles, such as two badges on the back of a few specific cars and the mid-mounted engine for the i8.

Related: 2014-2020 BMW i8: Costs, Facts, And Figures

In 2019, the automaker unveiled the Vision M Next concept, which tells us that the next i8 will sport an M-badge. Only this time, it will be a proper supercar. The design language is a mix of curved surfaces and sharp lines. Its raked windshield resembles the one installed on the 2014 i8, but the air intakes behind the cabin are larger. In addition, the automaker placed a set of vents on the rear quarter panels, similar to those installed on the M1.

While there are many things we expect to see in the 2026 BMW i8 M, a few details might not reach production. Among them are the rearview cameras instead of door mirrors and the very aggressive front splitter. Furthermore, the headlights on the Vision M Next concept car look fine, but the automaker will have to reshape and adjust them according to the BMW i vehicles, so expect a pair of sharp horizontal LED lights.

Inside the vehicle, the i8 M will boast a pair of sports seats with high-bolstered areas. As expected, there will be no analog dials inside the instrument cluster, and a set of screens similar to those from the XM will adorn the dashboard.

BMW burnt the midnight oil to develop its plug-in hybrid systems. It hit some bumps in the road, but it looks like it finally found the right solutions for its cars. So, it's safe to say that by 2023 standards, the German automaker has enough such vehicles on the roads to know how to properly build PHEVs. The same recipe will use to power the next i8 M but tuned mostly for performance, not fuel efficiency.

Related: BMW Reveals Vision M Next Hybrid Concept With 600 HP

The concept car featured a turbocharged inline-four gasoline engine helped by at least one electric motor, although rumors have it that there will be two (one for each axle). When the automaker unveiled the Vision M Next, it said that the total output was 591 hp. As a result, the supercar could get from zero to sixty in about three seconds. That's already supercar territory, right?

As the market has already proved, electric cars won their spots on the selling charts not because they were pennies to run but because they provided delightful performance. So, BMW will give that to its customers: a fuel-efficient daily supercar. Nevertheless, the manufacturer won't sell it for lunch money, but high in the six-figure area. According to the automaker's pricing policy, the next i8 M should cost between $160,000 and $200,000 without taxes, similar to the mighty XM. After all, the carbon-fiber structure and the aluminum body panels can't be cheap. The production vehicle is expected to be unveiled in 2024 as a 2026 model year.

The 2024 BMW i8 M will be priced well above the previous i8, in the same league with the XM SUV.

In 2014 BMW introduced the i8 as a daily-driver sports car with fuel efficiency in mind, but the next generation will have a proper M-version.

The i8 is so fast because it has a lightweight construction and its hybrid system develops 369 HP.

BMW i8 is fast compared to some sports cars, but it is slower than the least-powerful M-badged bimmer, which is the G87 M2.

Tudor started his career in automotive journalism over 25 years ago as a contributor in a small editorial team of a printed magazine. Later, he evolved and led several car magazines as editor-in-chief, produced his TV broadcast, and traveled worldwide to car events from Italy to Pikes Peak, and from Laguna Seca to the Sahara Desert. Tudor continued learning and completed rally-driving and off-road schools. He also reviewed more than a thousand cars in his career before joining the HotCars team.