Following the launch of the new plug-in hybrid roadster variant of the i8, BMW has revealed its long-term strategy for keeping the car relevant to buyers even after the initial sales exuberance wears off. In order to counteract the traditional sports car sales drop off that comes after everyone who wanted one bought one, i8 product manager, Marcus Pluntke, told CarAdvice that BMW is already hard at work on a series of ‘Edition’ cars, similar to what the brand has already done with the Coupe.
“The roadster will definitely be another volume push, as the Coupe has been on the market for four years so there are people longing for the Roadster,” Pluntke said. “We have already over 1000 pre-orders for the Roadster, so that will be a volume push.” Skin deep special editions seen on the coupe, like the Protronic Red Edition, the Protronic Black Edition, and the Frozen Yellow Edition i8s, bring unique aesthetic equipment, bespoke paint, special badging, and grossly inflated price tags. “Also to add more variety and more individuality, because the car is very special and customers asked for even more specialized version, so that is a nice tool we might come back to in the future.” Pluntke continued.
“I mean the car is very special already, but of course this kind of special car also attracts very special customers and they want to have the peak of exclusivity.” Even with a demand for exclusivity, shoppers will still be limited in their customization options for the i8. While just about every other BMW on sale is offered with a full range of custom choices through the BMW Individual program, production limitations at the i8’s factory in Leipzig, meaning the addition of new variables from BMW Individual is just too disruptive to production for BMW to consider it worthwhile.
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