M wasn't involved in i8 development
Ever since the i8 concept saw the light of day, numerous rumors and speculations emerged about a potential high-performance version developed by BMW's M division. However, this won't happen as Head of Product Management M GmbH, Carsten Pries, along with Head of Product Management M GmbH, Friedrich Nitschke, have excluded the possibility of working on a hotter BMW i8. It makes sense since the M division was not involved during the i8's development.
Such a model was billed to receive the M8 moniker and act as a flagship model for the Bavarian marque. However, there still are some talks about a BMW supercar slated for a 2016 release when the company will celebrate its 100th anniversary. Based on a rumor which surfaced the web last year, the car could get an uprated TwinPower Turbo V8 4.4-liter with as much as 650 bhp (484 kW). It's envisioned as a spiritual successor of the M1 and could reportedly feature a retro-inspired body tipping the scales at 2,760 lbs (1,252 kg).
Even though there won't be an i8 M, BMW's findings in carbon fiber technology will be implemented in more and more "regular" cars in the years to come. BMW has already announced plans to increase carbon fiber production and they will use the lightweight material not only on i and M models, but also on the next-gen 5- and 7-Series.
Source: telegraaf.nl
