Summary of the Article
- This BMW i8 will utilize multiple drivetrain elements from an F30-generation M340i.
- The bespoke project will substitute the hybrid configuration with a pure inline-six engine setup featuring a front-mounted B58.
- The finished assembly is anticipated to yield around 700 horsepower at the wheels.
Over the years, conversations about the i8 have included iterations that never saw the light of day. BMW fans might remember the hydrogen prototype equipped with a fuel cell. Another bold concept that was ultimately rejected included a V10 variant powered by the high-revving S85 engine. There was also speculation regarding a four-cylinder version, which never came to pass.
Ultimately, the plug-in hybrid sports vehicle was outfitted with a three-cylinder engine—the compact yet robust B38 found in MINIs and BMW's smallest offerings. It has been six years since the last i8 was manufactured, and now a creative individual is undertaking the remarkable: a B58 engine swap. Trevor from Bimmer Network is endeavoring to fit a six-cylinder engine into BMW’s cutting-edge sports car.
The inline-six engine is derived from a totaled 2017 M340i xDrive, and this is where the undertaking gets fascinating. The turbocharged 3.0-liter engine will be positioned in a space where BMW never aimed to install a combustion engine, requiring the removal of the front-mounted electric motor, which has already been extracted.
This altered i8 has already shed its battery pack, and the tiny 1.5-liter gasoline engine has also been taken out to make room for the new components. Nonetheless, incorporating the M340i’s parts into the i8 demands custom-fabricated subframes, as the original front and rear subframes have already been removed following BMW’s service standards.
The primary inquiry on everyone’s mind is: Will the B58 fit? Installing the M340i’s components into a vehicle that once housed a mid-mounted battery and a rear-mounted gasoline engine poses considerable difficulties due to spatial limitations. The six-cylinder engine is expected to be placed directly above the front axle, while the transmission and transfer case will fill the spot where the hybrid battery used to be.
<pIf the project succeeds, one must consider how the front-mounted inline-six will affect weight distribution and handling. Trevor is hopeful that the weight distribution will not be significantly different from the original i8, as the radiators and cooling systems will be positioned at the rear.Ideally, this unconventional i8 will produce around 700 horsepower at the wheels. We will be tracking the progress of this project in the weeks ahead. The idea of a non-electrified i8 with a larger engine remains intriguing, even years after production ended. While placing the B58 at the front is unusual, the i8 has always been a highly complex vehicle engineered around a plug-in hybrid design featuring a small rear-mounted internal combustion engine and a front electric motor.
Summary of the Article
- This BMW i8 will utilize multiple drivetrain elements from an F30-generation M340i.
- The bespoke project will substitute the hybrid configuration with a pure inline-six engine setup featuring a front-mounted B58.
- The finished assembly is anticipated to yield around 700 horsepower at the wheels.
Over the years, conversations about the i8 have included iterations that never saw the light of day. BMW fans might remember the hydrogen prototype equipped with a fuel cell. Another bold concept that was ultimately rejected included a V10 variant powered by the high-revving S85 engine. There was also speculation regarding a four-cylinder version, which never came to pass.
Ultimately, the plug-in hybrid sports vehicle was outfitted with a three-cylinder engine—the compact yet robust B38 found in MINIs and BMW’s smallest offerings. It has been six years since the last i8 was manufactured, and now a creative individual is undertaking the remarkable: a B58 engine swap. Trevor from Bimmer Network is endeavoring to fit a six-cylinder engine into BMW’s cutting-edge sports car.
The inline-six engine is derived from a totaled 2017 M340i xDrive, and this is where the undertaking gets fascinating. The turbocharged 3.0-liter engine will be positioned in a space where BMW never aimed to install a combustion engine, requiring the removal of the front-mounted electric motor, which has already been extracted.
This altered i8 has already shed its battery pack, and the tiny 1.5-liter gasoline engine has also been taken out to make room for the new components. Nonetheless, incorporating the M340i’s parts into the i8 demands custom-fabricated subframes, as the original front and rear subframes have already been removed following BMW’s service standards.
The primary inquiry on everyone’s mind is: Will the B58 fit? Installing the M340i’s components into a vehicle that once housed a mid-mounted battery and a rear-mounted gasoline engine poses considerable difficulties due to spatial limitations. The six-cylinder engine is expected to be placed directly above the front axle, while the transmission and transfer case will fill the spot where the hybrid battery used to be.
Ideally, this unconventional i8 will produce around 700 horsepower at the wheels. We will be tracking the progress of this project in the weeks ahead. The idea of a non-electrified i8 with a larger engine remains intriguing, even years after production ended. While placing the B58 at the front is unusual, the i8 has always been a highly complex vehicle engineered around a plug-in hybrid design featuring a small rear-mounted internal combustion engine and a front electric motor.
