Article Summary
- The full-size BMW i3 and i8 display models feature fiberglass bodies mounted to steel frames with caster wheels.
- Both replicas wear genuine BMW wheels, while the i8 also has functional 120-volt LED exterior lighting.
- Previously sold together for $8,951, the two display cars are now being auctioned separately at no reserve.
You can buy a real BMW i3 or i8 without too much difficulty. All you really need is money. But what if you’re interested in something much cheaper and simultaneously, far rarer? And that isn’t really a drivable car at all? Well, now is your chance. A pair of BMW display models has returned to Bring a Trailer, giving collectors another opportunity to own two of the most unique pieces of BMW i memorabilia we’ve encountered.
i3 and i8 Replicas For Sale: What to Know
Last time, the two would-be hybrids were auctioned as a pair. This time, the BMW i3 and BMW i8 are being auctioned separately. Both are said to have been produced by BMW for promotional use in its dealerships, although neither has an interior or anything resembling a powertrain. Their fiberglass bodies instead sit on steel frames equipped with swivel caster wheels. That should make them relatively easy to position, although we can’t help but feel that some sort of motor or something that somehow drove the wheels might make things even less challenging.
Both models wear Ionic Silver Metallic paint with black and Frozen Blue accents. No surprise, as that closely matches the futuristic color schemes BMW used to launch the i sub-brand. Black panels simulate the windows, while mirrors, windshield wiper arms, BMW badges, faux shark-fin antennas, and genuine alloy wheels help complete the illusion.
The i3 rolls on 19-inch wheels wearing Bridgestone tires. Black panels behind them mimic brake rotors and calipers. Apparently a victim of aggressively curious lookie-loos, the i3 isn’t exactly showroom perfect. Its lighting system is inoperative, the headlight lenses are fogged, and the left fog light and door handle are missing. The i8 features functional LED lighting in its headlight surrounds and taillights, powered through a 120-volt circuit, although the left taillight reportedly does not illuminate. Its 20-inch wheels wear Bridgestone tires and conceal silver-painted calipers and cross-drilled rotors. Some rust is visible on the discs, proving that even a BMW incapable of moving under its own power still requires maintenance.
The Real BMW i3 and i8 Changed the Brand
Pairing the two models made sense because the production i3 and i8 represented the two extremes of BMW’s original electrification strategy. The i3 debuted in concept form in 2011 before entering production in 2013. Its carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic passenger cell, aluminum chassis, rear-mounted electric motor, and available gasoline range extender made it unlike almost anything else on the road. BMW continually improved the i3’s battery capacity and driving range before production ended in 2022. More than 250,000 examples were built, making it far more successful than its unconventional shape and premium construction initially suggested. Its combination of lightweight materials, sustainable interior options, and city-friendly dimensions also remains unusual today. Frankly, it’s a vastly underrated automobile.
The i8 pursued performance rather than urban practicality. Its turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine powered the rear wheels, while an electric motor drove the front axle. The resulting all-wheel-drive plug-in hybrid produced 357 horsepower at launch, with later versions increasing output to 369 horsepower. A (quite pretty) Roadster eventually joined the Coupe before production concluded in 2020.
Neither car received a direct successor, but their influence continues throughout BMW’s current electric lineup. The original pair proved electrification did not have to produce conventional-looking cars — even if BMW’s newer EVs are generally less experimental. These exact display models previously sold together on Bring a Trailer for $8,951 in December 2024. The DFW Car & Toy Museum is apparently culling its collection, and offering them individually at no reserve. Both auctions end Thursday, August 20, with the i8 scheduled to close at 10:27 a.m. Pacific and the i3 following three minutes later.
i3 Replica Bring a Trailer Listing
i8 Replica Bring a Trailer Listing
