Back in 2019, BMW teased us with the Vision M Next concept—a sleek sports car poised to succeed the i8 and kick off a new era of electrified performance for BMW’s M division. This beauty, internally dubbed the i16, was reportedly “95 percent finished,” with its design nearly production-ready.
Under the hood, the i16 was set to house a four-cylinder plug-in hybrid engine churning out around 600 horsepower. This setup promised a 0 to 62 mph sprint in just 3.0 seconds, a top speed of 186 mph, and an electric-only range of up to 62 miles (based on European testing).
Despite development progressing through the COVID-19 pandemic and a planned 2022 release, BMW made a last-minute pivot, choosing to greenlight the XM SUV instead. Marketed as the M1’s successor, the XM hasn’t exactly been a hit, with sales dipping 30 percent this year and discussions already underway about its potential discontinuation in the coming years.
So, will we ever see a true M1 successor? According to BMW historian Steve Saxty, “Every day at BMW, someone is designing a new M1.” While nothing is set in stone, it seems the dream isn’t entirely off the table.
Electric Future 