COVID-19: BMW cancels its next supercar due to pandemic crunch

BMW was to replace its i8 sportscar with a production version of the Vision M Next concept but this plan has reportedly now been has shelved due to the pandemic crunch that the auto industry as a whole is facing.

The German carmaker never explicitly confirmed that the Vision M NEXT - revealed back in June 2019 - would be produced, but it was widely interpreted as an evolution of the i8.

Unlike other BMW concepts, the Vision M NEXT didn’t promise a wholesale handover of driving duties to the car itself.

It was BMW’s interpretation of how driver-assistance, electrification, and increasingly stringent green requirements might shape tomorrow’s enthusiast cars.

The hybrid would have had all-wheel drive like the i8 - but BMW envisaged the concept of having more than 600 horsepower. The i8, on the other hand, has always been criticized for being underpowered…

It promised a 0-100kph sprint in 3.0 seconds, a top speed of 300kph and a BOOST+ button which would unlock even more power. Total electric range was around 100km.

It was a chance for the brand to show off its latest technology too as the car featured Laser Wire headlights and tail lights, facial recognition, and sustainable microfiber but BMW has quietly shelved the project with many citing that it just didn’t make sense in a post-pandemic world.