BMW abandoned M1 supercar development for the XM SUV

BMW had been working on a new supercar based on the i8. Codename i16, the new model was inspired by the iconic BMW M1 from the late 1970s. However, the project was cancelled in favour of the XM SUV.

According to reports, the BMW i16 was in its advanced stages of development and was almost 95% ready when BMW decided to pull the plug. One of the reasons for cancelling the M1 supercar was the Covid-19 pandemic. It is also said that BMW prioritized the XM over the i16, as both models were competing for resources at the brand’s performance division.

In a recent interview, author Steve Saxty revealed that the idea behind the i16 was to take the basics of the i8 and put a 560 hp 4-cylinder plug-in hybrid instead of a 3-cylinder.

The BMW i16 was initially targeted to go on sale in 2022. However, it seems the model has been dropped for good and is no longer in BMW’s product pipeline.

Source: The Drive