BMW Prices 2018 M5 and Reveals 2019 i8 Coupe and Roadster

Pricing for the BMW super sedan starts at $102,600; i8 twins feature more electric battery power and range.

The year is almost over, but it’s not too late for BMW to drop some big news. Today it announced the pricing for the long-awaited 2018 BMW M5 and released images of the more powerful 2019 i8 Coupe and its new Roadster sibling.

BMW’s sixth-generation M5 is all about big numbers, from its 600-horsepower/553-lb-ft 4.4-liter turbocharged V8 engine to its 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds to its top speed of 189 mph (with M Driver’s Package). It has the starting price to match: $102,600, plus a $995 destination and handling charge. If you’re in Southern California right now, look for the 2018 M5 to make its auto show debut at the LA Auto Show. Otherwise, you can see it in U.S. BMW dealerships starting in the spring of next year.

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That’s also when dealers will start carrying the 2019 BMW i8 Coupe and Roadster, the first open-top i8 ever. Both cars benefit from upgrades to the 1.5-liter turbocharged I3 and lithium-ion battery pack. BMW says the gas engine offers improved sound and better emissions, although output remains 228 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. Engineers increased the cell capacity of the battery from 20 to 34 Ah and net energy capacity to 9.4 kWh. As a result, the electric motor’s peak output is up from 129 horsepower to 141. Torque tops out at 184 lb-ft. Final combined figures are 369 horsepower and 420 lb-ft. According to BMW’s preliminary estimates, both the i8 Coupe and Roadster can go 18 miles in pure-electric mode and hit 60 mph in 4.2 seconds and 4.4 seconds, respectively. Top speed is limited to 155 mph. Combined fuel economy is an estimated 70 MPGe.

Both versions of the i8 offer E-Copper metallic and Donington Grey metallic as new exterior colors and a new Tera World Copper interior package of cloth and leather rendered in an Amido and E-Copper color scheme. Above the i8 Roadster’s cockpit is an electric all-season fabric convertible top that opens and closes in under 16 seconds at speeds up to 31 mph.

Not only has BMW found a way to generate headlines this late in the year, it’s also managed to make the i8 even more eye-catching.

Looking for a good deal on a new BMW? Get insider information here.

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Derek Shiekhi

Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.

After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.

While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.

Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.

In addition to writing for a variety of Internet Brands sites, including JK Forum, H-D Forums, The Mustang Source, Mustang Forums, LS1Tech, HondaTech, Jaguar Forums, YotaTech, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts. Derek also started There Will Be Cars on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.