Buyers looking to drop the top with a 2019 BMW i8 Roadster will be met with a $164,295 price tag when the car launches this spring. That makes it the most expensive BMW sold on these shores.
Pricing for the roadster and coupe was confirmed through BMW on Tuesday, after an initial report by BMW Blog. The coupe will cost $148,495, including destination. Leather upholstery and 20-inch wheels are standard equipment on both cars. Heated front seats, head-up display, Apple CarPlay compatibility, premium audio, adaptive dampers, and navigation are thrown in for good measure too.
A Tera World option package is the only optional trim level available and it adds a leather engine cover (Eds note: Wait, what?), black brake calipers, ceramic knobs, blue seat belts, and brown leather for $2,500 on roadsters or $3,700 on coupes. Laser headlights are a standalone $6,300 option on both models. A First Edition trim level will be available on roadster models for $174,090, but it's unclear what that package offers. We'll update this story with more information as it becomes available.
The Roadster sets itself apart from the standard coupe with a few exterior design changes, too.
The sloping rear windshield gives way to a small vertical rear window, and a new engine cover is in place. Surrounding the engine are two new cowls that flow into the rear wing. Finally, the i8 Roadster sports frameless doors.
2019 BMW i8 Roadster
2019 BMW i8 Roadster
2019 BMW i8 Roadster
Aside from the exterior tweaks, engineers implemented a host of chassis changes to ensure the Roadster performs identically to the coupe, despite the drop-top hauling around an extra 132 pounds. All 2019 i8s will gain a boost in horsepower and electric range. The 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-3, 6-speed auto, and electric motor combination now make 369 horsepower, up from 362 hp. The car's all-electric driving range increases from 15 to 18 miles.
BMW claims there's no attached performance penalty when it comes to 0-60 mph times. The Roadster should clock the same 4.2-second 0-60 mph sprint as the coupe.
The brand first showed an i8 convertible concept way back in 2012 and it's not clear why it's taken over seven years to reach production. Nevertheless, the i8 Roadster will hit dealers in just a few short months.
Note to readers: This story has been updated with official pricing specs from BMW.