Presented a year ago, the Vision M Next was to be the concept car foreshadowing the next hybrid electric supercar from BMW, succeeding the i8. It will ultimately be nothing, the German manufacturer has abandoned the project.
A supercar does not make sense in a post-coronavirus world
BMW continued to believe in its hybrid supercar model and wanted to materialize its Vision M Next. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed the plans of the German manufacturer. As one of the executives explains, the Vision M Next “will remain a prototype.” He adds: “The board decided not to make it. It doesn’t make sense in a post-coronavirus world.”
The carbon-based chassis combined with a 600-horsepower hybrid engine should guarantee excellent performance for this vehicle, which BMW presented at the time as “without compromise”. However, the sector already representing a niche is in danger of further shrinking because of the economic crisis that should result from the pandemic we are going through.
It must also be admitted that the BMW i8 had not received an excellent reception, the sales had moreover reflected this state of affairs. Its production stopped last month. On the European market, around 8,500 i8 have been sold since its release in 2013. BMW did not want to take the risk of this semi-failure with the more expensive and more powerful Vision M Next.
