UPDATE 19 August 2014: The BMW i8 sold to one lucky bidder for the quite astonishingly high price of $825,000 (approx. £500,000) or equivalent to new fewer than five base spec. BMW i8s. The special edition vehicle was auctioned by hosts Jay Leno and Ludwig Willisch, President & CEO of BMW North America.
For people who are after a BMW i8 hybrid sportscar but yet who are both wealthy and impatient, it may be of interest that there is an answer for one lucky person. The reason only one will be satisfied – and need to be wealthy – is that BMW are auctioning their special i8 Concours d’Elegance Edition at the annual Pebble Beach auction. The winning bidder will walk away with the keys (and presumably drive away in the car) to one of the very first BMW i8s sold in the United States. There is of course the ever present threat of international collectors who may be interested by the cars unique status and spcial design features. For everyone else, they’ll have to wait until the official Autumn (fall in US speak) sale date and get in line to join a lengthy queue of awaiting buyers.
The BMW i8 Concours d’Elegance Edition will be sold by Gooding & Company, the official auction house of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, during the annual Pebble Beach Auctions on Saturday, 16th August. Proceeds of the sale will go to the Pebble Beach Company Foundation and the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
The 2014 BMW i8 Concours d’Elegance Edition will feature BMW Individual Frozen Grey Metallic exterior paint. The unique interior will boast Dalbergia Brown leather upholstery, which is tanned using dye derived from plant extracts. The upholstery is accented with stitching in BMW i Blue. The Pure Impulse Tera World interior includes other trim accents in BMW i Blue, including the seat belts, as well as having “BMW i8” embossed into the front headrests. A number of US firsts will be included with this special edition including laser headlights, pending government approval, a BMW i8 Display key as well as the first BMW Charging Station, professional edition.
The words “Concours d’Elegance Edition” i8 will be laser etched in the interior, further marking this as truly one-of-a-kind. The car will be sold at the Pebble Beach Auctions presented by Gooding & Company on Saturday, August 16 at the Pebble Beach Special Events area. For information about bidding or to watch a live stream of the auction, please visit www.goodingco.com.
The 2014 BMW i8 Concours d’Elegance Edition will not only offer the winning bidder the chance to own one of the first BMW i8s in the US, but also to own a truly one-of-a-kind example of the world’s most innovative sports car.
Source; BMW
