If Ali G owned a hybrid

[Bennyboy 206]

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/cars/bmw/i8/listing/5331562029
 

sweet baby Jesus - what have they created 

[treone 677]

Is this the one from Welly? If so, then this is an improvement on what it used to look like 🤣

[Jacko 2228]

Thats actually been de-pimped! The sailwin sportway cheapest sh*t tyres on planet earth, with "supercar spec" sidewalls is just class. 

 

Edited Friday at 05:05 AM by Jacko

[E30 325i Rag-Top 3009]

I’m in the “each to their own / it would be boring if we all had the same taste” school of thought, but that car is a bit out there. A pretty limited market for a hybrid that’s been modified that much I would suggest.

The Ali G reference is absolutely spot on.

[Sammo 2596]

Saw this guy in London last week:

[MD13 534]

Someone actually thought that was a good idea...

[Kodachrome 169]

Im a big i8 fan so it pains me to see (and hear, no muffler) this absolute piece of sh*t around Welly all the time. 

They need to take another 20k off to fixed the body, no doubt Mitre10 gate bolts were used to attach all the tat to the carbon shell. 

[turboray82 17]

You know the sales reps were taking bets on if they could move it on consignment. 

 

Or Perhaps they have a flat listing fee? Thats some easy money.

 

The guys are defiantly laughing after the drove away from the photoshoot.

Edited Monday at 12:30 AM by turboray82

[Kodachrome 169]

Let make a list to get it back to stock. I asked Google Gemini to look at the image and make recommendations to stockify it. I think it did a good job*, with some low key hostility common to AIs lol!

*Bizarrely while it correctly surmised the colour is somehow wrong, its "seen" the colour as grey-purple not the obvious yellow it is. It also didnt pick up on the pikachi theme which would have been a clue to the colour. 

 

 

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To make the BMW i8 in the given TradeMe listing look like an original stock BMW i8, you'd primarily need to reverse the aesthetic modifications that have been made. The i8 has a very distinctive factory look, and aftermarket body kits drastically change its appearance.

Here's a breakdown of things to remove or replace:

Exterior:

1. Body Kit (Liberty Walk Style): This is the most significant modification and would require extensive work.
   • Remove/Replace: The wide, bolt-on fender flares (front and rear) are the hallmark of a Liberty Walk style kit and are not stock. These would need to be removed, and the underlying body panels (fenders, quarter panels) would likely need to be replaced or repaired and repainted to original specifications, as Liberty Walk kits often require cutting into the original bodywork.
   • Remove/Replace: The aggressive front splitter/lip and side skirts that are part of the aftermarket kit. These would need to be replaced with stock BMW i8 front and side aero elements.
   • Remove/Replace: The large, fixed rear wing/spoiler. The stock i8 has an integrated, much more subtle rear spoiler.
2. Wheels:
   • Replace: The current aftermarket multi-spoke wheels with OEM BMW i8 wheels. Stock i8 wheels typically came in 20-inch sizes, with various designs like the W-spoke style 470 or Radial-spoke bi-color wheels. The original wheels are designed to complement the i8's aerodynamic profile.
3. Tyres:
   • Replace: The wider tires that are likely fitted to accommodate the aftermarket wheels and widebody kit. The i8 had specific low-rolling-resistance tires as standard, typically narrower (e.g., 215mm front, 245mm rear for most models) to optimize efficiency and aerodynamics.
4. Paint/Accent Colour:
   • Restore: The vehicle's current color appears to be a grey/silver with purple accents. The original factory paint options for the i8 included colors like Sophisto Grey metallic, Crystal White pearl effect, Protonic Blue, and Donington Grey (later models). The purple accents would also need to be removed or repainted to match a stock accent color (often BMW i Blue or a standard metallic/black).
5. Exhaust System:
   • Replace: The aftermarket exhaust system, if it's visible or noted to be different, would need to be replaced with the original BMW i8 exhaust system. The i8's exhaust note is distinct due to its 1.5L 3-cylinder engine and hybrid nature, and aftermarket exhausts often aim for a louder, more aggressive sound which isn't stock.

Interior (Less clear from photos, but common modifications to check for):

1. Steering Wheel:
   • Replace: If the steering wheel has been replaced with an aftermarket flat-bottom, carbon-fibre, or excessively customized version, it would need to be swapped back to a stock BMW i8 steering wheel, typically a sport leather steering wheel with BMW i Blue accents on some trims.
2. Interior Trim:
   • Replace/Remove: Look for any non-standard carbon fiber overlays, custom colour accents, or aftermarket shift knobs. Original i8 interiors typically featured leather upholstery (e.g., Ivory White, Amido Black, Dalbergia Brown for Tera World) with specific BMW i accents and carbon fiber or ceramic interior trims depending on the "World" package (Mega, Giga, Tera, Pure Impulse).
3. Floor Mats:
   • Replace: Any aftermarket floor mats with OEM BMW i8 floor mats.

Engine Bay/Performance (Unlikely given this is a cosmetic kit, but worth mentioning for a full "stock" return):

1. Engine/Performance Tunes: While not visually apparent, if there are any performance tunes (ECU flashes) or engine modifications, these would need to be reversed to the factory settings. The i8's powertrain is a sophisticated plug-in hybrid system.
2. Intake/Engine Covers: Ensure all engine bay components and covers are original and unmolested.

In summary, the most significant and costly undertaking to return this specific i8 to stock would be reversing the widebody conversion and replacing the wheels and tires. The rest would be relatively minor aesthetic changes if they exist. It's important to note that once a car has undergone a widebody conversion that involves cutting, it can be very challenging and expensive to restore it perfectly to factory body lines.

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Edited yesterday at 04:48 AM by Kodachrome

[KwS 2443]

Already sold? It was a lot cheaper than they usually are, but you'd still need to de-ugly it

[Kodachrome 169]

1 hour ago, KwS said:

Already sold? It was a lot cheaper than they usually are, but you'd still need to de-ugly it

Its gone from TM indeed. The last one that sold with a motivated seller was $55k.  2years ago there was one for 75K. The units being listed (same ones mostly) for the last 3 years at 80 to 100k are (IMO) is fairy land. 

I think this one was worth maybe 45k in the state its in. The wheels and exhaust would be the guts of 10k to fix. And the rivet holes in the carbon body work.. priceless.

Edited yesterday at 08:15 AM by Kodachrome