Did you know the BMW i8’s engine is made in Britain?

Here’s a fact that may have passed you by: the heart of the BMW i8 is British. Well, most of it. The 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that forms one part of its hybrid powertrain is made at the endearingly named Hams Hall factory, near Birmingham.

Different tunes of the same engine are also found in the Mini, so being British-grown perhaps makes a modicum of sense. Hams Hall has produced over 4.5 million engines since opening in 2001, and in 2017, it accounted for 11 per cent of the UK’s engine manufacturing.

The i8’s three-cylinder produces 227bhp, but BMW says the Hams Hall line has recently been “expanded and enhanced to increase production capability for further high-spec engines.” So more powerful stuff could be on the way for future BMW i cars.

High-tech turbo engines and World Cup penalty shoot outs. What can’t our modest little country do?