Board

On this page, we would like to briefly introduce you to the organizational structure of the BMW i8 Club.

The board of the BMW i8 Club e.V. consists of four members: President, Vice President, Chairman for technical matters, and Finance Director (currently vacant), as well as an advisory board. Other bodies within the club include the auditor, a coordinator for (regional and international) events and excursions, and the club secretariat. We invite our members to an annual general meeting. All telephone inquiries and emails are initially received by our secretariat and then forwarded to the responsible coordinator or board member(s). Please feel free to contact us at any time with questions or suggestions.

Read more about the club on the pages “about us” and “membership”.

Claus-Dieter Bachmann, President

I started my career as a motor mechanic. However in 1985 I re-angled my life and became a stonemason and sculptor. After receiving my master certificate in 1995 I started my own business. Today my company employs around 20 traditionally working stonemasons and we are proud to be asked to work on many of the beautiful monuments made out of natural stones all over Germany. In my free time I’ going back to my roots – cars and motorcycles. I’m a technics affine car enthusiast. It gives me a lot of pleasure to drive everything that has wheels – slow or fast.

When I saw the first photos of the i8 I never would have imagined that they would truly build this concept car. When they then announced that they were going to build the BMW i8 I went straight to register at my local dealership. Since then it’s been like a dream to be able to drive such a car from the future in the now and I enjoy every minute of it. Regardless if I’m stuck in traffic or driving through the city or overland, it’s always a pleasure to drive this car. It is my opinion that BMW got closer with the BMW i8 to their motto “sheer driving pleasure” then ever before.

Dominik Spahn, Vicepresident

I have always been fortunate that my family drove cars of the former airplane engine producer since I was a child. I think due to these experiences and the vacation times I spent at my grandparents in Munich, close to the FIZ of the BMW Group, I chose a BMW 318is- 5 door special edition for my first car. Many used BMWs succeed one another until I bought my first new X5.

At the official introduction of the i8 I was especially fascinated by its general concept of electronic mobility. The i8 is not the typical electric car which is built to save as much energy as possible in order to gain a longer driving range compared to that of the competitors, but rather to retrieve as much energy as possible through recuperation. Which will subsequently allow it to achieve e. g. the maximum mileage possible or the most powerful performance dependent on the driver’s mood. I was also immediately drawn towards the i8 by its unique design.

I’m a longtime BMW enthusiast and with my engagement in the BMW i8 Club I want to contribute to the platform the Club is building for us. We hope to give our members the opportunity to connect and trade information as well as exchange their experiences and enjoy drives together. I also see an opportunity here that we will be able to support BMW in its development with important inside into this brand new way of driving.

Andreas Schnarr, Chairman for Technical Matters

As an i8 enthusiast from the very beginning and owner of what is now the third carbon design beauty from the Munich vehicle forge, I have already been able to gather extensive technical experience with the vehicle. Since I have driven a wide variety of BMW models for over 35 years and have mostly maintained and repaired them myself, I am well acquainted with the basic technical nomenclature of the BMW brand. My high general technical affinity is also reflected in my work as a freelance engineer in the field of chemical-pharmaceutical production and process engineering.

My special interest in the area of i8 lies in particular in processes and procedures in the background that are not described in any operating manual. I am not automatically satisfied with general instructions such as “Please contact Service”. In addition, the i8 as an independent development with many technical features stands in a row with icons such as the M1, Z1 or the E31 models and simply deserves special attention.

Heike Bommersheim, Treasurer

I was trained to be an insurance agent, but I’m working at my husband’s company. I was born in 1960. My husband is the car enthusiast and BMW fan. He especially likes the i8 because of its sportive yet smart character. For us the BMW club is the place to meet other BMW fans and i8 friends. Here we enjoy fantastic times at events and drives. I’m happy to help the club by serving as the treasurer.

David Karger, Technical Advisor

Trained automotive electrician, over 20 years of BMW experience and owning BMW vehicles. From a very young age, I was fascinated by the technology and functionality of vehicles. The technology inside an i8 is almost indescribable. The rear axle is mechanically independent of the front axle, yet the vehicle has all-wheel drive – a true technical masterpiece! I had the privilege of accompanying the i8 from its very beginning to its very end, from the first test vehicles in 2012 to the final production run, number 18/18 of the Last Edition, in 2020. After more than eight years working side-by-side with the i8, I can almost call every screw on the car by name.

Sascha Stephani, Advisor

Manfred de Vries, Advisor

I’m 52 years old and I grew up and live near Bremerhaven, Germany. My hobbies are my family, golfing and BMW sport cars. After an extensive technical and economic education I took up the responsibilities of a high management position in the car industry early in my career. I’m leading a major automobile trade chain in the region Bremen, Germany for over 20 years now. I’m a member of many different organizations and associations and I’ve a deep interest in the mobility of the future. The topic of electro mobility still needs to be boosted and a car like the BMW i8 gives us the fascinating possibility to get this topic conveyed. This is why choose to be a part of the BMW i8 club.

Rigo Holinski, Club Office

I am a self-employed entrepreneur and took over the secretary position from Nina Bachmann-Dämmer in January 2026, after she found it was no longer compatible with the professional demands of taking over her father’s company.