BMW i8

[Speculatore]

Thoughts?

Official Blurb!!

When BMW decided that they needed a new supercar to top their range, they did just what they are well known for doing – thought outside of the box. Sure, they could have made a slinky looking low supercar with the M6 engine, but they wanted to innovate so turned to the new i-Division. Step forward, the i8 – a full carbon fibre hybrid supercar with wild looks and incredible performance. Mating a 1.5 litre 3-cylinder turbo engine driving the rear wheels, to a pair of electric motors driving the fronts gives a total power output of 357 bhp and zero emissions around town. Performance is as you'd expect – 4.4 seconds to 62 mph and the kind of seamless shove that only an EV can provide. The future of conscience-clear supercar ownership is here.






Format - 2dr Coupe
Engine - EV/i3
Size - 1.5ltr
0-62mph - 4.4secs
Power - 357bhp (Combined)
Top Speed - 155mph
Retail Price - £100,000

[bogie]

one of the nicest looking Beemers for years

it it was sub £50K im sure it would be a big seller ...still , someone has to pay for the development of new technology so im sure there will be loads of buyer who must have one

out in California the trend for tech company execs seems to be to drive Tesla so it should sell well out there

[thetees]

bogie said:

one of the nicest looking Beemers for years

it it was sub £50K im sure it would be a big seller ...still , someone has to pay for the development of new technology so im sure there will be loads of buyer who must have one

out in California the trend for tech company execs seems to be to drive Tesla so it should sell well out there

I'm sure it will appeal globally - not just in California. They sold the initial 2015 UK allocation very quickly.
I think the pricing is about right as well - there's an awful lot of tech in there (have you seen the rumoured remote?).
I quite fancy one, I think.

[Gettoff]

Don't like it.

The styling is overly fussy, especially the back end. Don't like the wheels, and it can't be a supercar with a 1.5L turbo. It doesn't matter how quick it is, it won't sound right.

[bogie]

I will consider one when the tech has gone mainstream and its 1/3rd price...im not impatient to get into an electric car....I love a V8 or V12 and will enjoy for as many years as I can before they banned

when I retire im sure the choice of electric cars will be huge

[8Tech]

Might be better if it had a range of over 22 miles on electrical power. Who wants a 3 cylinder car the rest of the time?

Nasty looking and will be horrendously unreliable and costly to maintain too. It's just a promotional exercise to try and sell the i3 anyway.

Why is this on an Aston Martin forum anyway? It's hardly going to impact Aston sales!

[George29]

Hideous thing. No doubt impressive engineering but I'll stick to large capacity internal combustion engines and fk the emissions!

[CPBRI]

Like the looks, but not interested in hybrids just yet.

...and if you have not heard, we are not supposed to talk about anything but AM here!

[The GMan]

I'm on a mission to have my carbon emission output the same and British Airways and I'm some way off so fk it.


Only joking......still wouldn't have one though and I've been a big BMW fan for years.

[Zod]

I think it's fantastic and it's very much on my radar, not as a V12V replacement though.

[montecristo]

What happened to the good old days, when you started a thread about some Aston issue, and someone derailed it?

I could just about cope with threads that started about the new Jaguar, and could be derailed by mentioning Astons, but what does one do with a BMW thread?

[thetees]

montecristo said:

... but what does one do with a BMW thread?

Jockman, please come back, all is forgiven (well, maybe not ALL)

[The GMan]

Zod said:

I think it's fantastic and it's very much on my radar, not as a V12V replacement though.

I think from an engineering perspective it is fantastic, I just think the styling is a bit...erm..well not down my street. But I use to own a 6 series and thought that looked great.

If they had have went down the route of the M1 concept car from a while back it would have been great in my opinion.

Edited by The GMan on Wednesday 8th January 16:28

[Neil1300R]

thetees said:

Jockman, please come back, all is forgiven (well, maybe not ALL)

The short blue one is very busy counting boxes - its his busiest time of the year. That and being a bloody cyclist. His emmissions are higher than an i8 though and definately planet killing

Although he would have enjoyed a BMW thread - he's owned lots of them.

[yg649]

I would ... Was 380 bhp in the early V8's so little ? Not from memory. Real world adequate is how I remember it.

Yes, you'd be investing in developing technology. But why not ? Tesla have got 450bhp+ options. Given BWM's volumes, how many years more of development until there's a V12VS power rivalling 'leccie option ?

Central London on battery ... I'm dearly dearly liking the idea. Flick to power as you start to head out of town.

My only gripe ... the interior. As designed .. unfortunately not anywhere that I'd consider to be a special place.

Could be the deal breaker. Would tech development result in more power & extended range at a near constant price point ?? If so, then the interior will need to be addressed. If however, it heads in the other direction (same performance, but at lower price point), then it becomes a different proposition.

[tonyhall38]

Like the wheels....reminds me of the hot wheels cars from my childhood....the rest of it though you can keep , looks like it's trying too hard...

[tonyhall38]

Like the wheels....reminds me of the hot wheels cars from my childhood....the rest of it though you can keep , looks like it's trying too hard...

[JBaps]

The rear end is fugly imo.

[hartley]

I went in to the Mayfair showroom thinking this could be an Aston replacement - the whole efficiency thing appeals to me.
I came out having put down a deposit on an i3 - it's a third the price with 70 per cent of the appeal. It will be a nice alternative to the DB9 Volante .

[Jon1967x]

Part of the reason I bought an aston was the noise. My bmw already plays piped music into the cabin to pretend it's not a diesel. It's interesting but it's not for the hairy chested amongst us, more for those that enjoy an all over body wax.. Just a bit to clinical