Promoted: Test drive a BMW i8 courtesy of PH
Discussion
A few short years ago we could hardly have predicted the impact of hybrid technology on not just low emission city runarounds, but on high performance models. While there are several notable hypercars that demonstrate what hybrids can be capable of, arguably the BMW i8 is the best mix of desirability, performance, technology and accessibility. We were certainly impressed when we first drove it, and suspect many of you would be too if you had the chance to get behind the wheel..
So whether you like the idea of its futuristic looks, are intrigued by the technology or just fancy a change from your 911, we’ve teamed up with BMW to make test driving an i8 as hassle-free as possible.
Literally all you have to do is follow this link, fill out the form and you'll get a call to confirm your appointment with your nearest dealer. It’s as simple as that! We’d love to hear how you get on, especially if you end up buying one, so make sure you keep us posted through the forums
So whether you like the idea of its futuristic looks, are intrigued by the technology or just fancy a change from your 911, we’ve teamed up with BMW to make test driving an i8 as hassle-free as possible.
Literally all you have to do is follow this link, fill out the form and you'll get a call to confirm your appointment with your nearest dealer. It’s as simple as that! We’d love to hear how you get on, especially if you end up buying one, so make sure you keep us posted through the forums
Edited by Matt Bird on Friday 13th November 12:03
Filled out the form at the weekend, call off the national BMW lot yesterday and then from the local dealer today, for a test drive on Tuesday next week. No intention to buy one (way out of my price range), just intrigued by the tech, but I've been completely honest about that and it hasn't put them off at all, full marks for customer service so far.
I filled the form out, was contacted after a while by BMW Reading who arranged the test drive and offered me an extended drive if I was considering the car seriously.
I wasn't wow'd by the car so didn't explore it any further than the initial drive.
Max Walton was the chap I dealt with and was very good.
I wasn't wow'd by the car so didn't explore it any further than the initial drive.
Max Walton was the chap I dealt with and was very good.
I was emailed by Pistonheads a few weeks ago offering the opportunity to drive various performance BMW's, Minis and Skodas. The i8 jumped out as the most interesting option, so I clicked through and a few phone calls later I had I test drive at Cooper Reading BMW, who provided a very welcoming experience.
To provide some personal context, I currently own a ~300bhp Mazda RX-7, recently sold my second Mazda RX-8, and have driven numerous other powerful cars on experience days/handling courses other test drives, which although brief, do provide a basis for comparison.
To start off, I sat in the passenger seat while the electric 'Genius' (very Apple) took the car beyond the limits of Reading's sprawl. It was raining and I was given a demonstration of how well the i8 grips in the conditions. It can really put the power down, without so much as a complaint, at full throttle, even with some steering applied. My RX-7 would have bitten back with considerably less effort applied.
Next it was my turn. The first few minutes were spent gently cruising along, appreciating the comfort of the cabin and noting how good of job the car was doing of being a sports car you could drive everyday. After that I finally got to some national speed limit roads...
The power delivery was impressive. As expected, response was instantaneous with the electric motors, and you could pile on the speed effortlessly at a moments notice, with the petrol engine seamlessly kicking in as required. Being so effortless, is a less visceral experience than riding a wave of boost in my RX-7 which robs some of the enjoyment, but then you expect a certain amount of refinement in a car at this price point. One a dual carriageway run it would have been very easy to drive well above the limit and barely notice, which is a problem that many modern cars have, in not being able to fully exploit them legally on the roads. When flat out, the engine noise sounded purposeful inside the cabin, although how much of that was synthetic, I don't know!
Overall the i8 strikes a good balance between sporty and refined. I've driven a C63AMG and a Jaguar XFR among others, and found them to be somewhat underwhelming despite the obscene power levels, but then again they're bigger, heavier, and have to satisfy buyer expectations in premium segments, which makes them compromised to someone like me who's happier in something lighter and less refined. The i8 is a car that I'd be perfectly comfortable in for long drives but feel light, nimble and is sufficiently involving to drive. Driving one was definitely an event and it's a very capable machine.
There were a few predicable downsides. The brakes and steering offered little in the way of feedback. The steering was quite light, which was fine, but I didn't like how it adjusted itself so significantly to feather-light for low speed maneuvering. Also the indicators were annoying in the way they'd auto return to center despite being active, which made turning them off difficult. Now I know why BMW drivers don't use them!
Surprisingly, I didn't miss having a manual gear change. It suits the car better not to have one, with the hybrid drive and wide power-band taking away some of the need to manage these things. In Sport mode it would hold a gear and rev out nicely, although it's no rotary in that regard.
I chose to test drive the i8 to have a little taste of the future. It the first hybrid car that I've driven, and I've been keen on the idea of a hybrid sports car for some time. As a rotary fan, I hope that Mazda can release a future RX model using a similar setup as hybrid technology would counter some of the rotary's weaknesses such as low rpm torque. Sadly I don't have a £100k car budget to consider buying an i8, but I'm happy to have tried one. If a time comes when hybrids sports cars are the norm, then I'm sure I'll be able to enjoy owning one, even if the driving purity that I get from my RX-7 has become a memory from simpler times.
To provide some personal context, I currently own a ~300bhp Mazda RX-7, recently sold my second Mazda RX-8, and have driven numerous other powerful cars on experience days/handling courses other test drives, which although brief, do provide a basis for comparison.
To start off, I sat in the passenger seat while the electric 'Genius' (very Apple) took the car beyond the limits of Reading's sprawl. It was raining and I was given a demonstration of how well the i8 grips in the conditions. It can really put the power down, without so much as a complaint, at full throttle, even with some steering applied. My RX-7 would have bitten back with considerably less effort applied.
Next it was my turn. The first few minutes were spent gently cruising along, appreciating the comfort of the cabin and noting how good of job the car was doing of being a sports car you could drive everyday. After that I finally got to some national speed limit roads...
The power delivery was impressive. As expected, response was instantaneous with the electric motors, and you could pile on the speed effortlessly at a moments notice, with the petrol engine seamlessly kicking in as required. Being so effortless, is a less visceral experience than riding a wave of boost in my RX-7 which robs some of the enjoyment, but then you expect a certain amount of refinement in a car at this price point. One a dual carriageway run it would have been very easy to drive well above the limit and barely notice, which is a problem that many modern cars have, in not being able to fully exploit them legally on the roads. When flat out, the engine noise sounded purposeful inside the cabin, although how much of that was synthetic, I don't know!
Overall the i8 strikes a good balance between sporty and refined. I've driven a C63AMG and a Jaguar XFR among others, and found them to be somewhat underwhelming despite the obscene power levels, but then again they're bigger, heavier, and have to satisfy buyer expectations in premium segments, which makes them compromised to someone like me who's happier in something lighter and less refined. The i8 is a car that I'd be perfectly comfortable in for long drives but feel light, nimble and is sufficiently involving to drive. Driving one was definitely an event and it's a very capable machine.
There were a few predicable downsides. The brakes and steering offered little in the way of feedback. The steering was quite light, which was fine, but I didn't like how it adjusted itself so significantly to feather-light for low speed maneuvering. Also the indicators were annoying in the way they'd auto return to center despite being active, which made turning them off difficult. Now I know why BMW drivers don't use them!
Surprisingly, I didn't miss having a manual gear change. It suits the car better not to have one, with the hybrid drive and wide power-band taking away some of the need to manage these things. In Sport mode it would hold a gear and rev out nicely, although it's no rotary in that regard.
I chose to test drive the i8 to have a little taste of the future. It the first hybrid car that I've driven, and I've been keen on the idea of a hybrid sports car for some time. As a rotary fan, I hope that Mazda can release a future RX model using a similar setup as hybrid technology would counter some of the rotary's weaknesses such as low rpm torque. Sadly I don't have a £100k car budget to consider buying an i8, but I'm happy to have tried one. If a time comes when hybrids sports cars are the norm, then I'm sure I'll be able to enjoy owning one, even if the driving purity that I get from my RX-7 has become a memory from simpler times.
Edited by MightyCondor on Saturday 13th February 14:23
Edited by MightyCondor on Saturday 13th February 14:24
Hi Matt,
Apologies - this has only just been brought to my attention. Can you please PM the details of when you applied and which dealership you chose?
I'll do my best to sort this out ASAP for you!
Apologies again for the delay - whilst it will be of little comfort lots of people have successfully booked and attended test drives with this system, so we just need to work out why it isn't working for you!
Thanks
JD
Apologies - this has only just been brought to my attention. Can you please PM the details of when you applied and which dealership you chose?
I'll do my best to sort this out ASAP for you!
Apologies again for the delay - whilst it will be of little comfort lots of people have successfully booked and attended test drives with this system, so we just need to work out why it isn't working for you!
Thanks
JD
BMW headquarters called, all very friendly, followed by a call from Spire BMW Borehamwood. I booked in the test drive, all fine for last Saturday at 9.30AM.
I was honest with my intention not to buy the car, but said that this was more to drive one of the latest (and best) BMW's and would be looking at a M235i in the next 6-12 months. He said this is fine, and would give me a cut down test drive in the car.
Now, fair play to BMW to arranging this, my understanding from a friend that works in the industry is that this would be a brand building exercise with the hope of getting people in at a later point on other models, and that the dealership probably get a great deal on buying the i8 from BMW to facilitate this promotion.
Anyway, got there at 9.30AM on Saturday to be told a demo car hadn't arrived and he didn't bother to call me and let me know. Every experience i've had dealing with BMW in the South East (and Midlands) has been less than underwhelming, it has probably cost them a couple of sales to me over the last 5 years on a M135i and a 135 Coupe.
I was honest with my intention not to buy the car, but said that this was more to drive one of the latest (and best) BMW's and would be looking at a M235i in the next 6-12 months. He said this is fine, and would give me a cut down test drive in the car.
Now, fair play to BMW to arranging this, my understanding from a friend that works in the industry is that this would be a brand building exercise with the hope of getting people in at a later point on other models, and that the dealership probably get a great deal on buying the i8 from BMW to facilitate this promotion.
Anyway, got there at 9.30AM on Saturday to be told a demo car hadn't arrived and he didn't bother to call me and let me know. Every experience i've had dealing with BMW in the South East (and Midlands) has been less than underwhelming, it has probably cost them a couple of sales to me over the last 5 years on a M135i and a 135 Coupe.
Sent the application months ago - still haven't heard from BMW!
Won't buy one because I cannot plug it in, but how do they know?
Does the i8 exist, or is it like the man on the moon conspiracy? Sadly I am forced to live near Crapnell so did see i8s until BMW moved to Farnborough...
Does anyone really want a 1.5 litre 3 cylinder "supercar" when there are V8 or V12 options out there - thought not!!
Interesting to see whether I will be offered an i8 test drive before or after my Maserati Ghibli test drive! Probably (hopefully) neither, but then neither has a proper gearbox anyway so I don't really care as I'm not from Playstation Generation!
Won't buy one because I cannot plug it in, but how do they know?
Does the i8 exist, or is it like the man on the moon conspiracy? Sadly I am forced to live near Crapnell so did see i8s until BMW moved to Farnborough...
Does anyone really want a 1.5 litre 3 cylinder "supercar" when there are V8 or V12 options out there - thought not!!
Interesting to see whether I will be offered an i8 test drive before or after my Maserati Ghibli test drive! Probably (hopefully) neither, but then neither has a proper gearbox anyway so I don't really care as I'm not from Playstation Generation!
Edited by Mr Tidy on Thursday 5th May 00:52
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