i4 eDrive40 Msport 24hr Test Drive

[JonnyVTEC]

Here’s the problem “aren’t affected” goes around.

When there’s plenty of articles on exactly how and why not are missing, Including the temp contract “Tesla mechanics” located at the ports to finish off the cars.

[Heres Johnny]

JonnyVTEC said:

Here’s the problem “aren’t affected” goes around.

When there’s plenty of articles on exactly how and why not are missing, Including the temp contract “Tesla mechanics” located at the ports to finish off the cars.

Yep - and BMW, AUDI, Merc are all delivering more cars than Tesla on total but that all gets forgotten

[Pixelpeep 135]

Heres Johnny said:

JonnyVTEC said:

Here’s the problem “aren’t affected” goes around.

When there’s plenty of articles on exactly how and why not are missing, Including the temp contract “Tesla mechanics” located at the ports to finish off the cars.

Yep - and BMW, AUDI, Merc are all delivering more cars than Tesla on total but that all gets forgotten

Are they though? Delivery time for a m135i as an example is currently over a year....

[Heres Johnny]

Pixelpeep 135 said:

Heres Johnny said:

JonnyVTEC said:

Here’s the problem “aren’t affected” goes around.

When there’s plenty of articles on exactly how and why not are missing, Including the temp contract “Tesla mechanics” located at the ports to finish off the cars.

Yep - and BMW, AUDI, Merc are all delivering more cars than Tesla on total but that all gets forgotten

Are they though? Delivery time for a m135i as an example is currently over a year....

So far this year

BMW inc Mini 7k cars
Audi, seat, Skoda, VW 9.3k
Merc 3.5k

Tesla 2.6k

And before anyone says ‘Tesla only deliver on the 3rd month of a quarter’, Tesla tried to set the record for the most registrations on the first day of a vehicle launch in the U.K., the weather blurring the numbers in the end

[Mikehig]

Looks like more trouble for chip supplies. From Reuters last week:

"Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas critical for lasers used in chipmaking and supplies more than 90% of U.S. semiconductor-grade neon, according to estimates from research firm Techcet. About 35% of palladium, a rare metal also used for semiconductors, is sourced from Russia. A full-scale conflict disrupting exports of these elements might hit players like Intel , which gets about 50% of its neon from Eastern Europe according to JPMorgan."

I only picked it up because of a headline on another news site which mentioned it but was paywalled so did some looking around.
Iirc palladium is also used in ICE catalysts. Problems all round.

[JonnyVTEC]

Pixelpeep 135 said:

Are they though? Delivery time for a m135i as an example is currently over a year....

Are you not familiar how an order book and production schedule might work?

[TheDeuce]

Mikehig said:

Looks like more trouble for chip supplies. From Reuters last week:

"Ukraine is a major producer of neon gas critical for lasers used in chipmaking and supplies more than 90% of U.S. semiconductor-grade neon, according to estimates from research firm Techcet. About 35% of palladium, a rare metal also used for semiconductors, is sourced from Russia. A full-scale conflict disrupting exports of these elements might hit players like Intel , which gets about 50% of its neon from Eastern Europe according to JPMorgan."

I only picked it up because of a headline on another news site which mentioned it but was paywalled so did some looking around.
Iirc palladium is also used in ICE catalysts. Problems all round.

BMW and VW already had to suspend production due to this. The cars are sat there with no chips or wiring looms to complete them. BMW are hit worst right now but VW are playing catch up already because 4000 of their cars sank in to the sea earlier this week.

The auto industry is backed up to breaking point - still people are banging in orders for EV's with year++ waits though.. not just EV's of course but the sales are skyrocketing for them and there are limited production lines to produce them to start with.

Edited by TheDeuce on Friday 4th March 18:00

[Heres Johnny]

JonnyVTEC said:

Are you not familiar how an order book and production schedule might work?

Plus which would you think was the more successful company?

One that sells 3x as many cars as the other and has a year long waiting list or the company that can sell you a new car this month if you’re not fussy about colour?

[off_again]

Heres Johnny said:

So far this year

BMW inc Mini 7k cars
Audi, seat, Skoda, VW 9.3k
Merc 3.5k

Tesla 2.6k

And before anyone says ‘Tesla only deliver on the 3rd month of a quarter’, Tesla tried to set the record for the most registrations on the first day of a vehicle launch in the U.K., the weather blurring the numbers in the end

I was wondering how the Model Y deliveries would affect the sales numbers. Some detailed results here:

https://insideevs.com/news/571448/uk-plugin-car-sa...

Worth noting that Tesla doesnt appear in the top 10 to date. Though Kia? Wow, they are killing it! Two volume sellers in the top 10!

[Aunty Pasty]

I've also been umming and ahhing between a highly specced dual motor Polestar 2 or a lightly spiced i4 e40 as well. I'm swaying more towards the i40 at the moment. Joe Achilles on YT is favouring the eDrive 40 over the M50 in his latest video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TxoPC8T0sA

[SWoll]

Aunty Pasty said:

I've also been umming and ahhing between a highly specced dual motor Polestar 2 or a lightly spiced i4 e40 as well. I'm swaying more towards the i40 at the moment. Joe Achilles on YT is favouring the eDrive 40 over the M50 in his latest video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TxoPC8T0sA

Definitely a situation where you need drive both as I'd expect them to be very different experiences. Also need to account for the fact that all of i4 40's Ive seen that are being press tested are m-sport models with the optional m-sport pro package (adaptive dampers, variable steering, 19" wheels, bigger brakes) which lifts the starting price to £56k before any other options.

[MrB.]

SWoll said:

Aunty Pasty said:

I've also been umming and ahhing between a highly specced dual motor Polestar 2 or a lightly spiced i4 e40 as well. I'm swaying more towards the i40 at the moment. Joe Achilles on YT is favouring the eDrive 40 over the M50 in his latest video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TxoPC8T0sA

Definitely a situation where you need drive both as I'd expect them to be very different experiences. Also need to account for the fact that all of i4 40's Ive seen that are being press tested are m-sport models with the optional m-sport pro package (adaptive dampers, variable steering, 19" wheels, bigger brakes) which lifts the starting price to £56k before any other options.

The i4 isn't cheap, even in base Sport form its £52k before any options. The press car we had was an MSport with the MSport Pro Pack (which brings a degree of adjustability to the chassis that I really liked) and quite a few options. It was over £63k. The Tesla Model 3 we tested against it was a Long Range Dual Motor with some options and that was £56k, the Polestar was optioned to £58k as it had the Performance Pack, Plus Pack and Pilot Pack. Personally I prefer the Polestar 2 without the Performance Pack, so that would shave off £5k from that price.

But I digress, the point of my post is that I too prefer the 40 over the M50. The more powerful dual motor car is very good in isolation, but I think there is a better car in the single motor eDrive 40. It feels more like a BMW, nice steering, rear drive with more than enough power. I felt the M50 was just a bit anodyne in feeling, and so my choice would definitely be the 40. All of that said, there is no doubt that it is the most expensive of the three by some margin when specified in a similar fashion.

[Darinz]

This is an interesting thread. I really like the look of the i4. Currently in an i3 which is great and I'm struggling to think what to go into next. It would be a bit painful going to a cross platform thing that weighs so much more than the i3 but at the end of the day it would be a lovely steed and take me more back to my old 1 series coupe rather than the style of the i3.

Anyway, one thing with the pricing that I can't help but thinking is about discounting. BMW discount everything usually, but we are in an unusual time. Surely the pricing of the i4 was decided by the same teams that decide all BMW pricing and therefore there is plenty of 'give' in it for discounting but due to the circumstances of our world these days (or years) they can sell all the i4s without trying so why would they discount?

This doesn't help because it still skews the value proposition when comparing with a Model 3 for us right now, but I would think one day it will discount to a more competitive level.

I like the Model 3 a lot too and especially the reduced weight vs the i4 but I would rather be in the i4 and I like being able to customise the car a bit when ordering. If I got a model 3 I'd probably do a suspension overhaul and soundproofing quest, both of which would top up the weight a bit anyway!

The i3 is "mine" until summer 2023 so who knows what the situation will be like then, but the idea that I might have to get an order in soon to have a custom built car by then is quite staggering.

edit to add: one other little i4 moan, the sunroof... I love some glass on the roof so would order it but it's the style that encroaches into the cabin and slides into the roof. Annoying, especially for taller drivers! Would take a fixed glass roof over that but ideally one that opens out and doesn't encroach into the cabin.

Edited by Darinz on Monday 14th March 15:52

[kurokawa]

Darinz said:

This is an interesting thread. I really like the look of the i4. Currently in an i3 which is great and I'm struggling to think what to go into next. It would be a bit painful going to a cross platform thing that weighs so much more than the i3 but at the end of the day it would be a lovely steed and take me more back to my old 1 series coupe rather than the style of the i3.

Anyway, one thing with the pricing that I can't help but thinking is about discounting. BMW discount everything usually, but we are in an unusual time. Surely the pricing of the i4 was decided by the same teams that decide all BMW pricing and therefore there is plenty of 'give' in it for discounting but due to the circumstances of our world these days (or years) they can sell all the i4s without trying so why would they discount?

This doesn't help because it still skews the value proposition when comparing with a Model 3 for us right now, but I would think one day it will discount to a more competitive level.

I like the Model 3 a lot too and especially the reduced weight vs the i4 but I would rather be in the i4 and I like being able to customise the car a bit when ordering. If I got a model 3 I'd probably do a suspension overhaul and soundproofing quest, both of which would top up the weight a bit anyway!

The i3 is "mine" until summer 2023 so who knows what the situation will be like then, but the idea that I might have to get an order in soon to have a custom built car by then is quite staggering.

edit to add: one other little i4 moan, the sunroof... I love some glass on the roof so would order it but it's the style that encroaches into the cabin and slides into the roof. Annoying, especially for taller drivers! Would take a fixed glass roof over that but ideally one that opens out and doesn't encroach into the cabin.

Edited by Darinz on Monday 14th March 15:52

I believe there will be a eDrive 35 coming sometime, smaller battery pack, so assume lower output motor as well
Yes the Tesla is very good value for money, not for me personally, but I can see the appeal

[Darinz]

kurokawa said:

I believe there will be a eDrive 35 coming sometime, smaller battery pack, so assume lower output motor as well
Yes the Tesla is very good value for money, not for me personally, but I can see the appeal

Interesting thanks, I haven't read anything about another variant but that makes sense.

Smaller battery would be interesting to me, don't need the full range and would rather less weight. Unfortunately I doubt it will reduce the weight much. The Taycan small vs large battery weight difference is something like 60KG for 93kWh vs 79kWh.

[Edinburger]

Great thread - lots of good information.

I'm interested in the i4 eDrive 40 M Sport. I test drove the M50 and it was a fantastic car.

When spec'ing the car, if you leave it eDrive 40, in the default alpine white with the default cloth upholstery it's £53,405. Select the 19" wheels at apparently no cost, it adds privacy glass and red brake calipers and the OTR price is £55,905. I don't see these options as a package or as individually selectable though?

Has anyone else found this? Is anything else added on with the 19" wheels?

[anonymous-user]

Edinburger said:

Great thread - lots of good information.

I'm interested in the i4 eDrive 40 M Sport. I test drove the M50 and it was a fantastic car.

When spec'ing the car, if you leave it eDrive 40, in the default alpine white with the default cloth upholstery it's £53,405. Select the 19" wheels at apparently no cost, it adds privacy glass and red brake calipers and the OTR price is £55,905. I don't see these options as a package or as individually selectable though?

Has anyone else found this? Is anything else added on with the 19" wheels?

It’s the M Sport Pro pack at £2,500. It includes 7 things including the 19” wheels, red callipers and tints.

If you select the 19” and then go into add extras if shows up as a package and is already ticked.

I think it means you can’t get the 19”s on their own.

[Edinburger]

zj2016 said:

Edinburger said:

Great thread - lots of good information.

I'm interested in the i4 eDrive 40 M Sport. I test drove the M50 and it was a fantastic car.

When spec'ing the car, if you leave it eDrive 40, in the default alpine white with the default cloth upholstery it's £53,405. Select the 19" wheels at apparently no cost, it adds privacy glass and red brake calipers and the OTR price is £55,905. I don't see these options as a package or as individually selectable though?

Has anyone else found this? Is anything else added on with the 19" wheels?

It’s the M Sport Pro pack at £2,500. It includes 7 things including the 19” wheels, red callipers and tints.

If you select the 19” and then go into add extras if shows up as a package and is already ticked.

I think it means you can’t get the 19”s on their own.

Okay - thanks for that. You're right the M Sport Pro pack doesn't seem to include 19" wheels but that makes sense.

[off_again]

Mmm, my local dealer has an i4 M50 as a demo, and an iX too. Looks like I will have to go for a test drive.

Though, they also have a 2019 i3 120aH with REX for $60k! Thats insane! The i4 they have is listed at $69k, which makes me think they will screw you on 'marked adjusted price' crap. Its white and I would never get a white car, but seriously? It just sniffs of problems.

[emicen]

zj2016 said:

When you see the stats like that it’s hard to ignore the Tesla however to go with it would need to be a head over heart decision as the Tesla looks horrendous IMO.

Via SS I’m getting an M50 for £600 per month therefore I haven’t even considered the M3 performance.

I was looking at just this via SS this week. Both on 3yr/35k deals, the M50 would be £640 whilst the M3LR would be £730. Makes it a no brainier between the two, I’m not saying the i4 is an oil painting but the 3 is gopping.

SWoll said:

Salary sacrifice. Not available to all and even for those that can get into a scheme the costs seem decidedly variable.

Very much this. Ours is offered through Arval and their deals on Polestar were really attractive, until they dropped them a week later.