i4 eDrive40 Msport 24hr Test Drive
Discussion
ZesPak said:
Agreed, but BMW was never "affordable" new.
The i3 and i8 were vanity projects and I still wouldn't be surprised if they lost money on every single one sold.
The i4 is supposed to be a BMW with another drivetrain, which it does perfectly.
I got plenty of friends who have a 320d/330d/330e/... who've been waiting for a replacement with an electric drivetrain.
For people used to an EV, it's a "meh" effort, but for people who want a car in this segment and need it to be electric (for taxes or stacking up massive mileages), they knocked it out of the park.
It looks like a decent car but I'm not sure I'd go that far. Seems silly to dismiss issues like the pointless transmission tunnel robbing rear foot space, lack of rear leg room, no frunk etc. just because it's what people are used to? Tesla, Kia, Hyundai, VW, Jaguar, Audi have all managed to produce ground up EV's at a reasonable price point, yet BMW with a history of doing the same have gone the lazier route.The i3 and i8 were vanity projects and I still wouldn't be surprised if they lost money on every single one sold.
The i4 is supposed to be a BMW with another drivetrain, which it does perfectly.
I got plenty of friends who have a 320d/330d/330e/... who've been waiting for a replacement with an electric drivetrain.
For people used to an EV, it's a "meh" effort, but for people who want a car in this segment and need it to be electric (for taxes or stacking up massive mileages), they knocked it out of the park.
I'm pretty sure the i3 made BMW money as well. A small city car with a 40kW battery selling for £40k or above dependent on spec?
SWoll said:
It looks like a decent car but I'm not sure I'd go that far. Seems silly to dismiss issues like the pointless transmission tunnel robbing rear foot space, lack of rear leg room, no frunk etc. just because it's what people are used to? Tesla, Kia, Hyundai, VW, Jaguar, Audi have all managed to produce ground up EV's at a reasonable price point, yet BMW with a history of doing the same have gone the lazier route.
I'm pretty sure the i3 made BMW money as well. A small city car with a 40kW battery selling for £40k or above dependent on spec?
It's also pointless dismissing a car because it has a transmission tunnel too which some have done,I'm pretty sure the i3 made BMW money as well. A small city car with a 40kW battery selling for £40k or above dependent on spec?
We think nothing of manufacturers having a transmission tunnel on front wheel drive only varients of models (thinking audi), and we aren't critical of manufacturers who have space for a 4l V8 under the bonnet when they only fit a 2l diesel (older M3/4 v your average 320d coupe), but some get all stressed when they do it with an electric car.
If you can develop a platform that does both is that not going to have had more investment in it compared to developing a niche platform for just EV? The BMW i4 is said to drive much better than the competition, maybe thats a benefit of the platform reuse.
So while we're on the subject of BMW, they've done both, they've reused a plaltform for the iX3 and its knocking it out the park by all accounts, reviewers typically saying all the usual petrics point to it being behind the compeition but its actually brilliant, they've done it with the i4 now and it's a least credible against the M3 and I've seen it reviewed against the Taycan although in fairness it lost that one, They also have a standalone plaltform in the iX and they've still not decided to use the space up front so while it seems unbelieveable, who knows. maybe the reason why BMW, Audi and the likes can all sustain a higher charge rate is because that space in the front is partly used for much better cooling including general aiirflow than other makes. Maybe the transmission tunnel gives it some extra strength.
Judge the car on what it does on the things that matter to you.
SWoll said:
It looks like a decent car but I'm not sure I'd go that far. Seems silly to dismiss issues like the pointless transmission tunnel robbing rear foot space, lack of rear leg room, no frunk etc. just because it's what people are used to? Tesla, Kia, Hyundai, VW, Jaguar, Audi have all managed to produce ground up EV's at a reasonable price point, yet BMW with a history of doing the same have gone the lazier route.
I'm pretty sure the i3 made BMW money as well. A small city car with a 40kW battery selling for £40k or above dependent on spec?
Yeah, love my i3 and really like the i8I'm pretty sure the i3 made BMW money as well. A small city car with a 40kW battery selling for £40k or above dependent on spec?
BMW prove they have the ability to create a proper EV if they decide to do it
What a shame their first mainstream EV gone for a lazy/cost cutting way share platform with ICE chassis. Especially other rival can do it properly
i3 is one of the most comfortable and easy to operate BMW I have own.
SWoll said:
Badge, price, equipment, range will be the primary considerations for most purchases. This is however an enthusiasts site so would hope people here are a little more interested in how they drive than Joe Public would be?
Aren’t most posts here about features? I seem to see a lot of posts about matrix led lights, adaptive this that and the other, interior space, infotainment, CarPlay, boot space, … I don’t recall seeing much about which car has the best turn-in or which one you can slide through roundabouts and that kind of thing. Which I suspect is the Tesla Model 3 Perf incidentally seeing as it has monster turn in and in track mode you can shift all torque to the rear and it has fully adjustable traction control. I would love to hear which EVs are the most adjustable and playful.
DMZ said:
... I don’t recall seeing much about which car has the best turn-in or which one you can slide through roundabouts and that kind of thing. Which I suspect is the Tesla Model 3 Perf incidentally seeing as it has monster turn in and in track mode you can shift all torque to the rear and it has fully adjustable traction control.
Not to mention it's 400kg lighter.For all the practicality fluff, one could make the argument that this car is "big enough" for their use.
But weight savings is another huge advantage of a ground up EV.
DMZ said:
SWoll said:
Badge, price, equipment, range will be the primary considerations for most purchases. This is however an enthusiasts site so would hope people here are a little more interested in how they drive than Joe Public would be?
Aren’t most posts here about features? I seem to see a lot of posts about matrix led lights, adaptive this that and the other, interior space, infotainment, CarPlay, boot space, … I don’t recall seeing much about which car has the best turn-in or which one you can slide through roundabouts and that kind of thing. Which I suspect is the Tesla Model 3 Perf incidentally seeing as it has monster turn in and in track mode you can shift all torque to the rear and it has fully adjustable traction control. I would love to hear which EVs are the most adjustable and playful.
In fairness I have driven neither but have seen several reviews saying the opposite ie Tesla is a much sharper car to drive. And some that probably agree with your view. Which goes back to the point raised earlier. Anyways, I shall look forward to your review when it’s published.
Edited by DMZ on Friday 25th February 23:47
DMZ said:
In fairness I have driven neither but have seen several reviews saying the opposite ie Tesla is a much sharper car to drive. And some that probably agree with your view. Which goes back to the point raised earlier.
Yeah, read the same too - but they didnt seem to go into sufficient detail to get an understanding of why and what the quantitive differences were. But the point is that a "compromised ICE chassis thats been at the pies" is able to provide a compelling ride and handling combo that can take on the product that has been on the market for 3 years! Oh and that the Tesla fans says is "so far ahead, there is no way the OEM's will catch up".....
Just illustrates that there are multiple ways to solve the same problem - and it comes down to what you focus on, how you want to solve it and ultimately if you can make money.
I was going to write some obvious things about how efficiency is everything but then realised I bought an I-Pace which is not exactly at the top of the efficiency charts, lol. But seriously though I do think efficiency is [nearly] everything when it comes to EVs because a smaller battery comes with so many benefits. Cost, size, weight, time to charge. I don’t know if I’m getting another EV any time soon but I think I will go for something at the lighter end if so. I’m not a huge fan of that lumbering heavy feel of most EVs. Eventually you just can’t hide weight. You know this in an i3. It feels very different from other EVs and in a good way. That is one of very few EVs or cars in general that I’ve gotten into that was entertaining from get go. More of that, please.
As a contrast I drove a Polestar 2 yesterday, which is a very good example of an EV that feels heavy, uncommunicative, and dull. To go back to the reviews topic, that is not in the slightest evident in any review I’ve seen. Now heavy, uncommunicative, and dull are fine too of course, not every car needs to set the world on fire and there are things to like about the Polestar 2, but let’s call a spade a spade.
As a contrast I drove a Polestar 2 yesterday, which is a very good example of an EV that feels heavy, uncommunicative, and dull. To go back to the reviews topic, that is not in the slightest evident in any review I’ve seen. Now heavy, uncommunicative, and dull are fine too of course, not every car needs to set the world on fire and there are things to like about the Polestar 2, but let’s call a spade a spade.
DMZ said:
I was going to write some obvious things about how efficiency is everything but then realised I bought an I-Pace which is not exactly at the top of the efficiency charts, lol. But seriously though I do think efficiency is [nearly] everything when it comes to EVs because a smaller battery comes with so many benefits. Cost, size, weight, time to charge. I don’t know if I’m getting another EV any time soon but I think I will go for something at the lighter end if so. I’m not a huge fan of that lumbering heavy feel of most EVs. Eventually you just can’t hide weight. You know this in an i3. It feels very different from other EVs and in a good way. That is one of very few EVs or cars in general that I’ve gotten into that was entertaining from get go. More of that, please.
As a contrast I drove a Polestar 2 yesterday, which is a very good example of an EV that feels heavy, uncommunicative, and dull. To go back to the reviews topic, that is not in the slightest evident in any review I’ve seen. Now heavy, uncommunicative, and dull are fine too of course, not every car needs to set the world on fire and there are things to like about the Polestar 2, but let’s call a spade a spade.
As an iPace and i3 owner I absolutely get this. I like both, but the i3 has nailed the whole EV concept so much better than most out there. Just looks a bit odd...As a contrast I drove a Polestar 2 yesterday, which is a very good example of an EV that feels heavy, uncommunicative, and dull. To go back to the reviews topic, that is not in the slightest evident in any review I’ve seen. Now heavy, uncommunicative, and dull are fine too of course, not every car needs to set the world on fire and there are things to like about the Polestar 2, but let’s call a spade a spade.
The i3 is my car. The iPace my wife's.
I parked my Tesla Model 3 next to one today in what looked like Brooklyn Grey. I know my car needed a clean and the BMW was new but boy did the BMW have presence in the flesh. Personal taste and all that but in a busy service station car park it stood out for all the right reasons. A Taycan has more I'd grant you, but then so it should for the extra cash..
Heres Johnny said:
I parked my Tesla Model 3 next to one today in what looked like Brooklyn Grey. I know my car needed a clean and the BMW was new but boy did the BMW have presence in the flesh. Personal taste and all that but in a busy service station car park it stood out for all the right reasons. A Taycan has more I'd grant you, but then so it should for the extra cash..
absolutely - i4 looked fantastic on our drive 
Well this won't help these long awaited I4's actually materialise on UK roads.. https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/bmws-europe...
Apparently the same issues are effecting VW plants too, and presumably every manufacturer will be affected to a degree as this situation drags on.
It's getting very hard to buy a car isn't it!
Apparently the same issues are effecting VW plants too, and presumably every manufacturer will be affected to a degree as this situation drags on.
It's getting very hard to buy a car isn't it!
TheDeuce said:
Well this won't help these long awaited I4's actually materialise on UK roads.. https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/bmws-europe...
Apparently the same issues are effecting VW plants too, and presumably every manufacturer will be affected to a degree as this situation drags on.
It's getting very hard to buy a car isn't it!
Not a tesla apparently Apparently the same issues are effecting VW plants too, and presumably every manufacturer will be affected to a degree as this situation drags on.
It's getting very hard to buy a car isn't it!
Pixelpeep 135 said:
TheDeuce said:
Well this won't help these long awaited I4's actually materialise on UK roads.. https://europe.autonews.com/automakers/bmws-europe...
Apparently the same issues are effecting VW plants too, and presumably every manufacturer will be affected to a degree as this situation drags on.
It's getting very hard to buy a car isn't it!
Not a tesla apparently Apparently the same issues are effecting VW plants too, and presumably every manufacturer will be affected to a degree as this situation drags on.
It's getting very hard to buy a car isn't it!
Joking aside, I'm sure they do have one of the most complete self-controlled supply chains. I'm equally sure they will see an uptick in orders as people lose faith in European delivery estimates. Assuming that is that Tesla are themselves not majorly affected in some obscure way that we aren't aware of just yet. Even Tesla are not fully self reliant.
TheDeuce said:
Yeah.. but then you're stuck with a Tesla!
Joking aside, I'm sure they do have one of the most complete self-controlled supply chains. I'm equally sure they will see an uptick in orders as people lose faith in European delivery estimates. Assuming that is that Tesla are themselves not majorly affected in some obscure way that we aren't aware of just yet. Even Tesla are not fully self reliant.
I highlighted the chip shortage issue on a thread but got called out for sucking Elon's dick or something.Joking aside, I'm sure they do have one of the most complete self-controlled supply chains. I'm equally sure they will see an uptick in orders as people lose faith in European delivery estimates. Assuming that is that Tesla are themselves not majorly affected in some obscure way that we aren't aware of just yet. Even Tesla are not fully self reliant.
But there's multiple reasons T aren't affected by the chip shortage.
ZesPak said:
I highlighted the chip shortage issue on a thread but got called out for sucking Elon's dick or something.
But there's multiple reasons T aren't affected by the chip shortage.
Erm.. delivering cars without one of the steering sensors and USB ports.But there's multiple reasons T aren't affected by the chip shortage.
They’re better than most but they think nothing of changing the spec so they can still deliver, and then forget to test. Tesla are bombarding new model 3 owners with text messages telling them to charge to 100% before the new low voltage battery fails. They rolled out a game that can only be played with a game controller at the same time they started delivering cars without the ability to plug in a game controller without removing the sentry mode storage device, and removing the device has been known to corrupt the device needing it to be reformatted.
Let’s keep this thread on the BMW i4
Edited by Heres Johnny on Friday 4th March 13:26
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