BMW i4 M50 - 1 month review

[DMZ]

TheDeuce said:

What is it you miss about the iPace? Please don't say the way it drives, I fear that might be what I want to hang onto too!

And I don't just mean the speed, but the way it politely conquers a twisty b-road at daft speeds effortlessly.

I know I moan about EVs every now and then but in fairness the I-Pace down a good road is a very decent steer. I would nearly go as far as using the coveted word “engaging”.

Given the thread title and if you don’t want/need limousine like rear seat space and don’t mind jumbo grilles then an i4 is worth a look of course. Different is always good.

[TheDeuce]

DMZ said:

TheDeuce said:

What is it you miss about the iPace? Please don't say the way it drives, I fear that might be what I want to hang onto too!

And I don't just mean the speed, but the way it politely conquers a twisty b-road at daft speeds effortlessly.

I know I moan about EVs every now and then but in fairness the I-Pace down a good road is a very decent steer. I would nearly go as far as using the coveted word “engaging”.

Given the thread title and if you don’t want/need limousine like rear seat space and don’t mind jumbo grilles then an i4 is worth a look of course. Different is always good.

I really hope I like the i4 because, as you say, the iPace really does offer driver satisfaction. It will be hard to give up, but they're about £250 more a month to lease now...

[MrGTI6]

TheDeuce said:

Especially in the winter when you have the ability to defrost and heat it up whilst you drink your morning coffee!

My dad's diesel Jag did that, you could do it through the app or put it on a timer.

[TheDeuce]

MrGTI6 said:

TheDeuce said:

Especially in the winter when you have the ability to defrost and heat it up whilst you drink your morning coffee!

My dad's diesel Jag did that, you could do it through the app or just set a timer.

Really? I think the XJR could do that as it had a seperate battery. Most ICE cars in the UK can't because it's illegal to remotely start ignition, so you need a second battery to run the heaters.

[MrGTI6]

TheDeuce said:

MrGTI6 said:

TheDeuce said:

Especially in the winter when you have the ability to defrost and heat it up whilst you drink your morning coffee!

My dad's diesel Jag did that, you could do it through the app or just set a timer.

Really? I think the XJR could do that as it had a seperate battery. Most ICE cars in the UK can't because it's illegal to remotely start ignition, so you need a second battery to run the heaters.

My dad's F-Pace used to start the engine remotely through the app.

[TheDeuce]

MrGTI6 said:

TheDeuce said:

MrGTI6 said:

TheDeuce said:

Especially in the winter when you have the ability to defrost and heat it up whilst you drink your morning coffee!

My dad's diesel Jag did that, you could do it through the app or just set a timer.

Really? I think the XJR could do that as it had a seperate battery. Most ICE cars in the UK can't because it's illegal to remotely start ignition, so you need a second battery to run the heaters.

My dad's F-Pace used to start the engine remotely through the app.

Ok. I guess I missed something then.

That is indeed one less feather in the EV cap.

[SWoll]

TheDeuce said:

MrGTI6 said:

TheDeuce said:

MrGTI6 said:

TheDeuce said:

Especially in the winter when you have the ability to defrost and heat it up whilst you drink your morning coffee!

My dad's diesel Jag did that, you could do it through the app or just set a timer.

Really? I think the XJR could do that as it had a seperate battery. Most ICE cars in the UK can't because it's illegal to remotely start ignition, so you need a second battery to run the heaters.

My dad's F-Pace used to start the engine remotely through the app.

Ok. I guess I missed something then.

That is indeed one less feather in the EV cap.

The downside being the noxious cloud of diesel fumes, dreadful clatter and long wait time on a freezing cold morning you have to put up with in comparison. Still a point for the EV IME.

[Frimley111R]

I think of EVs in the same way as diesels. They are very good for normal driving but if you're after something sporty and exciting petrol is the only way to go.

[TheDeuce]

Frimley111R said:

I think of EVs in the same way as diesels. They are very good for normal driving but if you're after something sporty and exciting petrol is the only way to go.

Plenty of EV's at Goodwood this year and I think they look just as exciting as their ICE competitors.



The McMurtry Automotive Speirling towards the end is just insane. I don't care what sound a car makes, it can quack for all I care, it's always exciting and impressive to see a car that can tackle the hill climb and change direction at such speed.

[DMZ]

Frimley111R said:

I think of EVs in the same way as diesels. They are very good for normal driving but if you're after something sporty and exciting petrol is the only way to go.

Yep that’s been my view for quite while, EVs are good at replacing vehicles where the drivetrain never really mattered in the first place and the power delivery is quite similar too with the fading torque and power curves and the silence and refinement are major steps up. Except EVs obviously don’t have the range, speed, and universal utility of diesel powered vehicles so it’s not exactly 1:1.

[TheDeuce]

DMZ said:

Frimley111R said:

I think of EVs in the same way as diesels. They are very good for normal driving but if you're after something sporty and exciting petrol is the only way to go.

Yep that’s been my view for quite while, EVs are good at replacing vehicles where the drivetrain never really mattered in the first place and the power delivery is quite similar too with the fading torque and power curves and the silence and refinement are major steps up. Except EVs obviously don’t have the range, speed, and universal utility of diesel powered vehicles so it’s not exactly 1:1.

EV's don't have the speed of diesel

[Frimley111R]

TheDeuce said:

Plenty of EV's at Goodwood this year and I think they look just as exciting as their ICE competitors.



The McMurtry Automotive Speirling towards the end is just insane. I don't care what sound a car makes, it can quack for all I care, it's always exciting and impressive to see a car that can tackle the hill climb and change direction at such speed.

They look fine but they have no sound generally and are soulless to drive. Some of the full on race versions seem ok but road ones? Dull as a diesel.

[stabilio]

I’m on my 2nd Tesla model 3 performance now and I missed the noise of a v8. I loved my old w204 C63 a few years ago so bought a newer w205 C63 last year.
After a couple weeks though, it just felt sluggish compared to electric and even going through the gears on the paddles which I always use to love, I just felt underwhelmed with it. Sold it before the fuel hikes luckily so didn’t lose much on it in the short time I had it.

[SWoll]

Frimley111R said:

They look fine but they have no sound generally and are soulless to drive. Some of the full on race versions seem ok but road ones? Dull as a diesel.

I don't agree. Whilst they do lack the complete experience that a good ICE drivetrain offers for an enthusiast the constant suggestion that it's all missing is unfair IME. The level of performance , the way it's delivered and the sheer responsiveness of something like the Model 3 Performance drivetrain is something different to ICE rather than completely devoid of pleasure and excitement IME. The fact that it is far easier to extract is for me where the limitation is, but then that's an observation that would be valid for many a modern performance ICE car also?

[JonnyVTEC]

Frimley111R said:

I think of EVs in the same way as diesels. They are very good for normal driving but if you're after something sporty and exciting petrol is the only way to go.

Agreed.

[DMZ]

SWoll said:

I don't agree. Whilst they do lack the complete experience that a good ICE drivetrain offers for an enthusiast the constant suggestion that it's all missing is unfair IME. The level of performance , the way it's delivered and the sheer responsiveness of something like the Model 3 Performance drivetrain is something different to ICE rather than completely devoid of pleasure and excitement IME. The fact that it is far easier to extract is for me where the limitation is, but then that's an observation that would be valid for many a modern performance ICE car also?

I will agree with this also. For what it's worth, I also find turbo petrols (and diesels) to be quite dull too. Perhaps not as dull as EVs but not sure I would bother buying one over an EV if you consider the overall package. It's also dependent on utility obviously. I know a lot of people who tow boats or race cars or scoot across the country nearly every day, for them it's diesel because anything else would just be a pain. Even if people are towing with EVs particularly in Scandinavia.

I did say in a previous thread (to some consternation I think) that I could pick a Taycan over a 911 C2S or probably even a Turbo even if I think the 911 is a much better looking car with a much more compact footprint. And I suspect I would do the same with the EV equivalent of an RS6. There is a type of performance car where I think EVs do make sense where it's more about the acceleration and grip than having fun.

For me at least, the answer isn't clear-cut. Which is a good thing I think as it leads to choice.

[TheDeuce]

DMZ said:

SWoll said:

I don't agree. Whilst they do lack the complete experience that a good ICE drivetrain offers for an enthusiast the constant suggestion that it's all missing is unfair IME. The level of performance , the way it's delivered and the sheer responsiveness of something like the Model 3 Performance drivetrain is something different to ICE rather than completely devoid of pleasure and excitement IME. The fact that it is far easier to extract is for me where the limitation is, but then that's an observation that would be valid for many a modern performance ICE car also?

I will agree with this also. For what it's worth, I also find turbo petrols (and diesels) to be quite dull too. Perhaps not as dull as EVs but not sure I would bother buying one over an EV if you consider the overall package. It's also dependent on utility obviously. I know a lot of people who tow boats or race cars or scoot across the country nearly every day, for them it's diesel because anything else would just be a pain. Even if people are towing with EVs particularly in Scandinavia.

I did say in a previous thread (to some consternation I think) that I could pick a Taycan over a 911 C2S or probably even a Turbo even if I think the 911 is a much better looking car with a much more compact footprint. And I suspect I would do the same with the EV equivalent of an RS6. There is a type of performance car where I think EVs do make sense where it's more about the acceleration and grip than having fun.

For me at least, the answer isn't clear-cut. Which is a good thing I think as it leads to choice.

Some EV's are quite a lot of fun, the majority are not particularly fun, the same as with ICE cars. One thing that virtually every new EV driver smiles at is the off the off the line nippiness, so I'd say they all have a little to offer over and above a typical ICE run-around.

I agree that at present and probably for quite some time the most fun ICE cars are more fun than the most fun EV's. But lower down the pecking order I would say it starts to swing the other way a little.

If you compare the full cost of ownership of both EV and ICE cars, it will probably be tough to get a more fun ICE car than the EV options. You can pick up a 2018 i3 S for about £20k. You would have to reduce that budget by several thousand to offset higher running costs to buy an ICE car and run it for a few years, and what would you get with the same number of seats and age/miles that is particularly fun? You'd get something decent but it would be a fairly typical run of the mill family car.

[ds666]

DMZ said:

Frimley111R said:

I think of EVs in the same way as diesels. They are very good for normal driving but if you're after something sporty and exciting petrol is the only way to go.

Yep that’s been my view for quite while, EVs are good at replacing vehicles where the drivetrain never really mattered in the first place and the power delivery is quite similar too with the fading torque and power curves and the silence and refinement are major steps up. Except EVs obviously don’t have the range, speed, and universal utility of diesel powered vehicles so it’s not exactly 1:1.

slight topic drift but ....I just don't get people doing electric conversions on , for example , a 911 , a Testarossa and a 3.0 CSL.

[TheDeuce]

ds666 said:

DMZ said:

Frimley111R said:

I think of EVs in the same way as diesels. They are very good for normal driving but if you're after something sporty and exciting petrol is the only way to go.

Yep that’s been my view for quite while, EVs are good at replacing vehicles where the drivetrain never really mattered in the first place and the power delivery is quite similar too with the fading torque and power curves and the silence and refinement are major steps up. Except EVs obviously don’t have the range, speed, and universal utility of diesel powered vehicles so it’s not exactly 1:1.

slight topic drift but ....I just don't get people doing electric conversions on , for example , a 911 , a Testarossa and a 3.0 CSL.

I suppose you get 'the look' of the car without the mechanical headaches and in most cases, a faster car. The cell packs they tend to use are typically quite modest so no huge upset in weight terms either - some are probably improved driving machines as a result, albeit the soundtrack is lost.

I wouldn't do it personally but I can just about see the logic.

I imagine such mutant cars receive a lot of tutting and snorting at classic car shows! Although at least they won't be the ones stranded in an empty field after the show has ended, waiting for the RAC truck..

[Witchfinder]

For those of you who are only missing the combustion engine sound on an electric car, Milltek make an active sound system. Most modern car exhaust notes are manufactured anyway, so this isn't really any different.

https://www.millteksport.com/active-sound-control-...