New BMW i3 review, AMG GT 4-Door driven...

... and fun cars for grandmas

By Cam Tait / Friday, 13 November 2026 / Loading comments

It’s a shame the BMW i3 as we once knew it no longer exists. The funky little electric hatch looked otherworldly when it appeared in concept form, and even more so when it arrived with a near-identical design in production form. But having spent the best part of ten years glued to the back of the quirkiest BMW of the in decades, the i3 badge has officially returned on the back of the new electric 3 Series. You’ll soon be seeing them all over business parks across the country, but is BMW’s latest EV worthy of a place on your company car shortlist? That’s where we’re kicking off this week’s episode of The Gassing Station.

Unlike many BMWs of late, the new i3 is quite a smart looking thing, with a boxy silhouette that’s almost a little retro and a ‘grille’ that’s much more modest than before. A claimed range of up to 546 miles for the i3 50 xDrive is impressive, even if Sam Sheehan could only muster 430 miles on test, while 463hp on tap is enough to get you from zero to 62mph in 4.7 seconds, which is only half a second off the straight-six-engined M350. But does it still feel like a 3 Series of old? And can strong looks and decent performance make up for a chintzy, tech-heavy interior? We’ll leave Sam to deliver the verdict.

That’s not the only car he’s been driving recently, as he’s been off driving the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. A car that’s best probably best described over podcast, given how challenging it is on the eyes, though just because it looks like a manatee doesn't mean it has to drive like one. According to Sam, it’s really rather good, and even the faux engine sounds that are pumped into the cabin provide a bit of welcome theatre. Will it replace your V8-engined AMG GT? Almost certainly not, but it could make ordinary daily driving that little bit more enjoyable.

On that note, PHer PRO5T has been tasked with finding a new car for their grandma, but presumably they’re after something relatively interesting as they’ve called on PH for inspiration. It needs to be small, automatic, reliable, less than three years old and ideally around £10,000. Sam had his heart set on this 19,000-mile Mercedes CLK Cabriolet before realising it was a couple of decades outside the age criteria, so settled for this Renault Clio E-Tech instead. I, however, thought this Mazda MX-30 would make a good fit, as “G-unit” only intends on driving it to the shops and back. But then I came across this VW Golf GTI, which only really meets the size, transmission and budget requirements, but you’re never too old to enjoy a proper hot hatch, right?

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