BMW i8
by Nik Ellis
Concept:
I first encountered the i8 in concept form back in 2011 at the Los
Angeles Motor Show. It was not long after BMW had developed
it further from the original Concept Vision Efficient Dynamics
car (not the most catchy of names!), I recall being drawn to the
futuristic design, the left-field thinking that had led to those rear
quarter wing things, and of course the dramatic scissor doors.
Production:
Some four years later, the production model first set foot in the UK and
had managed to retain a lot of the original styling; in my opinion one
of the best looking vehicles to grace our roads. Some of the first hybrids
were pretty uninspiring cars, mainly Japanese blancmanges like the
Prius, Leaf & Insight, so the i8 was the first truly sexy one. Nowadays
most manufacturers have hybrid models accounting for more than 1 in
5 vehicles worldwide.
Engine:
The i8 has a small 1.5 litre three cylinder petrol engine in the back, driving
the rear wheels and an electric motor in the front axle driving the front
wheel. It can drive in a fully electric mode, a combination of both or just
petrol. It effortlessly jumps between modes depending on your style of
driving, so pooling around in traffic engages the electric motor and almost
silent movement. At greater speeds the engine transitions into petrol and
then for full acceleration the motor augments the engine for max power
from all four wheels. In petrol mode the battery gets recharged and to a
lesser extent energy is recovered during breaking.
On the road:
The engine pumps out 228bhp whilst the motor generates 129bhp
resulting in a 0-62mph acceleration time of 4.4 seconds. Not bad at all,
but I think because it looks super fast, I expected it to be super fast. The
handling is fairly good, not quite as dynamic for a vehicle made of a
carbon fibre with four wheel drive. I managed to flatten the battery in less
than 20 miles, so if economy & environment are top of your priorities,
probably not the most ideal choice.
96 wirrallife.com
Inside:
The scissor doors and high sill of the carbon tub takes a bit of practice to
enter gracefully. I’m glad I don’t wear short skirts. Once inside however
the interior is beautiful, albeit fairly typical BMW styling & layout. OK
not wildly different to a 3 series but that’s no bad thing as the BMW
family brings some incredible tech with it. For example, I love the
ConnectedDrive app which allows pre-heating of the interior, setting the
satnav from the comfort of home (as opposed to left handed typing in
car).
Conclusion:
I actually really like this car. Would I pay £120-odd thousand? Probably
not but with second hand ones starting around £40k perhaps I will,
very soon. Difficult to come up with rivals; perhaps the Tesla Model S,
although that’s fully electric, faster, but with boring looks and a hefty price
tag. Possibly a 911, Audi R8 or the Lexus LC500h; all more traditional
vehicles.
The design from every angle is incredible, and the tech is typical BMW
brilliance. I just wanted a touch more sportiness to match the supercar
looks. So yes, I really liked the i8, but only 90%.
Model : BMW i8 coupe
Engine : 1.5 Litre 3 cylinder turbocharged plus 129 bhp electric motor
Power : 357bhp in total
Transmission: 6 speed automatic rear, 2 speed auto front, four wheel drive
0 to 62mph: 4.4 seconds
Top Speed : 155mph (electronically limited)
Economy/CO2: 156.9mpg / 42 g/km (official figures - mine were much
less!)
Price as tested: £121,000