A funny thing happened on the way to our first US drive BMW i8 plug-in hybrid: We see, trundling along in the next lane, the DeLorean DMC-12 with the inevitable TME MCHN vanity plate, a reference to the 1985 Return to the Home. Is this a divine prophecy about our upcoming trip or just a coincidence California?
John Z. DeLorean aspire to sell cars "ethical" allegedly safer sport than conventional two-seaters in his day. Keywords BMW is "sustainable," but the goal is the same. Minus, of course, part of the DeLorean was accused of trafficking cocaine to fund its business.
Every journey begins with the i8 big show-opening doors. A-pillar hinge split the difference between a pair of scissors and a gull wing formats. Scullwing? Opening and stick aluminum, carbon fiber door injection-molded plastic, and it is easy, not only because they are light but because BMW applying expertise spring / damper struts are famous for doing most of the work.
John Z. DeLorean aspire to sell cars "ethical" allegedly safer sport than conventional two-seaters in his day. Keywords BMW is "sustainable," but the goal is the same. Minus, of course, part of the DeLorean was accused of trafficking cocaine to fund its business.
Every journey begins with the i8 big show-opening doors. A-pillar hinge split the difference between a pair of scissors and a gull wing formats. Scullwing? Opening and stick aluminum, carbon fiber door injection-molded plastic, and it is easy, not only because they are light but because BMW applying expertise spring / damper struts are famous for doing most of the work.
The trick to entering is to sit and swivel over the knee-high sill one leg at a time. Visions of whisking down a playground slide on the drop into the seat are purely intentional. People in skirts will likely prefer a foot-first entry, an alternative procedure that works nearly as well. The plus-two rear seats are excellent for delighting kids, stashing your fitted Louis Vuitton carbon-fiber luggage ($26,050 for the four-piece set), or sending your least-favorite adult into spinal spasms. Those who prefer toting their gear out of sight can use the five-cubic-foot rear compartment accessible via the glass hatch.
Punching the start button wakes the electronic dash without eliciting combustion. The driver must now choose from five distinct propulsion modes. Notching the standard BMW shift lever back and to the left selects the preferred sport option, where the front electric motor, a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, and a second electric motor contribute 357 combined horsepower to the cause.
Other than the occasional whir, the motors are quiet at work. The engine overcompensates with a civilized idle burble and a self-assured sports-car thrum. Leg it and there’s an appropriate rise in feistiness but no clue as to the number of cylinders feeding the turbo, which huffs 22 psi of boost into this British-built, long-stroke three.
Punching the start button wakes the electronic dash without eliciting combustion. The driver must now choose from five distinct propulsion modes. Notching the standard BMW shift lever back and to the left selects the preferred sport option, where the front electric motor, a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, and a second electric motor contribute 357 combined horsepower to the cause.
Other than the occasional whir, the motors are quiet at work. The engine overcompensates with a civilized idle burble and a self-assured sports-car thrum. Leg it and there’s an appropriate rise in feistiness but no clue as to the number of cylinders feeding the turbo, which huffs 22 psi of boost into this British-built, long-stroke three.
Response to the right pedal is initially sluggish, then impressively potent once all three power providers chime in. The best engine notes are cued by the Aisin six-speed automatic’s upshifts. Every rip-braap! from the pipes cleanses the mind of hybrid notions. The two-speed GKN automatic between the 129-hp AC motor and the front wheels is this powertrain’s silent partner.
Zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and 12.4 seconds in the quarter-mile confirm that BMW is earnest in its sports-car intentions. Hold the pedal down and the i8’s little-engine-that-can revs to 6000 rpm through the first five gears to a governed 155-mph top speed in sixth.
Corvette Stingray and Porsche 911 owners should be impressed by those stats if not by this car’s $136,625 asking price. BMW i8 drivers will surely respond by asking: How many miles can Vette guys drive consuming no fuel? The i8’s Eco Pro and eDrive modes offer 22 miles of electric range while providing enough speed and acceleration to rule any car-pool lane, especially ones that allow zero-emissions vehicles with lone occupants.
Two driving personalities make for double the fun. Commutes, for example, are less tedious when the game is completing the trip without tapping your onboard store of refined dinosaur. Then, if the mood strikes, you can switch into comfort mode to charge the battery on the roll in preparation for the homestretch, when the team of three propulsion sources mounts a Corvette- or 911-like attack.
BMW made sure that the i8’s chassis is suitably armed for combat. It reinforced the carbon-fiber center-body module with aluminum inserts and a substructure at each end to support the steering, suspension, and propulsion gear. The electric power steering is tight to the touch, quick on turn-in, and nicely weighted to sync the effort to rising cornering force.
Zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and 12.4 seconds in the quarter-mile confirm that BMW is earnest in its sports-car intentions. Hold the pedal down and the i8’s little-engine-that-can revs to 6000 rpm through the first five gears to a governed 155-mph top speed in sixth.
Corvette Stingray and Porsche 911 owners should be impressed by those stats if not by this car’s $136,625 asking price. BMW i8 drivers will surely respond by asking: How many miles can Vette guys drive consuming no fuel? The i8’s Eco Pro and eDrive modes offer 22 miles of electric range while providing enough speed and acceleration to rule any car-pool lane, especially ones that allow zero-emissions vehicles with lone occupants.
Two driving personalities make for double the fun. Commutes, for example, are less tedious when the game is completing the trip without tapping your onboard store of refined dinosaur. Then, if the mood strikes, you can switch into comfort mode to charge the battery on the roll in preparation for the homestretch, when the team of three propulsion sources mounts a Corvette- or 911-like attack.
BMW made sure that the i8’s chassis is suitably armed for combat. It reinforced the carbon-fiber center-body module with aluminum inserts and a substructure at each end to support the steering, suspension, and propulsion gear. The electric power steering is tight to the touch, quick on turn-in, and nicely weighted to sync the effort to rising cornering force.
What’s lacking is any real feedback from the front multilink suspension and the 215/45R-20 Bridgestone Potenza S001 non-run-flat tires. The five-link rear suspension and its 245/40R-20 tires keep the heavy end of the i8 in check while electronically managed dampers astutely control ride and body motion.
Tire-tread noise and shake triggered by L.A.’s rippled pavement invade the cockpit but never so rudely as to slosh coffee. There are meaty four-piston, fixed-caliper brakes in front and less-impressive floating-caliper stoppers in back. Regen automatically kicks in when you lift off the accelerator. The friction-electric blend is seamless on the highway, but the brake pedal is touchy in town.
In spite of its sprawling 110.2-inch wheelbase and dual energy tanks, electric motors, and transmissions, the i8 feels lighter and more agile than its Corvette-plus size suggests. Dive-bombing the Tehachapi, California, foothills never rattled this car’s poise. The tail remains painted to the pavement, and there’s manageable understeer when grip finally runs out.
Tire-tread noise and shake triggered by L.A.’s rippled pavement invade the cockpit but never so rudely as to slosh coffee. There are meaty four-piston, fixed-caliper brakes in front and less-impressive floating-caliper stoppers in back. Regen automatically kicks in when you lift off the accelerator. The friction-electric blend is seamless on the highway, but the brake pedal is touchy in town.
In spite of its sprawling 110.2-inch wheelbase and dual energy tanks, electric motors, and transmissions, the i8 feels lighter and more agile than its Corvette-plus size suggests. Dive-bombing the Tehachapi, California, foothills never rattled this car’s poise. The tail remains painted to the pavement, and there’s manageable understeer when grip finally runs out.
So what did BMW screw up as it ventured deeply into uncharted territory? We’d be happier if the front hood opened to show off the pony-keg-sized electric motor (accessible only by service techs), and we’re suffering withdrawal anxiety over the i8’s barely visible exhaust pipe. The instrument cluster is too small and marked with graphics difficult to read at a glance. We’d willingly trade some of the electric-propulsion info for a more legible tach. The flying doors and large battery box dominating the center of the interior whittle stowage space to a ridiculous minimum. Cup holders, for example, are relegated to the back seat. But this may just signal a typically German disdain for fluids (in the car).
Like the DeLorean DMC-12 that earned immortality as a Hollywood car-porn star, BMW’s i8 is likely to achieve design-icon status. Regrettably, it’s too low volume (fewer than 500 will be made per year) and arguably too expensive to wreak havoc in the traditional sports-car ranks. No, its playground is elsewhere. Remember that, globally, the number of city centers shunning CO2 emitters is rising. That means BMW i8 owners will enjoy exclusive access to at least a few areas denied to ordinary sports cars. Back to the future indeed.
Like the DeLorean DMC-12 that earned immortality as a Hollywood car-porn star, BMW’s i8 is likely to achieve design-icon status. Regrettably, it’s too low volume (fewer than 500 will be made per year) and arguably too expensive to wreak havoc in the traditional sports-car ranks. No, its playground is elsewhere. Remember that, globally, the number of city centers shunning CO2 emitters is rising. That means BMW i8 owners will enjoy exclusive access to at least a few areas denied to ordinary sports cars. Back to the future indeed.
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