Frankfurt 2013: BMW i8 & i3
BMW’s Frankfurt stars, one’s coming to the region and one’s not, thankfully it’s the one you want
By Shahzad Sheikh
These are production cars. Yes, both of them. Yes, including that futuristic supercar-looking thingy. Yes, you’ll be able to buy it. Yes, right here in the Middle East (second part of next year, see this at the Dubai Show this year). And yes, it’s a technical marvel that promises to be a thrilling drive.
Meet the i8 – this is to BMW today, what the M1 was in the late 70s, a striking statement of intent, engineering and excellence.
You may not get too excited when I tell you that mid-mounted in this carbon-fibre body is a 1.5-litre, 3-cylinder TwinPower turbo engine that produces 231bhp driving the rear wheels through a six-speed auto.
However this is backed by an electric motor at the front putting down 131bhp to the front wheels via a two-stage auto. Together that’s about 362bhp powering less than 1500kg, which means this thing will hit 100kph in 4.4 seconds despite only sipping petrol at a rate of 2.5-litres 100km.
The engine charges the battery, but you can also hit up your domestic electricity bill for it, because this is a Plug-in Hybrid. It can go 35km on electric power alone at speeds of up to 120kph. Combined with the petrol engine though, you’ll see 500km.
There are actually two seats in the back good enough for small adults or kids, which makes this a rather practical supercar, as well as environmentally aware.
In the metal it’s stunner, low, dramatic and an absolute showstopper aided by the scissor doors. The lines are astonishing and the shapes and creases are like few other production cars. The rear three-quarter view is extraordinary with the scoop through the top of the rear fender setting it apart from other supercars.
It’s a shame that it doesn’t have the glass door of its concept car predecessors, but safety legislation meant conventional covered skin had to be employed for the doors.
This little i3, is a car that we won’t be getting in the region, at least not initially. But then it is a small, pure electric city car – which is not a traditional recipe of big sellers in our part of the world.
Fascinating thing though. Grabbing a ride in it in the BMW stand on a raised ramp confirmed it was an eerily quiet, but surprisingly urgent feeling little car – well it does manage 0-100kph in 7.2 seconds.
It only weighs 1195kg but is a surprisingly spacious car with suicide-style rear doors and for back passengers – an 8 hour charge (just 30 minutes through a fast connection) will see it run about 130-160km, and it will reach more than our legal limit at 150kph.
It’s certainly a funky tot, and the front is cool, but I’m not keen on that side profile with the kink behind the front door. Still, I’ve seen the future, and the future is serene and swift!
