BMW i8 long-term test review: first report

Our introduction to BMW i8 long-term test review. Stay tuned for more in the coming months.

Theory and practice. On paper and in reality. The idea and execution. There are many ways to explain why the concept of the most groundbreaking turned into less than the sum of its parts sometimes they are outstanding when experiencing the only test that ever really mattered: provided by arbiter gimlet-eyed all the good and bad things , better known to you and me as the real world. That's why I'm going to spend the rest of this year and some next life with the BMW i8.

I know. I know. Reasons and explanations, another chance for some apparently accidentally slip twixt cup and lip, but my motive here is really beyond any natural boost of enthusiasm to get to know one of the best-looking, most technologically advanced cars hit the road yet.

The questions will need to answer a lot of the next few months. How to six-figure price is justified when the base-spec Porsche 911 is more powerful, lighter and nearly £ 30,000 cheaper? We know 134.5mpg assessed consumption is nonsense carried by the official testing requirements so outdated to make their results actually worse than the means, but not all mainframe-melting technology that actually produces less fossil fuel in the world getting burned?

Can BMW, however advanced, really sit comfortably on the market? He had tried twice before, with M1 and Z8, and feel no need to replace the car well.

It does not appear to be a traditional sports coupé at 911 / Jaguar F-Type idiom, but also not a conventional grand tourer BMW 6 Series or Mercedes-Benz SL. Is that a balance between the two and, if so, how does it work? That technology can really improve the experience of living with and driving a car, or its impact is only felt in your pocket in terms of company car tax, vehicle excise, fuel and congestion charge fees? For me, if a minor hit in your pocket is all you buy, the car has fallen in the first.

Similarly, if you have threecylinder 1.5-liter engine as the primary source of power that might detract from the pleasure you have found in the company of a large V6 or V8, then, for me, it would also have failed.

The scale of the work was not to be underestimated. Hypercars million pounds aside, i8 has become the first automaker to offer a world class driving experience is inseparable hybrid drive but because of it.

After goalkeeper for exactly six hours, a bit early to make that judgment. The car is still running and will do so for the first 1,200 miles of his life. But if the fact that I can not stop peeking out of the window any guide, I think it was at least a step from the right foot.

I also like that if you do not check a single box selection, you still will have a comprehensively equipped car. And while you may think that you're bloody well hope so for this kind of money, to another producer of a six-digit price list bike a little more than a starting line for the long and expensive trip to the actual transaction price.

The only thing I ask is that it is not white, and it will be given a choice of blue. Thus arriving at the beautiful optional protonic Blue paint with accent Frozen gray, the BMW added wheels W-spoke, premium sound system, keyless access, safety belts blue, a headlining anthracite, internet connectivity and 'exterior noise' so that pedestrians can heard arrival. I am pleased to have the paint and stereo enhancement and sound thought exterior should be standard but will not miss the rest.

Then again, and with the exception of £ 310 to change the color of the seat belt, I would say an affordable option; £ 1150 for W-spoke 20in wheels a little more than £ 1095 BMW will charge to put on a 18in rims 520d you with a list price of one-third of the i8. And, yes, the i8 does have 20s as standard, but I still think it was a good value.

By the time I report back, i8 to be run in and I'm going to start getting some answers to the most complex, this charming animal. The challenges facing may seem large, but it is also true that if it manages to be as good as it looks, it will be a victory.

The price of £ 104 540 Price as tested £ 108 615 Options 20in BMW i W-spoke alloy wheels £ 1,150, Harman / Kardon speaker system £ 895, Comfort Access £ 795, protonic Blue paint with Frozen gray accents £ 450, BMW i Blue seatbelt £ 310, anthracite headlining £ 295, internet £ 95, £ 85 exterior sound Economics na Load Error No No

Tweet