By: Jesse Adams
Johannesburg - I’ve never seen so many cell-phone cameras.
Seriously, we’ve had our fair share of latest and greatest supercars on test here, and I know the kind of attention new Ferraris, Lamborghinis and McLarens get. But nothing, and I mean nothing, has come close to the paparazzi-like levels of snapping achieved by BMW’s new i8, which we road-tested just ahead of its launch in South Africa later this month.
One guy even fashioned an imaginary camera from his two thumbs and index fingers, and proceeded to click a series of make-believe photos from every angle while I topped up the Beemer’s petrol tank. I can just picture him uploading the imaginary files to his imaginary desktop via an imaginary USB cable. To what? Post on imaginary Instagram? Strange.
So what’s with the the unusually high fascination with this car? It’s not the most expensive around. Nor the fastest. There’s no denying it oozes style from every one of its plastic body panels, but not that much more so than any other current supercar. Or am I wrong?
I can only put it down to the BMW factor. A big chunk of the South African general public simply adores this brand, and it’s been a long while since such a low-slung and sexy-looking machine has come from Munich. When the last M1 was built, Muhammad Ali was still fighting. Yes, that long ago. Thirty-four years to be exact.
RELATIVELY AFFORDABLE
Or maybe it’s that so many people have read up on what a technological masterpiece the i8 is, and everybody’s just smitten with how BMW has managed to so craftily intermix performance with eco-consciousness.
True, hybrid supercars are popping up all over the place these days, but this one, at R1.775-million is a relatively affordable one. And by relatively affordable I mean it’s an absolute bargain compared to today’s 918s, P1s and LaFerraris.
The i8 is a proper plug-in hybrid, meaning that to fully exploit its green-ness you must charge it up via a wall socket. With brimmed batteries it’s possible to zoot around in full emissions-less EV mode for up to 35km says BMW (I could only manage around 20). So, if you work within 10km of home, you could theoretically commute every day without burning any petrol at all.
This, however, is an extremely unlikely scenario. In the same way that it’s possible to lose weight at KFC by eating only green salad, it would take a huge amount of restraint not to tap the i8’s main power source – a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo mounted just ahead of and driving the rear axle. Hard to believe, but yes, this is the same engine used in the new Mini but here turned up to 170kW and 320Nm.
That’s huge power from such a small displacement (considering it only makes 100kW/230Nm in Mini spec), and even without full supplementary boost from its front axle-mounted electric motor the i8’s a reasonable performer. But, with all power sources working to a harmonious tune of 266kW and 570Nm, this hybrid supercar can hold its own in the heavy-hitting performance car big leagues.
RUNNING THE NUMBERS
At our Gauteng test facility the i8 notched up a best 0-100km/h time of 4.6 seconds (BMW claims 4.5) and it ran the quarter-mile in 12.8. The latest M3, which is the quickest standard BMW we’ve yet put against the clock, still trumps it with respective 4.2 and 12.3 figures, but the i8 nevertheless outguns some impressive supercars with badges such as Lamborghini and Aston Martin.
With a mass of only 1.5 tons this is a particularly lightweight car, built of aluminium and carbon-fibre reinforced plastic. A low centre of gravity combines with an interplay of traction-enhancing, torque-splitting, and stability-controlling electronica to make for handling characteristics to suit its appearance.
So, BMW has nailed the modern supercar trifecta with stunning looks, impressive performance, and exceptional fuel economy. Well, almost. According to BMW the i8 consumes just 2.5 litres of petrol per 100km. Our test car, which we drove just like any other car with a mixture of slow traffic creeping, occasional full throttle blasts, and everything in between, showed an average of 7.6 litres per 100km.
Sure, we could have lowered this number considerably with more EV-only commuting and more responsible use of right-foot inputs, but permanent partial throttle use certainly defeats the purpose of a supercar. We’re sure most i8 clientele would agree, and, if there are any well-off, thrill-seeking, exhibitionist bunny-huggers out there, this 7.6 figure would likely suffice anyway.
COCKPIT-LIKE FEEL
Swing up the swan-wing door, and attempt a graceful entry. Like most carbon monocoque sports-cars today, the i8 has a high sill that can be a challenge to traverse for those less flexible. I’m of the age where my joints still bend with reasonable ease, but I still scraped my foot on the edge of the leather-upholstered dashboard from time-to-time. Once inside though, the i8’s not a hell of a lot different than most current BMWs. You sit nice and low, and the high centre console (where the batteries are housed) offers a deep cockpit-like feel, but besides seating position most everything’s common to your average 3 Series.
That sculpted six-speed automatic gearlever operates identically, and the iDrive controller knob works with the same functionality as any other Beemer.
That said, the electronic instrument cluster radiates a futuristic look unlike anything else. At first it’s an overwhelming display of swirling colour and gauge-like animations, but once familiar with its intricacies it offers a wealth of information pertaining to all the complex running gear underneath.
BMW has made huge investments in eco-friendly tech and the i8 is a rolling showcase for its newfound area of expertise.
It would have been very easy for this brand, which also sells some of the most powerful non-hybrid performance cars in the world, to make a ludicrously fast supercar with less focus on efficiency.
And likewise, it would have been very easy to make a ludicrously efficient car less focussed on performance (actually it has with the new i3 hatch also available in SA now). But its intention with the i8 is to strike a balance between the two with a bit of showoff-factor thrown in for good measure. And, if public reaction is anything to go by, it’s done a damn fine job. - Star Motoring
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