The i8 is so ill that I'm getting ill.

"Jesse Shaffer" (7esse)
10/30/2014 at 22:39 • Filed to: Old Gregg

Is anyone else tired of the over-exposure over this car, already? The tech it uses is only impressive to people because they've never seen it packaged like this before. The car uses 18th century propulsion (maybe that's why it's call the i8) in a 21st century package.

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You're only writing about this car in this manner because it got here first. This is one of the first modern cars with motors that you've seen successfully push through so many boundaries in terms of political & social correctness to emerge through the other side of those white-washing barriers as definitively decent.

It can't be as good as you say it is. This is beta in terms of life-cycle. Wait five or six more years, then start writing articles from the perspective that you're all jumping on...

With all of the kudos recently flying towards Bavaria, journalists will have to start shoving Howard Moon quotes down the gaping pseudo-grills of future transportation:

"When I see a boundary, I eat a boundary. And then, wash it down with a hot, steaming cup of rules."

DISCUSSION (18)

TheHondaBro > Jesse Shaffer
10/30/2014 at 22:58

Kinja'd!!!

Insert tailpipe here.

signintoburnerlol > Jesse Shaffer
10/30/2014 at 23:01

I still have a difficult time with the looks. It's too busy on picture. I have yet to see one in real life. I'm not that excited about it...but i am happy it exists.

Jesse Shaffer > signintoburnerlol
10/30/2014 at 23:07

I agree. I'm very joyous over its existence. I just think there's been more than enough said about it, already. The Miata has more replay value than this car.

ptak appreciates old racecars > Jesse Shaffer
10/30/2014 at 23:11

"The car literally uses 18th century propulsion (maybe that's why it's call the i8) in a 21st-century-refined package."

Most cars use windows, wheels, lights, paint, upholstery, and the Otto cycle, all of which predate the 19th centuSSSSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOyeah

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Jesse Shaffer
10/30/2014 at 23:13

Well, ask this guy if you've got any questions. He's got an i8.

Jesse Shaffer > ptak appreciates old racecars
10/30/2014 at 23:17

Can you believe that the articles forgot to tell us how cool the wheel really is?

Tohru > Jesse Shaffer
10/30/2014 at 23:36

There's a reason I Photoshop it. That's to take the wind out of its sails. To knock it down a notch.

Kinja'd!!!

Jesse Shaffer > Tohru
10/30/2014 at 23:42

I remember that post. I was especially impressed with the tail.

Too many M's > Jesse Shaffer
10/31/2014 at 02:05

I don't think it's so much that we haven't seen it packaged like this before. There's the 918 Spyder, McLaren P1, The Ferrari "The Ferrari". The biggest difference is the massive price disparity between these offerings. BMW has put the package together for the masses, so to speak. Regular production car numbers that use the same technology as these heavy hitters is amazing.

Sure, it got here first. And it certainly deserves the praise. And the design? We've seen this basic shape/design since the 2009 Frankfurt IAA, I was there. Saw it. Still don't think it looks bad after all this time. It really has to be appreciated in person IMO and in black.

This is a little apples to oranges, but do you dislike the M1? That was a new and different car in its day. Yet it spawned the in house tuning M-division and other manufacturers have been scrambling to keep up. To this day, the M3 is the benchmark in the class of a practical precision car you can drive every day, comfortably take the whole family along, go straight to the track and drive home. Many can imitate and go extreme but none can truly beat it at this game. That is what the i8 is doing now.

Jesse Shaffer > Too many M's
10/31/2014 at 02:34

That's my point! Why is this "package" so impressive. Why is this configuration inspiring so much awe? : I built a car that accomplished these percentages with spare parts five years ago.

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I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to flush out the thesis of my statement:

In your ultimate paragraph - you're saying the i8 is m3 good, when there really isn't another car in this new-comers class to compare it to.

Just because you're the coach's kid and hit the bench first doesn't mean you ball , son.

Too many M's > Jesse Shaffer
10/31/2014 at 02:40

I actually meant to compare this more to the M1. The M3 ultimately was the spawn of that. I'm saying the best is yet to come and this is just the tip.

Jesse Shaffer > Too many M's
10/31/2014 at 02:45

Alright, Ballaban:

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/you-guys-know-…

The Miura was radical. The M1 was a nice package.

Too many M's > Jesse Shaffer
10/31/2014 at 03:52

Haha, I did see that and I see his point. There might be a few design similarities, but I meant from just a product standpoint. Not trying to recreate the old.

There needed to be a...and I don't know if the term is fitting for the i8....a "halo" product to rally behind and bring to light a new way of building cars. The M1 did that as a concept and that technology went into building fun cars that looked like what everyone else was driving. With the i8, BMW will take the tech and trickle it down.

And of course the Miura was radical, that's what Lamborghini does. The M1?

Kinja'd!!!

They built that....alongside this.

Kinja'd!!!

Seems pretty radical at the time.

Evan, Pope Of Jalopnik by Self-Appointment > Jesse Shaffer
11/12/2014 at 01:07

It's insane. It's a damn cool car...and...that's about it. It is literally being talked about as if it is some sort of incomprehensible, mind-blowing, holy-fuck-even-god-doesn't-understand-how-it-works, hyper-mega-ultra-car that Porsche can't even fucking wrap their minds around.

But it's not.

It's slower than an M3 and less practical too. Also doesn't sound as good, and has a transmission from 2002. It's not particularly good at anything other than being unique and interesting, while getting good gas mileage.

As I said, I think it is cool - but the hyper-massive journo-circlejerk is making me hate it quite a bit.

Steve in Manhattan > Jesse Shaffer
11/12/2014 at 01:44

Will it work well? We might not know for months, or years. Does it look good? First impressions sometimes soften, and change. If you haven't driven one, your opinion has less weight. I think it's great, but I haven't driven one. Weight my opinion accordingly ....

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Jesse Shaffer
11/12/2014 at 01:46

I personally like the i8, I probably wouldn't buy one if I was in the market, but I do like it.

the i3 is what I think is stupid, it looks like the Smart ForTwo, the Scion iQ, and the i8 had a 3fer 1 night stand, and its their bastard child.

Jesse Shaffer > Steve in Manhattan
11/12/2014 at 02:02

I'm willing to bet it's factually superb to drive, in reality. I just know that there is a lot more like it coming and the journalists aren't leaving much room for themselves in the future. It's hard for me to respect this perspective, or lack-there-of. The spectacle that the car is doesn't necessitate as much attention as they're throwing it. If one article compared it to God, I'd have thought: "Sure, maybe it is that good."

... they're comparing it to everything from the M1 to the Countach - which I find flat-out absurd - and throwing it on the front page almost every other day. It's a $140k car that hardly any of us will get to drive... it's just not that relevant. I don't find the tech or the layout that impressive.

I still bet it'd be great to drive

Bandit > Tohru
11/12/2014 at 02:10

Yes. I want the Pontiac Gi8