Motor Trend on the i8: "Honestly, it’s a masterpiece."

"Battery Tender Unnecessary" (carac) 05/04/2014 at 16:21 • Filed to: None

4

14

"Think of the i8 as the thinking (wealthy) man's Porsche 918 Spyder. Only I've driven both, and I like the BMW better" - Johnny Lieberman

Back in the day, BMW's M Division was innovative. The M1 was the first mid-engine German supercar, the M5 and later M3 defined genres. . These days? I guess the X6 M is kinda novel, but everything else is just monkey see, monkey do. The new M3? C63 AMG, RS4, RC-F, ATS-V (soon enough). M5? E63 AMG, RS7, CTS-V, XF-RS, GS-F (coming soon). X5 M? ML63 AMG, Porsche Cayenne Turbo, Range Rover Sport 5.0 Supercharged. Competition's great, and imitation is sincere flattery, but why would you buy a BMW over any of those others? The M Division is paint by numbers these days — BMW's version of AMG/quattro GmbH/Caddy V/Lexus F — who cares? The only reason BMW's bringing over the Alpina B6 Gran Coupe (for instance) is because they're hamstrung by their own history — no AWD M sedans! Yet people that live in the snowbelt are lapping up AWD AMGs and fast Audis like there's a shortage. Jaguar has doubled its volume of sedans in the northeast simply by offering AWD. You can't innovate when you're trying to appeal to single issue voters; you can't even compete with the brands you're marching along in lockstep with.This new i brand however, and this product in particular, is something else altogether. It's brilliant, it's important and it's game changing. In fact, lots of technology from the i8 and i3 will be trickling its way down to the M Division. Things like the lightweight material behind the dash for the HVAC system and carbon fiber technology. How 'bout them apples? More importantly, like the original M cars back in the 1980s, other manufacturers are going to start copying BMW's new division. They're going to have to. You can't stop progress, but for now BMW has found a way to harness it.

Read more:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

They aren't making the wait any easier...

TillTheWheelsFallOff: Brocoma > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/04/2014 at 16:26

0

Please put up lots of pictures when you take delivery! I love living vicariously through others, haha.

Yossarian > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/04/2014 at 16:36

0

i wonder if that powertrain model will be seen on other BMWs. Like a 750 with the V8 powering the rear and electric motors the front.

Dsscats > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/04/2014 at 16:42

0

Just for you. It had exposed carbon weave in the door jambs.

PS9 > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/04/2014 at 16:46

0

The i8 is really a bargain. It's not as fast, but you get all the technological innovations in the big three supercars of our time for a fraction of the price.

CAcoalminer > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/04/2014 at 16:48

0

When is yours supposed to arrive?

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Dsscats 05/04/2014 at 16:50

0

I love exposed engineering. A guy at the AMG event I was at last week was saying how the $5400 carbon fiber engine bay covers were a necessity because they "cover up the ugly ducting, wires, tubes, etc" to which I was thinking "but I love seeing all of that stuff." He'd probably want them to paint over the carbon weave on the i8.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > CAcoalminer 05/04/2014 at 16:54

0

They tell me between mid-July and Sept.

Dsscats > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/04/2014 at 17:12

0

This didn't even have a clear on it. I think I'd want a clear just to protect from damage, but it still looked great. And yeah, this engine cover thing is getting a little ridiculous.

signintoburnerlol > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/04/2014 at 17:45

0

The average i8 owner will always have the look of "I don't know what the fuck i'm doing!"

Battery Tender Unnecessary > signintoburnerlol 05/04/2014 at 17:51

0

Just like the average BMW driver :D

signintoburnerlol > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/04/2014 at 17:52

0

That's why the dealerships have the BMW Geniuses now, so people are little bit less confused...

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/05/2014 at 12:50

0

The waiting... is the hardest part.

Did you finally settle on a color?

Battery Tender Unnecessary > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 05/05/2014 at 12:57

1

The grey as shown in the photo. With a different rim design, which they call turbine.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Battery Tender Unnecessary 05/05/2014 at 13:13

0

Awesome. Congrats again.