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      04-26-2014, 06:24 PM   #1
drlonline
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Production BMW i8 reviews coming in

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Per a suggestion by ddk632, here is a comprehensive list of all the reviews that people have posted so far (as of May 2) from the recent international launch event in Southern California. Enjoy!

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/...t-drive-review
http://www.completecar.ie/testdrives...i8/i8/630/3597
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/i8/...i8-2014-review
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...i8-first-drive
http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/bmw...iew-2014-04-26
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2014...IEWS/140429882]
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-s...ndly-1.1775841
http://driving.ca/bmw/i8/reviews/roa...ve-2015-bmw-i8
http://www.carsguide.com.au/news-and...83338_20140428
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/articles...t-drive-review
http://www.autoblog.com/2014/04/28/2...t-drive-video/
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/...4-CAR-review2/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/...i8-review.html
https://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motora...211741544.html
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...bmw-i8-review/
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...ur-first-drive
http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/evoc...and_specs.html
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe...ticle18299323/
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...8_first_drive/
http://www.drive.com.au/new-car-revi...501-37jdx.html
http://kinja.roadandtrack.com/the-20...ers-1568706908
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...t-drive-review
http://www.bmwblog.com/2014/05/02/bm...e-2015-bmw-i8/


Last edited by drlonline; 05-02-2014 at 04:52 PM.. Reason: update links
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      04-26-2014, 06:35 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drlonline View Post
Autocar review reads like someone expecting a M1/R8. Besides the "not amazing at the limit" it was fairly glowing.
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      04-26-2014, 07:03 PM   #3
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Woo hoo lots of reading for tonight, I'm going to make a coffee and enjoy a cigar outside while reading these reviews!

Thanks for posting!
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      04-26-2014, 07:55 PM   #4
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Two more:
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...i8-first-drive

For some reason, bimmerpost is blocking out the second one... Remove the spaces and cut and paste link into browser.

http://www. The auto channel .com/news/2014/04/26/109189-first-drive-2014-bmw-i8-review-by-henny-hemmes-video.html

Last edited by ddk632; 04-26-2014 at 08:28 PM..
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      04-26-2014, 11:09 PM   #5
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Couple of short videos from same day from bystanders...



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      04-27-2014, 03:51 AM   #6
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Top Gear has their review up as well.
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      04-27-2014, 03:54 AM   #7
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Top gear:

http://www.topgear.com/uk/photos/bmw...iew-2014-04-26

I like this one:

"But I'm worried about cornering, what with the mashup of different power sources for different axles.

Ah yes. Well, go into most corners and your doubts will be vaporised. It's wonderful. There's barely any roll, the steering is terrific, and there' a wonderful agility - it'll take left-right-left flicks like a lizard. In longer bends you can come on and off the throttle and tuck the nose in a little, or edge the tail out very slightly under power. It feels consistent and confident. Lovely.

Very long, slow, second-gear corners can trip it up though. If you go in too fast or under brake, and get understeer, the i8 seems to get a little confused and won't let you have full power for an annoying interlude. But if you get your entry speed right, then get early on the power, it feels just fine. I think there might still be a front-rear calibration issue in second gear, too. But what do I know - this is such a brainy car you never really know how it's doing what it's doing.
"

And this one:

"Er, calibration? Explanation please.

The engineers say the hardest job on the i8 wasn't the new materials or the weight or body. It wasn't even the power units per se. It was getting them to work together, getting everything smooth and maintaining the right variable torque split in corners. Imagine, you change throttle position. The petrol engine reacts, but with a bit of a delay as turbos do. So the electric front motor, and the auxiliary rear motor, have to be controlled to match that transient state, while maintaining the target front-rear torque split to keep the cornering dynamics right. Whatever of the six gears the petrol engine is in. However much grip each wheel has. Mind boggling.

Best not to think too hard. Just to let it get on with it, and enjoy the results, which except in that one tight-bend understeer situation, are fine. Anyway, the engineers say they're still working on a stickier front tyre compound, which should help too.
"

And these:

"So does it cling on like a 911?

Not quite, but close. I found the limit easy to reach. But then that wasn't because it's a low limit, more that the car is confident and friendly and generally transparent as it gets there. And given the complexity that's remarkable.
"

"How's the chassis itself?

Brilliant actually. The fundamentals are present: a very low C of G, all significant mass inside the wheelbase, and 53 percent on the rear, plus a palpably stiff body. You sit low, so you feel little rock or pitch. The steering is spot-on in ratio and progression, and gives you a good feel for the tyres' effort. Springing is beautifully judged, supple enough to be acceptable in grumpy urban running, but firm enough for the dampers to stick their teeth into when you're pressing on. In twisty and bumpy sections taken fast, there's no float to speak of and the dampers check body motions with terrific resolve, and yet they don't make things harsh when you're wafting. They're adaptive, but feel very natural. There's also remarkably little tyre roar, thanks probably to their narrowness, which adds to the refinement and matters a lot in electric running when there's no engine noise to drown the tyres out.
"

TG's bottom line:

"So was this re-invention of the car worthwhile?

Well, it costs £95k after the Government grant, and a 350bhp 911 Carrera 4 PDK is £80k if vastly more tax-heavy. Now, was it worth all this BMW brainpower and new tech to make a car slightly less sporty than the Porsche that uses rather less fuel? That's a very dull question. For a start the 911 is 50 years into its development; the i8 is a first stab. I suspect different tyres and a firmware flash will soon improve it. But more than that, the i8 is exploring the future. It bestows lightweight construction, hybrid expertise, and a quick-thinking highly creative engineering mentality onto the whole BMW group.

It's an enormously satisfying thing to drive, because if you're thinking about it you can use its different characteristics in different ways to suit the moment - in fact it's at its very best either wafting in pure-EV mode, or being thrashed in sport mode.

And it makes everyone point and smile."

Last edited by lasovan; 04-27-2014 at 07:54 AM..
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      04-27-2014, 04:37 AM   #8
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Autocar:

What is it like?
It should be like a Porsche 918 Spyder for a fifth of the outlay.

Me:

What is it like?
It should be an in depth review of a really unique car, however unfortunately the reviewer seems to be comparing it to a car that costs nearly £700000
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      04-27-2014, 05:31 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by clbmw View Post
Autocar:

What is it like?
It should be like a Porsche 918 Spyder for a fifth of the outlay.

Me:

What is it like?
It should be an in depth review of a really unique car, however unfortunately the reviewer seems to be comparing it to a car that costs nearly £700000
Well said!
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      04-27-2014, 06:29 AM   #10
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Top Gear says there's no cupholders on page 14 but then on page 15 there's a photo with a big ol round hole in the center console right behind the iDrive controller that I assume is a cupholder. What gives?
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      04-27-2014, 07:32 AM   #11
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It was a mistake; there is a cup holder in the front as that photo depicts. Someone pointed it out in the comments, as well.

Maybe they had too much fun driving the i8 to notice it?

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      04-27-2014, 08:04 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lasovan
Quote:
Originally Posted by clbmw View Post
Autocar:

What is it like?
It should be like a Porsche 918 Spyder for a fifth of the outlay.

Me:

What is it like?
It should be an in depth review of a really unique car, however unfortunately the reviewer seems to be comparing it to a car that costs nearly £700000
Well said!
Thanks.

I think the autoexpress review is far more rational and balanced:


http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/i8/...i8-2014-review
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      04-27-2014, 08:34 AM   #13
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Where are the M3/M4 reviews??? Strange that we've seen zero from and mag or journalist....
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      04-27-2014, 09:10 AM   #14
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One more...
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2014...IEWS/140429882
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      04-27-2014, 09:17 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Metak2you
Where are the M3/M4 reviews??? Strange that we've seen zero from and mag or journalist....
According to other posts the first Euro journalist drives happen in the first week of May. US drives in the first week of June.
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      04-27-2014, 09:27 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Metak2you View Post
Where are the M3/M4 reviews??? Strange that we've seen zero from and mag or journalist....
...the M3/M4 were revealed 3+ months after the i8 so if would be natural for drives to happen later. Soon I would guess.
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      04-27-2014, 09:39 AM   #17
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More info -- on the BMW press site.. This is where BMW publishes all of the press kits that include the photos you see in all of these reviews (hence, why they're all using the same photos). I'd have done my own photography buy hey, I'm not an auto journalist.

Anyway,

BMW i8 Press Kit w/ 6 sets of photos from Malibu, one in front of the Hollywood sign, a bunch of studio type photos of the Protonic Blue i8, the Louis Vuitton luggage, and more! Also a really extensive PDF on the i8 which includes power and torque graphs, complete specifications, and some equipment info. Looks like US is also getting a Pure Impulse package. I've attached the PDF here.
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/globa...tem=node__8610

BMW i8 Production - tons of photos of the manufacturing process, and another interesting PDF about the production process of the i8. PDF attached here.
https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/globa...tem=node__5248

Awesome stuff!
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File Type: pdf PM_BMW_i8_gb.pdf (717.5 KB, 755 views)
File Type: pdf PM_BMW_i8_Produktion_gb.pdf (246.7 KB, 233 views)

Last edited by ddk632; 04-27-2014 at 09:45 AM..
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      04-27-2014, 09:44 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carac
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Metak2you View Post
Where are the M3/M4 reviews??? Strange that we've seen zero from and mag or journalist....
...the M3/M4 were revealed 3+ months after the i8 so if would be natural for drives to happen later. Soon I would guess.
Yes but customers are already taking deliveries of the M3/4's and nobody in the media has been allowed to drive/review it yet? We're all waiting patiently.....
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      04-27-2014, 10:04 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr.Metak2you View Post
Yes but customers are already taking deliveries of the M3/4's and nobody in the media has been allowed to drive/review it yet? We're all waiting patiently.....
Hopefully the M3/M4 reviews will be in soon. I know how you feel man, we've all been waiting for any freaking info at all about the i8 and the day finally came when we get some reviews, so it was a happy day.

Patience will pay off. I'm looking forward to those reviews as well. The new M4 convertible is looking really good to me
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      04-27-2014, 10:23 AM   #20
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It seems like everyone loves the idea of the i8 and the base is very good but all it needs is a bit more optimization and/or refinement with the details.

For something that is likely to be a lot more common in the future, I think BMW nailed the i8. People should be looking at the i8 for what it's meant to and for not something meant to compete with the much more sporty cars of today.
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      04-27-2014, 10:39 AM   #21
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Autocar are shit at doing car reviews
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      04-27-2014, 10:58 AM   #22
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Love the design of the i8 but just can't get my head around the power unit. Maybe it will be the future but having owned 911's and Aston's I think the i8 will only ever be a niche vehicle which is fine. Danger will be if BMW starts its usual game in a year or two of wanting to crank up volume as that will hurt values. I hope it succeeds.
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