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      09-16-2013, 08:50 AM   #1
misterbeemer
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Road & Track review of i3

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The electric i3 is the most important BMW of the moment, the car that resulted when the German brand strained the whole of its R&D effort and $3.7 billion through a filter of sustainability and efficiency. Ironically, the car became a resource pig, sucking the company's other product budgets dry and watering down its more mainstream offerings. BMW has risked its entire business on the development of this car, so it had better be amazing.

Read on...

http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-revi...?click=main_sr
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      09-16-2013, 09:04 AM   #2
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Yikes, I was really hoping it would handle well or at least be amusing, but sounds like it's chock full of understeer. Pity.
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      09-16-2013, 10:41 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by Red Bread View Post
Yikes, I was really hoping it would handle well or at least be amusing, but sounds like it's chock full of understeer. Pity.
Road and who?
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      09-16-2013, 10:43 AM   #4
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Road and who?
Oh, that old German tactic?
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      09-16-2013, 10:47 AM   #5
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Their findings do not match other reports of the pre-production i3 drives.

Actual production drives for the media will be in October.
Bimmerpost will report on that event.
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      09-16-2013, 10:51 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SCOTT26 View Post
Their findings do not match other reports of the pre-production i3 drives.

Actual production drives for the media will be in October.
Bimmerpost will report on that event.
I know, thanks Scott, I'm looking forward to those tests, specifically a comparison of the REX with the regular model in terms of driving dynamics.
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      09-16-2013, 11:16 AM   #7
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I commented on that story. This is how I responded:

"The electric i3 is the most important BMW of the moment, the car that resulted when the German brand strained the whole of its R&D effort and $3.7 billion through a filter of sustainability and efficiency. Ironically, the car became a resource pig, sucking the company's other product budgets dry and watering down its more mainstream offerings. BMW has risked its entire business on the development of this car, so it had better be amazing."

You really don't need to read any more than that to understand the authors position before he even sat in the car. BMW has risked it's entire business on the i3? Are you kidding me? BMW could scrap the entire i brand tomorrow and continue along without and problem. Have you looked at their annual sales? They are setting records nearly every year. I know you must be a little smarter than to think 3.7 billion went into the i3 and BMW won't use any of that R&D on other models, like carbon fiber and aluminum for light-weighting their core models. The lessons learned from developing the i brand cars will benefit their entire brand and keep them out in front technology-wise for the next decade. It's very unfortunate you could get something like this approved for print. Journalism just isn't what it used to be...
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      09-16-2013, 01:49 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tommolog View Post
I commented on that story. This is how I responded:

"The electric i3 is the most important BMW of the moment, the car that resulted when the German brand strained the whole of its R&D effort and $3.7 billion through a filter of sustainability and efficiency. Ironically, the car became a resource pig, sucking the company's other product budgets dry and watering down its more mainstream offerings. BMW has risked its entire business on the development of this car, so it had better be amazing."

You really don't need to read any more than that to understand the authors position before he even sat in the car. BMW has risked it's entire business on the i3? Are you kidding me? BMW could scrap the entire i brand tomorrow and continue along without and problem. Have you looked at their annual sales? They are setting records nearly every year. I know you must be a little smarter than to think 3.7 billion went into the i3 and BMW won't use any of that R&D on other models, like carbon fiber and aluminum for light-weighting their core models. The lessons learned from developing the i brand cars will benefit their entire brand and keep them out in front technology-wise for the next decade. It's very unfortunate you could get something like this approved for print. Journalism just isn't what it used to be...
A very fair and accurate answer.
I took some sceptical journalists on the infinity loop with the i3 and also around the Portalhaus area at the Messe on actual roads.
My first comment was if you want to know how special this car is , look out and watch the reaction?

And that summed up the response to the car , everybody stared and some in traffic waved and gave the car the thumbs up. One journalist likes how it sounds like a spaceship.
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      09-16-2013, 03:39 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SCOTT26 View Post
A very fair and accurate answer.
I took some sceptical journalists on the infinity loop with the i3 and also around the Portalhaus area at the Messe on actual roads.
My first comment was if you want to know how special this car is , look out and watch the reaction?

And that summed up the response to the car , everybody stared and some in traffic waved and gave the car the thumbs up. One journalist likes how it sounds like a spaceship.
Scott: There are a lot of people that have damned the car before they sit in it. They don't like the funky city-car look, because they say it cheapens the brand. They don't like that it's electric because they believe a proper car made by Bavarian Motor Works must have a big, strong petrol motor and a manual gearbox. They don't like the tall, skinny tires because they give the appearance of a cheap econo-box (which is actually true).

It just doesn't say "BMW" to them so they are going to pan it without what I believe a proper evaluation. I have talked to a LOT of people that have driven them and they have all said it drives great. It's not an M3, but it doesn't have to be because we already have an M3 for those that want one. It does have to be fun, quick, well balanced and provide an enjoyable driving experience and from every account that I've heard first hand, it does that and then some.
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      09-21-2013, 07:17 AM   #10
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Who needs a good handling car in the city? If it is a "city car" then who cares if it doesn't handle like a BMW (after the F30 what does that mean anyway?). I mean, if you take the i3 to a place where the handling will actually matter (like the country for good winding roads) it will run out of juice before you get there. LOL

And if you live in a city (say NYC), why do you need a car anyway? There are plenty of cabs and public transportation to use, or maybe just walk?

The discussion is pointless. The car is pointless.
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      09-22-2013, 07:17 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SCOTT26 View Post
Their findings do not match other reports of the pre-production i3 drives.

Actual production drives for the media will be in October.
Bimmerpost will report on that event.
Ah, so I see, if a journalist praises the latest M car for its handling prowess, its a spot-on accurate assessment. However, if a journalist finds flaw in the i3 handling, then he must be mistaken.

This is called having your cake, and eating it too...
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