[evanevery]

Originally Posted by Maxxsirrah

I'm not preaching to anyone, just saying what matters to me. Personally my average mpg is a whisker under 50 so far (in 6000 miles of driving), due to the types of journeys that I make, but yes, very much in the real world. I am able to charge the car at home and at work, which helps of course. Do I have to do so to save money? No of course not, I do it because I do genuinely care. I read on here that many people don't ever charge their i8's, thats clearly their prerogative, but seems simply wasteful to me.

I wanted a well built high quality sports car, so Tesla and cheaper hybrid cars were not even in the equation. So options really were R8, AMG GT, 911, V8 Vantage. Each of those would use at least twice the fuel that I use in the i8, some of them much much more, so in reality they were out of the equation too.

My decision to get the i8 was considered, and educated, not whimsical or foolish and I am very happy with it indeed. I would consider another hybrid sports car for the same reason at the right time, or even an electric one, but I'm unlikely to ever have another gas guzzler again.

I have a Tesla Model X (Daily Driver) that I charge every night. It has about 250 miles of Range.

I probably will charge the i8 as well but with such a low battery capacity (and low range) I'll likely only ever use a 120V wall charger - and also only when its convenient. (...still waiting for the i8 to come back from ED) I did about 1100 miles during my ED and never once plugged the car in.

Having the battery for very short trips on electric-only is OK, but the real shining benefit is when it is used to augment the performance of the ICE. ...and for that, it doesn't really need to be kept regularly charged (just run in sport mode). Trying to keep a 30 mile "EV" routinely charged just seems to be a lot of busy work unless it is very convenient...

[drlonline]

Originally Posted by evanevery

I have a Tesla Model X (Daily Driver) that I charge every night. It has about 250 miles of Range.

I probably will charge the i8 as well but with such a low battery capacity (and low range) I'll likely only ever use a 120V wall charger - and also only when its convenient. (...still waiting for the i8 to come back from ED) I did about 1100 miles during my ED and never once plugged the car in.

Having the battery for very short trips on electric-only is OK, but the real shining benefit is when it is used to augment the performance of the ICE. ...and for that, it doesn't really need to be kept regularly charged (just run in sport mode). Trying to keep a 30 mile "EV" routinely charged just seems to be a lot of busy work unless it is very convenient...

My 2019 coupe is my DD and for my routine, it works great. My typical daily commute is around 25 miles, which is easily within the e-range of the car (~ 32 miles for my drive). At home, I plug it into a level 2 charger in my garage, which can quickly top up the battery if I need to cover more distance in a day. For me, sport mode is for the weekends when the mountain passes and canyon roads of Southern California are calling.

[evanevery]

Originally Posted by drlonline

...For me, sport mode is for the weekends when the mountain passes and canyon roads of Southern California are calling.

For me - That's ALL the car is for!

[Jo-Sta07]

Has anyone driven both the 2019 and earlier? Is there an actual noticeable performance difference?

[JasH]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

Has anyone driven both the 2019 and earlier? Is there an actual noticeable performance difference?

I've driven the Roadster for 3 days, and my original i8, but not the current coupe.

I felt the differences were miniscule. Slightly higher gearing on the Roadster (good), slightly softer suspension (bad). But the softer suspension does slightly increase front grip.

No difference in power was noticeable. Probably because the slight power increase is offset by the slight weight increase.

Engine sound is obviously more noticeable (good) with the top down.

The new HUD is a huge improvement in Sports mode, showing gear and RPM. Seats are much better too.

[labgpr]

Originally Posted by evanevery

You need to be honest with yourself. The i8 is NOT even close to being a stellar performer from an "environmental perspective". If you want to tell yourself that to justify your purchase - that's fine - but don't try to preach that to everyone else as you will just look foolish. (I guess that's up to you though...)

The i8 only gets about 30mpg in real world use. Lots of much cheaper hybrid, diesel and even gas cars do better than that. ...and if you are going to rely on its electric range only then there are a lot more attractive options which are also less expensive (Tesla).

...I'm not dissing the i8 (I just bought one), but lets please just skip the environmental BS.

Only charging at night and driving in Comfort most of the time. I just saw the Roadster and I think it's a visual improvement on the Coupe. But can't justify with the wife a 2 seater

[evanevery]

Originally Posted by labgpr

Only charging at night and driving in Comfort most of the time. I just saw the Roadster and I think it's a visual improvement on the Coupe. But can't justify with the wife a 2 seater

Thats nice (your mileage), but that's not what the average driver is seeing (30-39 mpg). See here for C&D's "Real World" tests:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...-driver-page-3

Its going to depend directly on what your average distance is between charges and the i8 doesn't offer much pure EV range...

[AndrewC1989]

Originally Posted by M3GymNut

Well said I was going to type the same thing but probably worse in presentation, well said.

I'm not hating on the i8. I love that car and I love BMW as a brand. I just wish it was cheaper or more competitive with the audi/merc models at that price point.

[MichaelJohn]

Originally Posted by evanevery

Thats nice (your mileage), but that's not what the average driver is seeing (30-39 mpg). See here for C&D's "Real World" tests:

https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews...-driver-page-3

Its going to depend directly on what your average distance is between charges and the i8 doesn't offer much pure EV range...

30-39 mpg is fantastic for a performance car and it was way ahead of the other cars on the C & D list. As to the limited range I get an awful lot done with 20 miles of ev range and can get up to 24 miles if I’m really careful. I run errands all the time without burning a drop of gasoline. Of course there are many ev’s with greater range but I am happy that the i8 has the electric capacity that it does and I find it incredibly useful. In Sport I still get way over 30 mpg and my overall is over 42 mpg. I find that to be incredible considering its performance level, which, by the way, is not trash. Most professional reviewers that I have seen were impressed by the i8’s performance and these are guys that drive performance cars for a living. You can always find a quicker car, that doesn’t make the i8 slow. It does just fine at real world speeds.

[Maxxsirrah]

Apologies, I was wrong, hadnt checked for awhile, but my average is actually over 50mpg...

[fishpond]

My average is over 71mpg over 16.5k miles...

[fishpond]

Originally Posted by fishpond

My average is over 71mpg over 16.5k miles...

pic didn't attached in the last post (hopefully it will this time)!

[Jo-Sta07]

It seems the i8 has become what it was always meant to be. Hyper efficient, super car looks, GT livability, sports car performance. I was hopeful BMW was going to release a "R" version with an extra 100 hp but it's not going to happen. I'm starting to think about the replacement for the i8 now, and it's going to be tough. Nothing has the mix of usability/looks in its price range. I wish the performance was 10-15% better, low 3s to 60 would be nice. I'm thinking new Bentley Conti for now, maybe M8 when it's released. But neither are the head turners of the i8.

[jcpca356]

Originally Posted by evanevery

My $30 Quartz Timex keeps better time than my $10K Breitlings (or Rolex) but thats NOT why I bought them.

I bought my Breitlings because they are mechanical works of art and very fine pieces of engineering.

yup, i got two breitlings!

[evanevery]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

It seems the i8 has become what it was always meant to be. Hyper efficient, super car looks, GT livability, sports car performance. I was hopeful BMW was going to release a "R" version with an extra 100 hp but it's not going to happen. I'm starting to think about the replacement for the i8 now, and it's going to be tough. Nothing has the mix of usability/looks in its price range. I wish the performance was 10-15% better, low 3s to 60 would be nice. I'm thinking new Bentley Conti for now, maybe M8 when it's released. But neither are the head turners of the i8.

Usability? Really? I can fit maybe one medium size backpack in the trunk... (and my Roadster has no back seat) That's not very "usable" in my book.

The i8 is neither practical or exceedingly efficient. Its not even a great performer. But that's NOT why I bought it...

[Jo-Sta07]

I daily drive it. It takes the snow. Decent over pot holes. Plenty of storage with rear seats. Compared to my Fezza/NSX/Camaro yes it's very useable.

[drewzMMM]

Originally Posted by Maxxsirrah

yes you could. Or you could have a social conscience.

...which I do not...

[drlonline]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

It seems the i8 has become what it was always meant to be. Hyper efficient, super car looks, GT livability, sports car performance. I was hopeful BMW was going to release a "R" version with an extra 100 hp but it's not going to happen. I'm starting to think about the replacement for the i8 now, and it's going to be tough. Nothing has the mix of usability/looks in its price range. I wish the performance was 10-15% better, low 3s to 60 would be nice. I'm thinking new Bentley Conti for now, maybe M8 when it's released. But neither are the head turners of the i8.

I totally agree with you assessment of what the i8 is. Obviously one's assessment is going to be influenced by what one's interests and needs are, both of which the i8 addresses perfectly for me. It's an eco-friendly, fuel efficient daily driver with decent ride quality that can switch to a fun canyon runner with solid performance at the flick of the gear shifter. Yes there are practical limitations, such as storage capacity, but our household has other cars that provide that when more room is needed.

In summary, I love my i8 and couldn't be happier with it. Although I leased it with the thought that I'd be ready for something different in a few years, I wouldn't be surprised if I decided to keep it when the time comes.

[fishpond]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

Nothing has the mix of usability/looks in its price range. I wish the performance was 10-15% better, low 3s to 60 would be nice. I'm thinking new Bentley Conti for now, maybe M8 when it's released. But neither are the head turners of the i8.

Agreed - 4 years on from its release, the i8 is still a massive head turner.

Interestingly my i8 was in the bodyshop for a month for repairs (it was hit in the rear whilst parked - but that's another story) and I had a R8 V10 loaner to play with. The R8 didn't turn any heads unless you drove it in full on Dynamic and Sports mode for maximum noise.

Most people only looked because they thought it was a Lambo, and when they realised it was a R8, they showed no interest!

[cooks02]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

Has anyone driven both the 2019 and earlier? Is there an actual noticeable performance difference?

I had a DD 2014 i8. Second one in MI and put 20,000 + miles on it. I now have a Roadster and the most noticeable difference is the HUGE upgrade in interior! For a " Super Car " it always felt a little short. I have noticed tighter steering and handling.

I smiled EVERYDAY driving the 2014 and i now have an even BIGGER smile now! I still believe it's a Million Dollar Super Car at a 1/10th of the price😎

[antzcrashing]

Originally Posted by fishpond

Agreed - 4 years on from its release, the i8 is still a massive head turner.

Interestingly my i8 was in the bodyshop for a month for repairs (it was hit in the rear whilst parked - but that's another story) and I had a R8 V10 loaner to play with. The R8 didn't turn any heads unless you drove it in full on Dynamic and Sports mode for maximum noise.

Most people only looked because they thought it was a Lambo, and when they realised it was a R8, they showed no interest!

From a "regular person's" perspective the R8 is a car i stop for. Hell I will even chance them down high speed lane as long as I can follow (or if in heavy traffic). The i8 may break necks but the R8 still turns heads especially people who can recognize its presence even under a tame color

[orion1977]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

It seems the i8 has become what it was always meant to be. Hyper efficient, super car looks, GT livability, sports car performance. I was hopeful BMW was going to release a "R" version with an extra 100 hp but it's not going to happen. I'm starting to think about the replacement for the i8 now, and it's going to be tough. Nothing has the mix of usability/looks in its price range. I wish the performance was 10-15% better, low 3s to 60 would be nice. I'm thinking new Bentley Conti for now, maybe M8 when it's released. But neither are the head turners of the i8.

I wouldn’t trade all the i8s positives just to be a few fractions of a second faster in another car that lacks the i8’s visual style.