[Jo-Sta07]

So I test drove an i8 today. Here are some thoughts.

Exterior Looks: wow, I mean wow. Maybe the most striking car I've ever seen in person. I don't know if every angle is beautiful but every angle is striking. I looked at a white one and, while I typically don't like white cars, I liked the white paint job a lot. I give looks a 10/10.

Interior looks/quality: looks were nothing too special, but it was very easy to operate. I'm not a fan of complicated interiors. The building quality was very, very good. Stitching all lined up. Car felt very solid. Ride was compliant, much softer than my 458, closer to my Bentley CGT.

Performance: Good, 8/10. I think the car is quicker than it feels. I'd floor it and be going 90-100 but feel as though I could have been going 70. The car is so well built that it just doesn't feel out of control during acceleration. I thought the car pulled harder from 50-100 than from 0-50. The steering is very precise and car felt unshakable in the corners. I did not turn off TC and didn't engage launch control which I was told makes a big difference in initial acceleration. Straight line performance felt about halfway between my Bentley CGT and my Ferrari 458. Which is a good place I think. It could use about 10-15% more performance but that's only a couple years away.

Noise: honestly, great. So much better than I was expecting. Sounded great from the outside and inside. No body could be disappointed from the sound unless you were expecting something ludicrously loud.

The car also felt pretty quick in electric mode and the transfer from electric to sport was seamless.

I'm test driving a Mercedes AMG GTS tomorrow from the same dealer family. I'll make a choice by middle of next week.

[Nivarox]

Thanks for sharing your review ,I think you will incline upon the i8 after test drives are done . BMW i8 is an impressive car after all .
Looking forward to seeing a new i8 owner
Happy driving

[ericsi]

I bought my i8 shortly after test driving a bentley conti gt speed. I thought the bmw did ride actually better, smoother and overall more comfortably. Strange but that was my perception.

[phoenixbmwlife]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

So I test drove an i8 today. Here are some thoughts.

Exterior Looks: wow, I mean wow. Maybe the most striking car I've ever seen in person. I don't know if every angle is beautiful but every angle is striking. I looked at a white one and, while I typically don't like white cars, I liked the white paint job a lot. I give looks a 10/10.

Interior looks/quality: looks were nothing too special, but it was very easy to operate. I'm not a fan of complicated interiors. The building quality was very, very good. Stitching all lined up. Car felt very solid. Ride was compliant, much softer than my 458, closer to my Bentley CGT.

Performance: Good, 8/10. I think the car is quicker than it feels. I'd floor it and be going 90-100 but feel as though I could have been going 70. The car is so well built that it just doesn't feel out of control during acceleration. I thought the car pulled harder from 50-100 than from 0-50. The steering is very precise and car felt unshakable in the corners. I did not turn off TC and didn't engage launch control which I was told makes a big difference in initial acceleration. Straight line performance felt about halfway between my Bentley CGT and my Ferrari 458. Which is a good place I think. It could use about 10-15% more performance but that's only a couple years away.

Noise: honestly, great. So much better than I was expecting. Sounded great from the outside and inside. No body could be disappointed from the sound unless you were expecting something ludicrously loud.

The car also felt pretty quick in electric mode and the transfer from electric to sport was seamless.

I'm test driving a Mercedes AMG GTS tomorrow from the same dealer family. I'll make a choice by middle of next week.

Thanks for your review. Could you also give your review of the AMG?

[daddymalu]

I am also considering an i8 and I was told by a fellow owner that if battery is not fully charged, you won't get the best performance... Is this true?

[Longboarder]

Nice review.

Would be awesome to have both the i8 and 458. They would nicely compliment each other.

[MalibuBimmer]

Originally Posted by daddymalu

I am also considering an i8 and I was told by a fellow owner that if battery is not fully charged, you won't get the best performance... Is this true?

No.

[Aye-eight]

Originally Posted by daddymalu

I am also considering an i8 and I was told by a fellow owner that if battery is not fully charged, you won't get the best performance... Is this true?

You will only get less performance when the battery is completely empty (as opposed to not full). And in 12'000 miles, I've never had that. Any coasting or braking feeds the battery, so there's always enough for a little boost.

And just to state the obvious, no car ever runs or needs all of its power all the time. Only under full load, which is heavy acceleration or running flat-out at top speed with limiter removed.

So, short answer, like MalibuBimmer said: "no".

[Amgeater2]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

So I test drove an i8 today. Here are some thoughts.

Exterior Looks: wow, I mean wow. Maybe the most striking car I've ever seen in person. I don't know if every angle is beautiful but every angle is striking. I looked at a white one and, while I typically don't like white cars, I liked the white paint job a lot. I give looks a 10/10.

Interior looks/quality: looks were nothing too special, but it was very easy to operate. I'm not a fan of complicated interiors. The building quality was very, very good. Stitching all lined up. Car felt very solid. Ride was compliant, much softer than my 458, closer to my Bentley CGT.

Performance: Good, 8/10. I think the car is quicker than it feels. I'd floor it and be going 90-100 but feel as though I could have been going 70. The car is so well built that it just doesn't feel out of control during acceleration. I thought the car pulled harder from 50-100 than from 0-50. The steering is very precise and car felt unshakable in the corners. I did not turn off TC and didn't engage launch control which I was told makes a big difference in initial acceleration. Straight line performance felt about halfway between my Bentley CGT and my Ferrari 458. Which is a good place I think. It could use about 10-15% more performance but that's only a couple years away.

Noise: honestly, great. So much better than I was expecting. Sounded great from the outside and inside. No body could be disappointed from the sound unless you were expecting something ludicrously loud.

The car also felt pretty quick in electric mode and the transfer from electric to sport was seamless.

I'm test driving a Mercedes AMG GTS tomorrow from the same dealer family. I'll make a choice by middle of next week.

Thanks for the very detail review, I absolutely love the i8 and It puts a smile on my face every time I drive the car. My initial thoughts of the car were pretty much inline with yours except for the wheels (didnt like them at all) and the power, I though it need it a bit more (took care of that with a tuned) now the car has somewhere around 425+hp enough for me and crazy amount of torque.

I also saw that your will be test driving the GTS Amg which I also daily drive.... Lol, they are totally different cars in every aspect, the cabin in the GTS is louder and the suspension is hard like it supposed to be (IMO) power is there !! oh get ready for that torque its like a jet. The technology is behind BMW I drive and the sound system is not that great, but the car also puts a smile on my face every time I drive it without a doubt, it's just a Bad Boy to the bone (sort of a muscle car with a German style) but here is the funny part we have done a couple runs 0-60 & 0-100 with both cars and the i8 (tuned) now of course stays right there with the GTS so in conclusion they are both Great Super Cars !!

In conclusion if I had to pick one I wouldn't know what to do but probably will pick the i8

[exclusivedetails]

Originally Posted by Amgeater2

Thank for the very detail review, I absolutely love the i8 and It puts a smile on my face every time I drive the car. My initial thoughts of the car were pretty much inline with yours except for the wheels (didnt like them at all) and the power, I though it need it a bit more (took care of that with a tuned) now the car has somewhere around 425+hp enough for me and crazy amount of torque.

I also saw that your will be test driving the GTS Amg which I also daily drive.... Lol, they are totally different cars in every aspect, the cabin in the GTS is louder and the suspension is hard like it supposed to be (IMO) power is there !! oh get ready for that torque its like a jet. The technology is behind BMW I drive and the sound system is not that great, but the car also puts a smile on my face every time I drive it without a doubt, it's just a Bad Boy to the bone (sort of a muscle car with a German style) but here is the funny part we have done a couple runs 0-60 & 0-100 with both cars and the i8 (tuned) now of course stays right there with the GTS so in conclusion they are both Great Super Cars !!

In conclusion if I had to pick one I wouldn't know what to do but probably will pick the i8

We want videos of the tuned i8!

[Jo-Sta07]

Ok so I drove the AMG GT S. The car is beautiful. Felt much more similar to my 458. Like a 458 that went to charm school. Much quicker than the i8. But more manic. Much more cramped interior. Beautifully made and designed but cramped. Felt less versatile than the i8 in many ways. I have to take into account where I am going to keep the car, which is Pittsburgh, has terrible roads and low speed limits. I think owning the AMG GT s here would be an exercise in frustration, never being able to exploit the car near its full potential. So in conclusion, i8 it is! I pick it up this week. White or blue I haven't decided. I test drove a white and thought it looks great. I haven't seen a blue in person. I had my dealer bring in the blue for next week so I'm going to have the car in my garage by the end of the week.

[phoenixbmwlife]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

Ok so I drove the AMG GT S. The car is beautiful. Felt much more similar to my 458. Like a 458 that went to charm school. Much quicker than the i8. But more manic. Much more cramped interior. Beautifully made and designed but cramped. Felt less versatile than the i8 in many ways. I have to take into account where I am going to keep the car, which is Pittsburgh, has terrible roads and low speed limits. I think owning the AMG GT s here would be an exercise in frustration, never being able to exploit the car near its full potential. So in conclusion, i8 it is! I pick it up this week. White or blue I haven't decided. I test drove a white and thought it looks great. I haven't seen a blue in person. I had my dealer bring in the blue for next week so I'm going to have the car in my garage by the end of the week.

That's great! Please post pics after you take delivery

[Nivarox]

You can check in New i8 Arriving On Friday posted by jkirk for Blue color .It's a very striking color
You made a good decision

[Longboarder]

Sweet. Post pics of the garage when the i8 comes home.

[Jo-Sta07]

I will post pics throughout the week. Looking forward to joining the i8 club and owning my first BMW since I was 17

[Jo-Sta07]

Looked at both color options available today. White looked amazing, but blue looked even better. So blue it is. I'll post pics this weekend. Looking forward to joining to i8 owners club!

[carlos@velosdesignwerks]

Congrats. Can't wait to see some pictures!

[jcpca356]

This is definitely NOT true

Originally Posted by daddymalu

I am also considering an i8 and I was told by a fellow owner that if battery is not fully charged, you won't get the best performance... Is this true?

[Jo-Sta07]

Dealer sent me over a sneak peak. I'm picking it up tomorrow.

[Amgeater2]

Originally Posted by Jo-Sta07

Dealer sent me over a sneak peak. I'm picking it up tomorrow.

Congrats !! Welcome to the family

[Jo-Sta07]

I'm absolutely in love with the car. I will post pics this weekend. The dealer did a great unveiling of the car that I took a video of. Not sure if I can post videos here.

[Amgeater2]

Originally Posted by exclusivedetails

We want videos of the tuned i8!

I will upload some vids this weekend, I finally did a lunch on the car today since I like to give the car a good couple of weeks and at least two tanks of gas on the new set up.

I was able to get 0-60 down to 4.0 and 4.1 consistently. I did about 5 pulls before the electric power when down to 3 miles range.