BMW i8

Getting into the car is an experience in itself. The door sill is high and wide and the door itself opens upwards. The view from the inside is also not the greatest what with the screen pillars coming really far back. The front and side visibility is good but taking turns will require a lot of movement from front to side. Rear visibility is equally ridiculous. This is after all a mid-engine sports car. Seating is low like a mid-engine sports car. The dash is as futuristic as expected. Usual BMW touches like ergonomic controls and a driver facing layout are also present. Hinting at the dynamic nature of the car are i-Drive touchpad dial, drive mode toggle and engine start button. The infotainment screen mounted on top of the dash that changes colors and displays with the driving modes also remind you of that. The cabin, however, is also home to a tall and wide tunnel under which the batteries are kept. The seats and space inside are therefore snug but at least the seats are nice. There are seats in the back too but they are only suitable for storing the odd luggage item. The actual boot is behind the mid-mounted engine and tiny at 4.7 cubic ft. This then is a sports car with supercar sensibilities.

Without a doubt the i8 is one of the most striking vehicles on the roads today. Its form follows function. This is no ordinary coupe with a bolt on battery and electric motor. It was built as a hybrid from the ground up and it really shows in every aspect of the car. It is low and wide at 4699 (L) X 1943 (W) X 1290 (H) mm. Yes, it is actually that low. And the ground clearance is a mere 116 mm. The low and wide stance is thanks to its construction that is focused on keeping its center of gravity low. 20” wheels only drive the point home even further. The 215/45 front and 245/40 rear run flat tires look like smears of paint. The low stance also helps with the next biggest priority for the car’s overall design – low drag coefficient. The front end doesn’t even have an actual grille. Angular body panels fit over the actual body of the car like the robots from iRobot. There are winglets and blades adorning its shape that ensure that it will be instantly recognizable. It will not look out of place in a parking lot full of Ferraris and Lamborghinis. The butterfly doors and the LED lighting certainly help. It might become outdated eventually but it will surely look like a car from the future for a few decades.

First there is the transversely mounted 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged engine that bears a lot of resemblance to the one in the Mini Copper. Powering the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic gearbox it produces 228 hp between 5800 and 6000 rpm and 320 Nm of torque at 3700 rpm. The electric motor produces 141 hp at 4300 rpm and 250 Nm of electric torque from the get-go and powering the front wheels through a two-speed automatic transmission. This leads to a combined power output of 369 hp and 470 Nm of torque and some serious performance figures. 0-100 kmph happens within a blistering 4.2 seconds going on to a top speed of 250 kmph. And then there is the fact that it is an energy efficient vehicle despite what the government may think. Thanks to its hybrid powertrain it can deliver up to 30 kmpl. The supercar-like performance also comes with a supercar like riding characteristics. The long wheelbase at 2800 mm makes it difficult to get over speed breakers. The ride is firm as expected and even more so in sports mode. But the car is meant to be a dynamic handler. The chassis is well balanced and the weight distribution is an almost perfect 50:50. The layout of the powertrain also makes it effectively an AWD and this gives the car exceptional amount of grip that translates into serious handling prowess. This then is exactly like a sports car in every way imaginable.

This car comes with its own on-call concierge service. How do you think they handle safety then? There is an active driving assistant with surround view that includes speed limit info, frontal collision warning, pedestrian protection, and city collision mitigation. An impact sensor activates Battery Safety Terminal in case of a crash and disconnects the starter generator, fuel pump, and high-voltage battery automatically unlocks doors and turns on hazard and interior lights. They even call you to tell that you’ve been in a crash and that help is on the way. And we’re not even getting into the driver assists and electronic aids.