Tap the throttle and the car’s powerful
front-mounted electric motor dishes out 250Nm of instantaneous and
uninterrupted torque. This is more than enough for any city commute. But should
you want to pick up the pace on an open highway, the combustion engine takes
over just as the electric motor’s peak torque starts to taper sharply from
about 3,850rpm.
When you put pedal to metal, though, both
engine and motor combine to produce extra shove. Not only that, the car’s unique
starter-generator has a boost function. It sends more than 100Nm of additional
torque to the engine for close to 2 seconds.
The
i8 features a premium-looking leather-trimmed interior
At higher speeds, the electric drivetrain
goes into second gear for better efficiency. The combustion engine itself is
mated to an excellent Aisin 6-speeder, which more than measures up against
multi-cog units with its urgent lower gears and long-legged fifth and sixth
ratios. The transmission was chosen for its compactness, but its qualities far
exceed its size. Gear changes are smooth and synaptic.
Most amazingly, the gearbox is able to
preempt each and every turn along Mulholland Highway – a long stretch of
serpentine mountain road off Santa Monica that would have been a motoring
paradise for a hot hatchback.
On the other hand, supercar shapes usually
do not fare as well on tight, twistier roads. To its credit, the i8 is able to
keep well ahead of a souped-up MINI Cooper S on the mountain stretch. And it
does so elegantly, too. There is none of the loud and jerky histrionics
associated with supercars, which are often full of sound and fury that signify
nothing.
Shifting
the gear lever to the left, into 'Sport mode', means the i8's petrol engine
runs almost continually
The i8’s 50:50 distribution of weight
between the axles, its low centre of gravity (lowest among all BMWs, in fact)
and its 96kg bank of lithium batteries lined along what would have been a
transmission tunnel all conspire to make it more graceful around bends.
The car’s suspension is quite awesome, too.
While it is unable to completely cancel out the effects of America’s
less-than-smooth roads, it keeps all four wheels well-acquainted with the
tarmac at all times. Catapulted around the winding Mulholland, the i8 kept its
cool and betrayed a soft screech only once. Of course, its wide tracks (rear
wider than the Ferrari F12’s) and specially developed tyres help, too.
To minimise the chances of things going
sideways, this BMW is packed to the gills with electronic aids. On top of
fairly common systems such as traction control, dynamic stability control,
cornering brake control and dynamic brake control, it has brake assist, brake
standby, brake drying function, fading compensation and active differential
brake.
The
BMW's standard-fit sports seats are comfortable and supportive
It is also equipped with something called
“driving dynamic impellent torque pre-control” and e-traction. Both mimic the
effects of all-wheel-drive, via the car’s electric drivetrain rather than with
differentials. This enhances the grip of individual front wheels, especially
when entering into a tight corner.
But BMW has forgotten one gadget: automatic
hold. And the test car displayed what felt like transmission shunt when moving
off in electric mode – twice. The jarring symptom could not be duplicated
further, and BMW engineers at hand could not explain it.
Perhaps it is just one of those early
manufacturing glitches that often hound carmakers, especially when new
technologies are employed. And the i8 has more than its fair share of new tech.
The task of making its engine, motor and starter-generator “talk” to one
another is itself monumentally daunting.
The
i8's rear seats grant it a modicum of practicality
But the mere fact that BMW is able to
realise this revolutionary sports car in just 38 months (from design studio to
factory floor) speaks volumes. It may not feel exactly like what you would
expect a high-performance Bimmer to feel like at the wheel, but then again,
there has never been a Bimmer like it before.
Indeed, the Bavarian company has been very
brave to embark on this quest to make such an unconventional sports car.
Hopefully, consumers who are brave enough to buy one will be rewarded with lots
of attention, surprising performance and a clear conscience.