Road and Track: The BMW i8 Is A Great Car But Comes With Many Compromises

I see your "selective copy and paste" skills are as good as ever. Some things you left out in your hacking:

0-60 in 3.8s. 1/4 mile in 12.3 @ 114.4mph.

"The i8’s Active Sound Management—synthetic engine noises piped into the cabin—is obvious.... No matter, it sounds great. Outside, you hear what sounds like a muted flat-six, with turbo noises and awesome exhaust farts on upshifts."

"It’s very fast in traffic at highway speeds. Fourth gear, 2500-rpm pulls are outrageously, shockingly fast."

"It’s an excellent cruiser—if you can get away from all the people weaving around you to try to get a photo of it."

And here's a review from Auto Express that might be the most positive review I've ever read of any single car.

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/bmw/i8/86776/new-bmw-i8-2014-review

"The BMW i8 is the first of its breed and spectacularly good. Forget million-pound flights of fancy such as the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918."

"...there’s no better definition of a sports car for the modern world."

"The i8 feels like a sports car revolution."

"The BMW i8 changes everything – the future of performance cars has arrived."

Nuttie can't wait to try and spin something about BMW.

kudos to BMW. This thing might look like an ugly beast but atleast it performs like a beast.

Hold on there JRobUSC, Car Magazine tested the BMW i8 as well and also concluded many similarities as Road and Track's review:

"Yet if you’ve come to the i8 hoping for a proper sports car driving experience, it won’t quite meet your expectations. The limits are relatively low, quite benign and neutral before the soft front end starts to understeer, and up to an imagined six- or seven-tenths pace it’s impressive. It doesn’t fall apart beyond that, but when 911s and other rivals are cheaper, in terms of sheer traction, grip, power and poise for the near-£100k price, you’ll want for more.

Verdict

Whether you agree with our verdict comes down as much to whether you agree with the philosophy behind the i8. It’s a great showcase of BMW’s engineering skills, and is by far the best integrated hybrid system we’ve ever tested, but as a sports car it’s good rather than great."

To each their own. A comparison is in order. When it came out the R8 V8 cost twice what an M3 did and returned identical performance figures, including Ring times. Identical. Did that make the R8 a bad car? No. Did it stop it from selling? No. It performed well enough and looked great, like an exotic. Enter the i8. Performs very well, will probably be rated at 60-70mpg, will attract every well to do early adopter and green snob, and looks like a million bucks. They'll sell every one they choose to make.

Can I ask you a serious, honest question? Level with me. Don't you ever just get tired of being an online douchebag? I mean, it HAS to start wearing on you after awhile, I don't care how much Audi pays you to troll. Don't you ever just want to be a normal person?

Typical G-nut. If it's about BMW, he'll feign an attempt at making it seem unbiased, but then always select the worst parts to focus on. He's Audi's personal Autospies propaganda machine.

As for the i8 reviews, fairly predictable really. It was never going to best the likes of the 911 in terms of out and out performance... but I'm sure it was never intended to. It seems that most of the slightly negative reviews come from people who thought they were getting into track focused sports car - which they never really were!

The bottom line is many many 911 and R8 owners do not take their cars to the limit on the road, and NEVER go anywhere near a track. They buy them because they are well made and pretty fast when you need them to be, but mostly because they are head turning and sexy lookin' cars... the i8 is exactly that, and that's why they will still sell like hot-cakes, and it won't matter if they don't handle on the limit quite the same way as the 911/R8.

"I love the 2 resident BMW foot soldiers bending ass-end over backwards to make sure nothing but praise is mentioned for this overpriced turd. I'm getting dizzy from all of the spin."

The only spin is coming from you. Soooo somebody who clearly hates BMW (gnut) and intentionally selects sections of an article to create a false perception the vehicles overall review is okay? But a fan of that brand who tries to clarify… is creating spin, and should be ridiculed? Get real.

This is a perfect example of why I stopped visiting this site regularly a long time ago it nurtures ignorance, and petty/childish “mine is better than yours” debate. Judging by the lack of comments most articles receive many have come to the same conclusion. There are many other sites on the web with MUCH better unbiased coverage of the auto industry, with more mature discussion.

Germannut-“This makes sense because most pure sports car buyers are looking for razor-sharp handling, engaging dynamics, and rapid acceleration, not fuel economy and being green. While the BMW i8 does a commendable job at combining the two, it comes up short in the sports car area and with a price tag of at least $136K, I'm not sure a 911 buyer will go for it. For just another $15K the heralded Porsche 911 Turbo can be had or for less the purer 911 C4S.”

This conclusion by Popular Mechanics is a very grounded and rational approach to the i8…

“The BMW i8 marks a moment in history when high performance plug-in hybrids are no longer relegated to the realm of uberexotics built of unobtanium and dreams. Although it's not exactly cheap, the i8 is a viable alternative to sports cars like the Audi R8 and Porsche 911 while delivering drop-dead gorgeous styling that may as well have been sketched by aliens. The i8 will never be everything to everyone, but that's the point. With this hybrid powertrain/exotic body mashup, BMW introduces an era when both efficiency and guts can live in the same striking body.”

The I Brand is not the M brand, people who approach expecting M car track performance are missing the whole point of the I brand COMPLETELY. The target audience are not “pure sports car buyers” The I brand is about efficiency first and foremost. The target buyer is someone who values forward thinking technology, efficiency, and a progressive approach to a sporty car. The BMW i8 is the flagship of this brand, it offers real world levels of performance equivalent to a 911, and levels of efficiency equivalent to a Prius. Its a perfect showcase of what the I brand is capable of.

Dude, what the hell are you yammering about?? The JROBUSC poster and BMW4 one ALWAYS ARE POSTING PRO-BMW STUFF AND ALWAYS SEEMS TO "SHOW UP" ON AUDI TOPICS BASHING THEM!! Just click on their names and look at their posts, they NEVER concede a negative point about BMW, that's why they are taking chunks from any and all stories to paint a different picture. So how is that any different from what German guy is doing??!!

Meathelmet eer sorry I mean "Scope" (you probably have a dozen screen names) they don't post articles with the intent to spread misinformation or to put a negative spin on other brands..Germannut does.

Auto Car also had a similar conclusion as Car Magazine:

"The i8 can be enjoyed vividly enough as you approach that point, of course. But not ultimately as vividly as a £100,000 sports car really ought."

"If you genuinely don’t mind compromising on sporting clarity of purpose for lower emissions, enhanced economy and of-the-moment desirability, sure. But if that’s you, the sports car market would seem to be a strange place to go shopping for your next car anyway."

The BMW i8 doesn’t quite feel as exciting as it does fast; it’s secure and fluent, but not the last word in fun. Accounting for its novelty value, brimming supercar attitude and its low-emissions sense of environmental responsibility, it’ll be more than sporting enough to satisfy people who couldn’t otherwise have justified a sports car.

"But it’s not quite convincing enough to hit the heights that true enthusiasts will expect of it. There is all the intriguing complexity in the world to contemplate here, but sadly not quite enough depth."

This makes sense because most pure sports car buyers are looking for razor-sharp handling, engaging dynamics, and rapid acceleration, not fuel economy and being green. While the BMW i8 does a commendable job at combining the two, it comes up short in the sports car area and with a price tag of at least $136K, I'm not sure a 911 buyer will go for it. For just another $15K the heralded Porsche 911 Turbo can be had or for less the purer 911 C4S.

and here's a counterpoint from Automobile Magazine.

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/1404-2014-bmw-i8-review/

"Our experience has shown that fast mid-engine exotics are frequently clumsy on narrow canyon roads, and the driving experience is pretty much like flying a helicopter around your living room. But once you configure the 2014 BMW i8 in Sport mode... the car seems to shrink itself by half. You scribe the corners as if you were a hero of vehicle control."

"The thing that has always set apart BMW from other companies has been its culture, the way it tells a story and makes us a part of it. The same thing is at work here, only now the story that BMW tells is one of the future, one that expresses innovation -- new ways of thinking and new ways of driving."

"Just as a sports car should, the 2014 BMW i8 gets better the faster you go, and this alone is a revelation. Really, we could go on and on."

Really, we COULD go on and on. But let's not. You haven't driven one. MeatHelmet definitely hasn't driven one, and likely never will (you working for Audi, though, you might). If outright speed was all anyone cared about with expensive sports cars then Aston Martin would be out of business. The R8 V8 would never have been successful. There are cheaper and faster cars. And yet those vehicles soldier on, as desirable as ever. If you honestly don't think a car as revolutionary and forward thinking and downright stunning as the i8 can achieve that, then you're not just getting paid to be blind, you actually are obtuse. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt that you aren't, but let's see how intent you both are on proving me wrong.

It's BMW error then in pricing the i8 right in between the Audi R8 and Porsche 911 Turbo. BMW might think it's targeting those who wants a progressive and efficient car that just so happens to keep pace with a 911. Unfortunately, the pricing of the i8 puts it in DIRECT competition with the Audi R8 and the 911 Turbo and those buyers are shopping for performance first and efficiency is an after thought.

BMW is not going to change that perception. Sports car buyers want sports cars, plain and simple. While they might be able to get an 8/10ths sports with Prius efficiency and some extra-terrestrial design with the i8, it won't deliver the Porsche or R8's pureness.

It's not like there is a huge amount of buyers thinking I want to drive a sports car but won't buy an R8 or a 911 Turbo because the gas mileage sucks.

Auto Car never said it was about speed: "The BMW i8 doesn’t quite feel as exciting as it does fast; it’s secure and fluent, but not the last word in fun."

It's about driver enjoyment and the BMW i8 simply doesn't deliver Audi R8/Porsche 911 C4S/Turbo levels of it, but charges a price ($136K) that is almost squarely in between the $115K R8 and $150K 911 Turbo.

Not really an error when BMW had sold the first years allocation months ago.

You're probably right, sports car buyers buy sports cars. People that buy fashionable futuristic looking expensive cars buy fashionable futuristic looking expensive cars, and they will buy this. There is no mistake being made, and it doesn't strike me that people here are claiming it's ultimately as quick as a Porsche or an R8, if BMW had meant to try and claim those cars scalps this would not be an i8, it would've been built as an M8.

ugh....now it's about "sales" when the BMW can't deliver on handling and performance. Christ, you guys never give up do you?

nuttie - are you trying to tell me that the R8 delivers the same performance as the Porsche 911, as you know that it is not even close? What is the competitor to the R8? It is not the M6, nor is it a SL63 amg, definitely not a porsche as the 911 is 2x the car will ever be. What does the R8 do well, it sells on style and sex appeal. So please don't come in here and saying that the R8 is all that and a bag of chips....

Scope - what are you spewing about? BMW can't deliver on Handling? Didn't the M5 just best the RS7, E63 amg and the New Jaguar XF-R due to the best overall car? Hasn't the M3 bested EAch and EVERY car it has competed with? Yet those are performance cars.

What is so ridiculous in Autospies lately is the amount of nonsense and copying and pasting to prove a point about something. What happened to a car forum where you speak with actual enthusiasts about different cars? To have conversations with depth and meaning, rather than the constant slander and childish behavior that goes on and on. It is so annoying.

This article should have been about a discussion about the New I8 and the technology that the car provides and the innovation. Most of the reviews have been very positive. Some have wanted more performance, yet at what sacrifice as this car is slotted to be something different. Offering Incredible looks, with being "Green" yet with offering some pretty impressive performance.

I think I8 is very cool. The car looks amazing in person and can't wait til I have the Opportunity to drive it. Especially, I love it is the Blue.

If I want a Pure performance car, then I would get the GTR or the M3 or the 911 Cayman. Yet I love it when a Manufacturer thinks outside the box and brings something innovative and New to the table.

Personally, I'm not impressed with the i8. Maybe the technology is great, but performance is about average, it looks hideous, and the interior looks mainstream. I applaud BMW for taking a risk and I'm sure the next iteration of the car will fix alot of the demerits noted already, while keeping alot of the strengths.

To all those people who claim the BMW i8 was supposed to be a green and efficient car first and a performance car second are wrong. BMW always intended for the i8 to be an efficient sports car. They certainly got the efficiency part right, but not the "sports" part. BMWm4, I didn't claim the R8 was on the same level of performance as the Porsche 911, but the R8 is a much better performer than the i8 based on all of these test drive conclusions of the i8.

The i8 was designed to be a challenger to the Porsche 911 and Audi R8 in every sense and BMW's own marketing materials that were posted here on Autospies indicate as much. Unfortunately, the sporting aspect has come up a bit short even though the efficiency aspect is on target.

For a company that claims it "Only Makes One Thing: The Ultimate Driving Machine" and attempts to sell a car with a $136K price, a 0-60 time of around 4 seconds with looks from outer space - it is very clear the target was the Porsche 911 and Audi R8.

The sales numbers of these cars are so small relative to the annual totals of the respective brands that these are never going to be make or break vehicles.

BMW should be commended for creating this new niche of exotic sports car all-in-one package, but now it knows it need to work harder on the "sport" aspect if it is to attract buyers that expect 911 or R8 levels of performance along with their efficiency.

How do you figure not the "sports part right"? So I am curious as to what is the target of your beloved R8? That car is valued at $120k for a car that is around 4 seconds & very futuristic looks. Or the R8 V10 with a price tag of $150k. And you come on here to bring up the R8 as a what , Performance car ( not really )? What part of the R8 is actually Performance? A M3 will dust the R8, let alone the 911, the GTR, a M6, the vette, the Mercedes ...

The I-8 was not designed to directly take on the porsche, yet the R8, the Tesla, The Mercedes and yet provide something better or as most have said "the best of both worlds". It is Clearly more fuel efficient, with Spectacular looks, really good performance .... What more can one ask for? If you want a Performance car with Hyrbid technology then go buy the Porsche 918 and spend a cool million.

psst by the way the performance figures are better than the R8. As well as the fuel efficientcy and the technology. Oh wait you are going to say that Wait until the Audi R8 e-tron?

R8 is not a performance car? Nice try. In V10 form it will nearly keep pace with a 911 Turbo and is much easier to drive on a daily basis. Since when were 500+ horsepower, mid-engine cars not performance cars? The M3 is not keeping up with the R8 V10, not even close. Audi's target for the R8 is and always has been the 911 and Audi admits as much.

The BMW i8 was supposed to take on the Porsche, R8, Tesla etc. in the "performance" aspect but with regards to performance and more specifically with feedback and driving sub-categories it clearly has not achieved its goal. If you don't believe so just read many of the reviews. How do you figure BMW GOT the sports part right after reading some of these conclusions?

Efficient? Yes Futuristic? Yes Sports Car? Close but not quite. The goal was to be an efficient, futuristic, sports car - ie all three together in one.

Efficient? It's expected to be EPA rated at 60-80mpg. Check.

Sports car? At 3.8s 0-60 and 12.3 in the 1/4 it's quicker than the Audi R8, almost every Aston Martin, and 99% of the cars on the road, and all but three hybrid/electrics (Porsche 918, LaFerrari, McLaren P1, all costing around $1 million). Check.

Futuristic? It's made of carbon fiber and looks like aliens time travelled back with it. Check.

What were you saying again? Nevermind, I tried giving you the benefit of the doubt, but as I expected, you really were intent on proving you were obtuse. Good job though. You definitely succeeded.

"It's about driver enjoyment and the BMW i8 simply doesn't deliver Audi R8/Porsche 911 C4S/Turbo levels of it, but charges a price ($136K) that is almost squarely in between the $115K R8 and $150K 911 Turbo"

THE R8 is Nowhere near the same performance car as the Porsche 911. Quit using that in your arguement as the R8 has been dusted by both the 911 & the 911 turbo in the comparsions ...

You clearly have brought up the R8, and the only car the I-8 doesnt perform as well as is the R8 V10, yet that car is well over $160,000. The BMW is quicker than the R8 V8, as well as the M6 coupe ( which is a true performance car ), the M5 & the M6 convertible.

Also, you have your facts incorrect about pricing of your beloved R8...

R8 V8 ... 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds ... $114,900
R8 V10 .. 0 to 60 in 3.8 seconds ... $151,200
R8 V10 plus 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds ... $170,545

** so I can get the Performance of the R8 V10, with the fuel efficiency of a Hybrid, the looks of a futuristic car and technology the is leaps and bounds ahead of anything else for less money than the R8 v10? How is that not a win ?

or do I need to quote all the articles of the R8 in the numerous times it has lost head to head with the Porsche for a performance car ...

When it comes to a fun and involved drive - the i8 falls short, jRob. You of all people should know straight-line acceleration is only one component of a sports car and it is not as important as an engaged, lively and connected driving experience.

Just because the i8 can go fast in straight-line doesn't mean its a good sports car. It still doesn't give the feedback and precision when going all-out at 10/10ths. The 911 Turbo and C4S do and the R8, while it doesn't provide the same levels of feedback as the 911 Turbo, will more than likely provide greater feedback and precision than the i8 according to the many review conclusions.

The i8 is a good attempt at an efficient, futuristic sports car. While it nails the first two goals it comes up a bit short on the third.

Yeah, .92g of completely flat cornering and instantaneous turn in and responsiveness are just awful.

Anyway, get back to me when there's a review of the 1000lb heavier and even more expensive R8 e-Tron. You know, the one that they cancelled when they realized it would cost so much to make it competitive they decided to only build it on a special order status. But no worries, I'm sure it'll carry that extra weight just phenomenally in the turns.

Obtuse. I'm really trying to help you here, buckaroo, quit while you're only miles behind. You're just making it worse with every ridiculous "sponsored by Audi" post.

JRobUSC, no amount of g-force you mention, 0-60 mph and 1/4 mile time you state, or instantaneous turn-in will make up for the fact that the i8 is just not an engaging and involved car at the limit. It is certainly an efficient and futuristic car but it was designed to be those things and a sports car all wrapped in one. It's a strong attempt, but BMW has failed in the "sporting" aspect.

The reviews make this abundantly clear.

From Auto Car: " "The BMW i8 doesn’t quite feel as exciting as it does fast; it’s secure and fluent, but not the last word in fun."

From Car Magazine: "It’s a great showcase of BMW’s engineering skills, and is by far the best integrated hybrid system we’ve ever tested, but as a sports car it’s good rather than great."

From Telegraph: "I wanted to like the i8 so very much. It is truly impressive and special, as well being a gorgeous landmark car, yet its puzzling imprecision means that it falls just short of being a great drive."

Obtuse? More like the world knows BMW created a nice car in the i8, but failed in its attempt to make it an efficient, futuristic, ALL-OUT sports car, which was its intended goal from the start. I give credit to BMW for hitting the first two goals dead-on.

As for the R8 e-Tron, its only electric and its range is 279 miles, whereas the BMW i8's is 22. The R8 e-Tron is not a hybrid (there is no gasoline engine whatsoever).

The below quotes from Auto Car's test reveal the R8, even with its heavy battery is still a highly capable car:

"Squeeze the e-tron's throttle and, instantaneously, the electric motors spool and propel it forwards at a seemingly relentless rate. The throttle has a natural-feeling and linear response, impressive for an electric vehicle, while the braking system delivers barely perceptible transitions between regenerative and physical braking; there’s a phenomenal amount of stopping power on offer and engine braking can be simulated using the adjustable regeneration controls via the wheel-mounted paddles.

There’s a satisfying amount of feedback from the steering, assisted by being able to more easily hear what the tyres are doing, and the R8 corners in a flat fashion. Remarkably, it conceals its bulk well – 577kg of which is the battery – and never feels unwieldy or liable to break away unexpectedly. The ride quality is firm, predictably, but comfortable."

"Since the original test of the prototype, however, developments in battery technology have more than doubled the R8 e-tron prototype's range to 279 miles. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi's board member for technical development, stated that progress in battery technology and a more space-efficient packaging for the batteries had resulted in the improvements."

"So, regardless of how much you might want one, you won't be able to lay your hands on an R8 e-tron for the duration. Nevertheless, it's a phenomenal piece of engineering, finished to an incredible standard, that shows what's possible using electric

seriously, you are ridiculous. Please continue, I'm sure everyone is enjoying the show.

R8 V8 0 to 60 is 4.2 seconds. The R8 V10 is 3.2 to 3.8 seconds depending on which version. BMW I-8 is 3.8 seconds.

The Audi E-tron is not going to be a full scale production car. It is on a limited run, kind of like a test trial. Currently there is no actual production car that has been built or tested yet. Let me know when they do & at that time you can compare them....

" prototype, however, developments in battery technology have more than doubled the R8 e-tron prototype's range to 279 miles."

You are admitting that the car is prototype. Then what again is your arguement for? The I-8 is much more of a futuristic sports car than the R8 e-tron could ever be ( oh wait they don't even have an actual production car ) ....

So you're admitting the R8 V10 is faster than the BMW i8 (when comparing the fastest 0-60 times of each).

The R8 is limited production, meaning you can still buy one, but you just have to custom order it.

Technically the R8 V10 is the same acceleration as the I-8, unless you get the R8 v10 plus. Yet the R8 V10 starts at $151,200. The BMW I-8 starts at $135,900 . Then I will be happy to save the $15k and get a more fuel efficient, futuristic, technology advanced sports car with similar performance .

Thank you for justifying my debate.

Technically the R8 V10 is faster than the BMW i8. Straight from Audiusa.com the R8 V10 is 0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds with manual and 3.4 seconds with S-Tronic Transmission. The BMW i8, straight from bmwusa.com goes 0-60 in 4.2 seconds. If you want to use either the manufacturer's times or the fastest clocked times the R8 wins, no debate about it.

Sorry, but the i8 is not keeping up.

Stop thinking the i8 is nearly as involved as the Audi R8 - it's not. The Porsche 911 Turbo is 10/10 for driver involvement with the R8 at let's say 9/10 but the i8 is no more than a 7/10.

Not only can you not get the performance of an R8 V10 with an i8, but you're also not getting the involvement either. With the i8 you do, however, get futuristic looks and great fuel economy.

So you are saying that I am able to get better performance than a R8 V8 & not the R8 V10 ( and the v10 only bests the car by .4 tenths of a second ? ) awesome. Yet I will save myself at least $15k to $20k, yield at least 30 mpg better fuel economy, have a more technological advanced car & have a futuristic looking vehicle. I will take it.

Psst ... The I-8 was not intended to be a Pure Performance car. By the way the R8 V10 is not a 9/10 for driver involvement.

Here is the breakdown of Manufacturer Audi R8 performance times
4.3 sec (V-8 S tronic coupe),
4.6 sec (V-8 manual coupe),
4.5 sec (V-8 S tronic convertible),
4.8 sec (V-8 manual convertible);
3.6 sec (V-10 S tronic coupe),
3.9 sec (V-10 manual coupe),
3.8 sec (V-10 S tronic convertible),
4.1 sec (V-10 manual convertible);
3.5 sec (V-10 plus S tronic coupe.),
3.8 sec (V-10 pls manual coupe)

So, the I-8 actually does perform just as well. What is your next straw?

The quickest version is the R8 V10 plus as that car has been clocked to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. Yet that Version starts at $174,000. A clear $40k more than the I-8. The BMW quickest has been 3.8 seconds ... The regular R8 V10 is 3.6 seconds.

you are too funny as you just love to grasp at straws ...

I'm not grasping at straws. The R8 V10 is faster than the BMW i8, end of discussion. If you want to use price, that's a whole other discussion.

You obviously don't understand that 3.2, 3.5 and 3.6 seconds are faster than 3.8 seconds without price entering into the discussion.

By the way, at these prices $15-20K is not going to stop people from buying the car of their choice. They're already spending over $100K.

Not sure about where you live, but as a company lease the i8 would cost me nearly £1000 less per month in personal tax than an R8. Sorry, but even at this level, that's a saving that people won't ignore.