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BMW i8 car review: 911 performance and 3 Series company car tax

BMW’s extraordinary i8 reconciles a mass of contradictions to bring you supercar performance and at least a theoretical 113mpg in the same amazing beast.
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BMW i8: hybrid supercar

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8 May 2014

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The i8 is a real jaw-dropper to look at, yet pootles around town on electric power only

What’s hot?

  • Normally when it comes to styling, looks like this can be divisive, but during our test drive in i8 we had nothing but shouts of appreciation and thumbs-up from everyone. This car draws a crowd like nothing else on the road.
  • It’ll happily cruise around town in electric-only mode, where it feels about as fast as a Golf GTI. The silence and cosseting ride from the adaptive dampers make for a relaxing drive.

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    Scissor doors and ground hugging stance apart, inside the i8 feels more familiar BMW territory
  • But put it in Sport mode and the i8 becomes more hard-edged. There’s no lag – just put your foot down and the electric motor will launch you forwards before the engine’s torque kicks in and both power sources create a seamless surge of power.
  • You’ll be surprised just how fantastic the three-cylinder engine sounds; it’s got a bit of a classic Porsche 911 sound to it.
  • It handles well, too, thanks to its relatively low kerbweight and the lowest centre of gravity of any BMW. The steering stands out, with nice quick responses that really help you get the most out of the chassis. It tends to understeer rather than oversteer so feels accessible to all drivers.
  • So it sounds like a performance car so far, but the economy figures are more befitting of a hybrid supermini. BMW claims it’ll do 135mpg and emit just 49g/km of CO2.
  • That’s great news for company car buyers because it means the i8 currently sits in a 5% BIK band, though it moves up to 9% in 2015/16 and 11% in 2016/17.
  • Those CO2 emissions are also low enough to ensure the i8 qualifies for 100% write-down allowance, so it’s good for the company as well.

 

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Practicality probably not the strong suit. The plus 2 seats in the back are really just for show but will give you somewhere to put your luggage as it ain’t going in the boot

What’s not?

  • BMW calls the i8 a 2+2 but it’s really just a two-seater. Those spaces in the back are far too upright and there’s barely any knee room at all.
  • There is a boot but, again, it’s a little too small to be of much use. A soft weekend bag is about enough to fill it up.
  • And while those fuel economy figures do sound fantastic, we spent about half the day driving economically and half in Sport mode, coming out at the end of our time with the car at just shy of 50mpg.
  • It’s worth saying as well that if you want the sports car that’s the most fun to drive, then a 911 still beats the i8.

 

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Matt Morton

Matt Morton

Matt Morton is an automotive content writer for Business Car Manager

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