BMW's i3 Coupe Concept Beats The Hell Out Of A Nissan Leaf

BMW’s future is heading towards more mass-market appeal. Nothing wrong with wanting a bigger slice of the pie, we suppose – we’ve gone over it here before. Unfortunately, BMW wants us to believe that mass market means tall, narrow, stodgy looking buckets, like the i3 concept they showed at Frankfurt last year. If you don’t recall, the i3 is an electric-powered urban runabout that has a 100-mile range and looks a bit like a fish.

For the LA Auto Show this year, they’ve reimagined the i3 as a two-door coupe, and to our eyes the styling is a lot more successful. Maybe it’s the brazen shade of orange they’ve chosen. The drooping rear window is surely an up-and-coming 'styling meme' already seen on the Hyundai Coupe and… err, the new Honda Odyssey. It makes the vast expanse of flat real estate much more interesting, and the snubbed nose isn’t too bad either.

Around the back, the glass-covered rear end reminds us of the VW Up, and the way the roofline pinches down at the back is creative, too.

What’s interesting is the powertrain. It’s all electric, with a 168-horsepower/184lb-ft motor powered by a lithium-ion battery pack under the rear seats. With a chassis made of CFRP and dimensions similar to a Volkswagen Polo, the i3 Coupe is reasonably rapid: 0-62mph in under 8 seconds is nothing to choke at. And since the electric motor turns the rear wheels, it’s still a proper BMW. Performance similar to the E30 325i is a good starting point. The production i3 will also be available with the much talked about 1.5L turbocharged 3-cylinder petrol engine for those that don’t want to plug in every 100 miles.

The interior is very modern but unmistakably BMW, with a focus on sustainability – a big word these days. The centre stack is angled towards the driver like a real BMW should be, and there’s a full suite of connectivity apps and functionality for you to play with when you're stuck in gridlock.

We're glad to see that BMW’s going to make a city car that is distinctly a BMW. And as unconventional as it may be, it beats the hell out of a Nissan Leaf or Kia Picanto!