##backseatreviews No 2 - BMW i8

This is the second installment in a series where I talk about some interesting cars, examine their stats and discuss them. Note that much of this is just my opinion - feel free to disagree (constructively!) in the comments.

What is it?

The BMW i8 is a hybrid sports car/supercar released in 2013, with a roadster coming up for 2018. It is powered by a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder taken from Mini but highly tuned, plus an electric motor.

What are the numbers?

• Horsepower: 357hp @5800
• Torque: 406 lbft
• Transmission:
• 0-60mph: 4.4s
• Top speed: 155mph (limited)
• Kerb weight: 1539kg
• Price: £112,000
• Fuel economy: 134.5mpg (NEDC, UK gallons)

Pros

If you have a lot of money and want to one-up the Prius drivers, this is surely it. More performance, less displacement and better fuel economy! When it was released, the only high-performance hybrids out there were the Holy Trinity which are an order of magnitude more expensive and highly limited. It makes use of carbon-fibre reinforced polymer to reduce weight, and it’s all-wheel-drive since the electric motor drives the front motors. It also looks very good in my opinion - exotic and very futuristic.

Cons

The engine, while efficient, lacks sound so BMW added electronic fake sound which of course isn’t perfect. It’s also not nearly as efficient as you’d expect - in real life it gets closer to 40mpg. Performance-wise, it’s decent but not mind-blowing, especially with those thinner tyres to reduce rolling resistance. An M240i would probably be a decent match for it. The weight doesn’t exactly help - despite the carbon and small engine, it’s a heavy thing. It’s also rather difficult to get in and out of, as this image shows:

But the real problem with this car is that it hasn’t really been updated since it launched. The car world moves extremely quickly. When this car came out, there weren’t really many exotics in its price range - really it was just the Audi R8, higher-end Porsche 911s and perhaps sports-GTs like the Aston Martin Vantage. However, now you can buy a McLaren 540C for just a little more than one of these, and there’s also the AMG GT. Perhaps the biggest nail in the coffin for the i8 is the new Honda/Acura NSX, another hybrid, but unlike the i8, it can really compete with true supercars in terms of performance. The i8 is yesterday’s news - it was ground-breaking then, but not any more. Take note, Nissan.

The Competition

This car mainly competes with:

• Audi R8
• McLaren 540C
• Mercedes AMG GTS
• Porsche 911 GTS, GT3, Turbo
• Honda/Acura NSX

The i8 is a little cheaper than most of these, but it has a serious performance deficit. On a twisty road, a Porsche Cayman S would run rings around it. Granted, the i8 isn’t about all-out performance, but the real-life fuel economy isn’t great. And if you drive it hard for too long, you’ll deplete the battery which means you’re now limited to 220 dinosaur-fuelled horses.

What’s the reasoning behind this car?

At the time, BMW was working hard on its hybrid and electric “i” program, and they wanted a halo car. Hybrid supercars were still relatively new things - the Holy Trinity only emerged a couple of years before this. But now? It’s no longer the only hybrid in its sector, and certainly not the most capable. If the car was priced at £75k (about the same as base 911), it’d be a great deal. But at £112k, it really struggles.

Verdict

A car with an identity crisis. It tries to be both a supercar and an eco-car at the same time, but ends up being rather compromised on both fronts. Needs an update, and a straight-six M version.

If you have any suggestions for improvements or cars you’d like me to “review”, please leave them below!