Once the performance figures were revealed, many people wondered why BMW insisted calling the i8 a “sportscar”.

Still, many people also backed up the manufacturer, including world famous journalist Jeremy Clarkson, who placed it 2nd in his sportscar top.

So why is it so special then? Well besides what we already know, namely the heavily used CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic) along side aluminium and magnesium, the list of standard equipment was leaked and the whole picture is now more clear to us.

The standard equipment includes:
– Professional Navigation
– Harman Kardon Sound System
– Adaptive Cruise Control
– Adaptive LED Headlights
– Alarm System
– Display Key
– eCall and BMW i Services
– Electronic Dim/Folding mirrors
– Park Distance Control
– Storage Package
– Lights Package
– Surround View Cameras
– High Beam Assist
– Collision Mitigation
– Pedestrian Protection
– Speed Limit Info
– Head-Up Display
– Real-Time Traffic Info
– Bluetooth Connectivity (and USB devices)
– BMW Apps
– BMW Remote Services
– Concierge Services

Considering all the goodies, the $136.000 price tag makes this particular car quite the big competitor in its segment.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW lets us know what the i8 comes equipped with appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

For a while now, BMW has been circulating news about a third name for their brand new i sub-branch, namely the i5.

But while they have already confirmed plans for this model, they have yet to green light its production.

The reason behind this is the fact that the German car maker is not yet sure of the complete success of their first two green cars, with a greater emphasis on the small i3. They have invested heavily into developing the technologies that went into making the model, so the safe thing to do is wait until they know for sure that the i3 will sell.

So far, most signs point toward a great evolution of the small electric city car, even if not quite as “industry shifting ” as it was promised to be. There are those that say that BMW has a lot more riding on the success of the i3. With the huge investment in the development of the CFRP, the manufacturer has tied a lot of money into the i3, and should it not sell, BMW will go bankrupt. Maybe that’s going a bit far. Still, we will see if the i5 will come to fruition or not in the next period.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post The BMW i5 highly dependent on i3 success appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

I have recently seen a map detailing human concentrations on earth, and while Europe isn’t all that well, one look at Asia and you know where the majority of people live.

But this is common knowledge, just like the fact that among Asian countries, India is the most densely populated.

This also translates into a very high traffic congestion, and into an overall polluted environment. It’s no wonder that bikes are such a common sight in India. And now, BMW plans to introduce their green i models to the struggling country. So far, BMW only has two models to fit in this category, namely the small city car dubbed i3 and the aggressive sportscar i8.

Thinking about it, it makes sense that the German car maker should try to sell their green small vehicle in India, but so far, it seems that emphasis is on the sportier model, which caught the attention of the upper class of the Asia country. BMW allocated 8 units of the i8 for the country, at least for now, and anyone desiring to purchase one, should probably hurry.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW bringing i models to India appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

It is a known fact that the BMW i3 uses a lot of new tech the car maker developed especially for the electrical city car.

Some feared that, while the car itself isn’t that cheap on its own, maintaining it could also prove to be quite expensive.

Or maybe not, as Manuel Satting, BMW i’s Communications Manager recently stated. The chassis uses mostly CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) with the body panels built out of plastic. The clip-on system used for the panels makes for an easy replacement procedure of just a few minutes. This is both time and cost effective.

Besides the low cost of the maintenance, there is also the obvious low fuel consumption, but the advantages don’t stop there. Another side to this whole business is the insurance. It seems that the BMW i3 will grab low prices for all classes, further improving on the long term economy of the car. With more information becoming available, it’s easy to see that the small i3 did earn all the awards it got and will continue on getting.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i3 proves to be cheaper on the long run appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

It seems that BMW is awaiting verdict from one of Germany’s more prominent car magazines, with special attention to the newcomers, the i3 and i8.

I am speaking of Auto Motor und Sport, which is gearing up to pass judgement for the 2014 Car of the Year Award.

This is quite the prestigious award, and while not the first one that either cars would receive, it is a bit closer to heart (or at least home) for the Bavarian car maker. But this is not the only reason for the manufacturer to hope for the best.

As you know, the i3 and i8 are the company’s first endeavor into the electrical vehicles market, and it is crucial they begin strong. I’d say there is not much to fear. The i3 is already out, and not many people deemed necessary to speak ill of it. While the i8 is still a ways out, there is no reason to think it won’t be just as big a success as the smaller EV.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW going for Auto Motor und Sport prize appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The time is finally here when the brand new electric city car from BMW earns its safety points from the Euro NCAP.

And for all the technology that went into it, and its CFRP body, it still has a lot of issues, managing 4 stars when the tests were concluded.

While the carbon fiber body performed quite well at the frontal impact test, and even at the lateral barrier test, it didn’t go so well when they subjected the car to lateral pole impact or rear impact. This mean that should you ever find yourself in an unavoidable bad situation, just aim for the tree or wall, you’ll have better chances.

When it comes to pedestrian safety, the BMW i3 didn’t get a clean bill either. While full points were awarded for pedestrian legs, the front edge of the hood pulled it down. As for the safety assists, the BMW i3 really showed its flaws, barely managing a score, mostly because many features were optional, and not taken into consideration.

Drawing the line, the guys from Euro NCAP decided that the BMW i3 is rated at 86% protection for adult occupants, while children get 81% safety. Pedestrian safety was rated at 57% while safety assists at 55%.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i3 gets the Euro NCAP test and result appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

There is one thing we just have to appreciate about BMW, even beyond the great quality of their products, and that is the way they keep true to a concept.

Whenever a car maker releases a concept of a certain model, it passes several stages before reaching production form, and that final form usually is so much more bland and tasteless.

Yet BMW manages to keep the styling almost unchanged from the concept phase up until it reaches assembly lines. And that is a good thing, as most concepts tend too look quite amazing. The same thing has happened with the i8 hybrid supercar, which didn’t really change much in design from the first form until now.

In fact, the car is so good that it already started gathering prizes under its belt, well before it is released unto the streets. And we can’t help but notice this happening in a similar fashion to its smaller brother, the i3. Now, after already making 2nd place as the best surpercar in a top 100 released by Jeremy Clarkson, it also managed to get a 1st prize in Automobile Magazine’s 2014 Design of the Year Award.

This doesn’t really come as a surprise, as not many working vehicles can pull that kind of looks on a relatively low budget. So I guess congratulations are in order for the German car maker their i8 model.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i8 wins another prize: Design of the Year Award appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

While Europe is already enjoying the i3 and has seen plenty of the i8 sportscar, the American market had to made due with only what the internet offered.

Well, no more, as the German car maker has finally brought the two models on display at the Los Angeles Motor Show.

While the first peaks were only reserved for press representatives, the i3 didn’t fail to make a great first impression on the new continent. It seems that some 8.000 orders have already been placed, taking the manufacturer by surprise. BMW is even considering increasing the capacity the plants work at, in order to avoid delays in delivery.

The BMW i8 can’t be ordered yet, but considering the success of the i3, chances are good that the sportier hybrid will also sell, even if it’s still a few months out. As for the small i3 EV, the US pricing will start at $41.350, but since government incentives are almost a certainty, you can expect to pay less.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW brings the i3 and i8 to America appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

With the BMW i8 hybrid sportscar rapidly approaching it launch date, more and more pictures emerge on the internet.

A recent batch of photos caught the BMW i8 in the wild. That is, the streets of various German cities.

Along with this new set of photos we also get to see the i8 sport new colors. This is quite a treat, as the original theme was getting quite bland. The units that were caught on camera sport paints like the Ionic Silver, Crystal White and Sophisto Grey.

The BMW i8 units were spotted in Munich, Leipzig and Nurburg, respectively. With the vehicle’s specs fully revealed, the BMW i8 has already started gathering laurels. Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson has already placed it second in a very nice sportscar top 100. Considering the power output compared to the competitors, the i8 is quite the machine to achieve this.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post New photos of the BMW i8 appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.

The brand new line of vehicles from the Bavarian car maker have been making news all over the world.

Both the BMW i3 and i8 were designed from the ground up as electric, respectively hybrid vehicles, and they bear the promise to change the industry.

With the BMW i8 sportscar already presented to the world for the first time at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show, it is time that the US market get a closer look at the model. This will happen at the 2013 LA Auto Show, and event greatly anticipated by the American enthusiasts in no small part thanks to the i8.

Even if it only has a 363 Hp and 570 Nm of torque output from the hybrid system, the BMW i8 is still regarded as one of the best sportscars to emerge in 2013. The US market will have to wait until next year to actually get the opportunity to grab an i8, and then they will have to part with $135.700 to buy it.

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Marcus M.

http://www.bmwcoop.com

The post BMW i8 set to make an American debut at the LA Auto Show appeared first on BMWCoop | BMW Blog, BMW News, BMW Reviews.