It's pretty hard to mistake the BMW i8 for anything other than what it is. In fact even the non car-enthusiasts I know have been able to recognize this car from a distance.
Today myself and the CarsWithoutLimits team had the chance to check out this beautiful BMW i8 Roadster supplied by BMW of Newmarket. In exchange for some photos and publication on the Instagram page, our team got a full hands on experience with the car for the first time!
I'll admit that I hadn't researched this car much more than the one Doug Demuro video I had seen from when the BMW i8 was first released, so I did kind of go into this blind. I was actually surprised to find out that for a car with only a 3 cylinder engine (which would make it smaller than my A4 2.0T?) could sit on the same level as other supercars. But let's be honest, if the doors on your car point to the sky like that of the Mercedes SLR, and that is how it comes from the factory, you're no longer looking at a regular, everyday commuter car.
What I liked very much about the i8 is that for a BMW model is that for a car that holds little to no resemblance of other BMW classes, it still retains the same grille/face that we've come to identify the BMW brand.
Our first location for shooting the i8 was at a popular park in the GTA area known as the Scarborough Bluffs. This park has winding, steep roads with some of the best scenery that you will get in a city known as an urban jungle. This provided for a nice backdrop to shoot the hybrid-electric i8 although it did pose it's challenges for lighting as the sun started to disappear.
Acting quickly, we headed to a local residence which provided an equally as fitting environment with the modern styling. Even more surprising was that tucked away in the garage was a beautiful Bentley Continental GT. Acting as a director, I directed both the i8 and GT into their positions to make for some great photos and ending to our video. It was pretty fun shooting this part especially as people passing by on the street would roll slowly to get some photos of their own, and in some cases even parking and getting their photo taken in front of the whips!
My final thoughts on the i8 is that it is definitely a beautiful vehicle with unique style. There is no doubt that you will get looks as you roll around town, even if they can't hear you when you are utilizing the electric engine! Is it worth the price tag of $150,000? Debatable. I believe it would depend on the person you ask and if it checks off all of the supercar functions you were looking in a vehicle. I am also yet to see someone really do some modifications to a vehicle like this - maybe there is a reason it hasn't yet been.
Would you buy it?