BMW i8 UK first drive <b>Review</b> | Autocar |
| BMW i8 UK first drive <b>Review</b> | Autocar Posted: 11 Jul 2014 02:52 AM PDT What is it?The BMW i8, a car that has more depth and range to its dynamic abilities than almost any other car in history. Its hybrid power train and hybrid carbon/aluminium mid-engined chassis will enable it to hit 62mph in a mere 4.4secs and take apart the very best driving roads that bonny Scotland has to offer. Press the right buttons, select the correct modes within its numerous dynamic menus and it is, quite simply, a sharp, fast and highly engaging sports car to drive. One that's as quick as it is composed, sounds like the real deal, steers like the real deal, stops and handles like the real deal and just is, in conventional sports car terms, the real deal. And yet on the other side of the coin - or on the other side of the gear lever, to be accurate - the i8 has an entire ocean of altogether different tricks up its sleeve. Literally at the press of a button, it can be transformed from snarling, incisive sports car into a chilled, relaxing, smooth riding, near effortless cruising machine; one that can deliver a genuine 60mpg+ in the real world (or a theoretical 134.5mpg on paper) and which emits just 49g/km of CO2. Never before has such a vast range of dynamic attributes been available under just one roof, and maybe the most amazing thing of all about the i8 is that pretty much everything it does, it does well. Given that it costs less than £95,000 once the government grant has been taken into account, you even begin to wonder if the i8 isn't, in fact, a loss leader for BMW in return for showcasing Munich's intentions for the future. And if it isn't - if it really does turn out to be a profit-making vehicle just like a 3 or a 5-series, then it really is very clever indeed. Think about it. The i8's carbon/aluminium mid-engined chassis alone would be enough to justify its price from most other manufacturers, but in reality this is but the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the i8's development and engineering costs. Put it another way. How many other sports cars can you think of that cost less than six figures that have a combustion engine as sophisticated as the i8's three cylinder turbo. As well as that, think about how those cars that are also four wheel drive, feature two gearboxes, three electric motors, 200kg of lithium ion batteries. And also have body parts made from aluminium and carbon reinforced plastic to provide a surprisingly lithe combined kerb weight of just 1560kg, and which contain so much software that they could probably run the Large Hadron Collider machine in their spare time. Not much of a list, is it? The i8 is a deeply complex car technically, in other words; in its way it's every bit as sophisticated as the Porsche 918 Spyder or McLaren's mighty P1. Yet it costs the same as a Porsche 911. Whether it is profit making for BMW or not will be of no concern to its potential customers, however, who will instead be rather more interested in the way it drives and what it's like to sit in, ride in, revel in and, of course, own. What is it like?Very nice to sit in, once you've squeezed your way into its cabin via one of its dihedral doors across a sill that is frankly too high, and too wide. It's also great to travel in, borderline spectacular to drive on most roads and, as a result, is a machine that car enthusiasts will surely find as fascinating as it gets at this kind of money. I came away after a day of driving it in all of its various modes and on all sorts of different roads in Scotland, completely beguiled by it to be honest. It's one of those cars that you will still be learning things about several years further down the line. It intrigues on so many different levels, at both high and low speed, in the mind as well as beneath your backside. And the main reason why the i8 entertains so richly is because BMW has got the basics just about spot on. Select Sport, put your foot down and it delivers, plain and simple. Which actually makes all the other clever stuff that it can do – its massive mpg, its all-but zero emissions when driving in e-mode, its ability to cruise along a motorway like a limousine - that much more remarkable overall. Complaints? The steering is maybe a touch light and definitely a fair bit lacking in feel, even though it is without question hyper accurate on turn in. The ride in sport is pretty firm, so much so that I wish you could put the power train in sport and have the dampers in comfort but at the moment that's not possible, although BMW might well make a change to the software on that one in months to come. And the boot is also somewhat pathetic while the entry/egress routine is, as already intimated, surprisingly awkward. Should I buy one?Absolutely, because other than our few foibles the i8 really does represent a carte blanche moment in the history of the sports car. As BMW says, you can have your cake and eat it with this car. And for once the marketing claim is absolutely spot on. How does the BMW i8 compare against the Porsche 911? Find out here. BMW i8 Price £94,845 (with £5k government grant) 0-62mph 4.4sec Top speed 155mph Economy 134.5mpg CO2 emissions 49g/km Kerb weight 1560kg Engine 3 cyls, 1499cc, turbo, petrol, plus 129bhp electric motor Installation Mid, transverse, RWD (petrol); front, transverse, FWD (electric) Power 357bhp at 5800rpm Torque 420lb ft at 3700rpm Gearbox 6-spd auto  |
| <b>Car Review</b>: 2015 Subaru WRX STI | Driving Posted: 08 Jul 2014 02:03 PM PDT Overview A very high-performance compact sedan with all-wheel drive. Please be forewarned that this review will enter the motor head geek zone in very quick order. Welcome to the Cult of STI, where this review takes a look at Subaru's hyper performance version of the Impreza-based WRX. So what's with the STI designation? Actually this refers to Subaru Tecnica International, once known as STi … OK, that's just too much Subaru geekness but suffice to say, the STI is extremely well-known in the rally racing world and on the streets amongst the tuner crowd and for very good reason. The combination of rigid chassis design, turbocharger boxer engines and the famous symmetrical all-wheel drive place this Subaru amongst giants in the racing world and that brings a lot of street cred. The WRX STI has been available in Canada for 10 years but in relative boutique-level quantities. Those few make a big impression though with their popular look-at-me rear wings, probably the biggest available since the Dodge Daytonas and Roadrunner Superbirds of the late 1960s. For 2015 Subaru has made some changes along with the entire WRX lineup. Most notable is the longer wheelbase with a stretch of 25 millimetres. That has enlarged the cabin's legroom and smoothed out some of the fore and aft pitch that short wheelbase cars tend to suffer from over bumps. The chassis is also more rigid for 2015 as the body structure incorporates more high-tensile steel than the previous model and features additional stiffening gussets.  Yes, the WRX STI's brawny hoodscoop still leads to an intercooler. The engineers have added Active Torque Vectoring, an enhancement of the Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) system, allows for higher cornering speeds and handling. In certain cornering situations, the VDC system will apply slight braking to the inside front wheel to balance the steering. Finally, the selectable mode VDC allows the driver to select level of stability and traction control intervention, or turn it completely off. Feeling the urge to be a race engineer? The standard all-wheel-drive system is also configurable with the Driver Controlled Centre Differential (DCCD) with three automatic performance modes, in addition to six manual differential locking control settings. Normal torque split is 41:59 for handling agility. The STI's high-performance sport-tuned suspension is noticeably race-bred and will lead you to enter corners at a greater velocity. Sooner or later you will need to slow down and the Brembo performance brake system employs ventilated 4-wheel disc brakes with 4-piston calipers in front and dual-piston calipers in the rear do a great job. There is a combination of Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD) and super sport Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) that helps to enhance stability under hard braking. Hauling the STI to a stop are a set of Brembo brakes at all four corners. Let's take a look at what awaits under the aluminum hood with its bigger-for-2015 fresh air scoop. This gaping maw has been set deeper into the hood to allow for better vision over it but its like the rest of the STI — pure go over show — as it feeds outside air directly to the larger-for-2015 intercooler. Perhaps disappointing to the STI fanboys out in the land of online forums, Subaru has chosen to keep the "exclusive to WRX STI" 2.5-litre engine from last year. The turbocharged, four-cylinder Boxer motor produces 305 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 290 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. Ready for more driver involvement? The SI-DRIVE engine performance management with Intelligent, Sport and Sport Sharp settings allow you to set the level of performance from the engine department. Intelligent calms things down for mere mortals while Sport (S) is for the rest of us and Sport Sharp (S#) is for the hardcore STI pilots. As usual, the only transmission option for the WRX STI is a six-speed manual. The engineers have tweaked the six-speed manual gearbox with triple-cone synchronizers on 1st and 2nd, double-cone on 3rd gear; improved for lower noise and vibration and easier shifting effort for 2015 model. There's also lots more mechanical technology than can be described here, like the aluminum suspension parts and 18-inch cast alloy wheels shod with 245/40R18 summer performance tires, (the STI Sport-tech package has 18-inch forged BBS alloy wheels) so let's quickly have a look at the exterior. My opinion on the exterior styling? The short version is I like it although I prefer the previous five-door hatchback model,which is not available for now. Speak up, STI people, because Subaru is one manufacturer that listens. Your eye will no doubt be first attracted to the hood scoop which is one of the sexiest in the business. The windshield has been raked back to a steeper angle by moving the bottom edge forward by 200 millimetres. There are new HID headlights with LED daytime running lights on higher trim levels, as well as standard LED taillights. If you're not a fan of the "Hey, look at me, officer!" rear wing, the base STI should be your cup of tea. The lower body sill extensions are still aggressive but set lower to aid in the ingress and egress of the car. Thankfully my test car was the base STI and was not festooned with the high-speed, downforce-inducing, police-attracting wing which was actually raised to aid in rearward vision. Its getting close to the time to drive the STI so jump in the drivers seat and take a quick look around the cockpit. First you will notice the thick-rimmed, flat-bottom, leather-wrapped steering wheel with tilt and telescoping adjustments and integrated switches for audio and Bluetooth controls. Directly in front of you is a set of electroluminescent instrument panel and a 3.5-inch LCD screen to display various functions. Lit up in Subaru's favourite accent colour, red, I found the numbers on the speedo to be much too small and hard to read. At the top centre of the dash is the new multi-function display with 4.3-inch LCD screen. It provides the rear camera display, a boost gauge, audio, Bluetooth and climate control settings, VDC screen showing traction control operation and a vehicle self-check and maintenance reminders. It's colourful and informative, but best left for the front passenger to look at while under way, especially near the limits of the STI. For 2015, the Subaru WRX STI finally receives a boost gauge. The good news is the turbo's boost gauge has a telltale needle that will allow you to see what the peak boost was on your last blast through the gears. The front racing-style seats are as comfortable and supportive as ever while the rear passengers will benefit from 50mm of more legroom. Now, turn the key and fire up this new STI and hit the road. This promises to be one memorable driving experience according to all the technical specifications and the WRX STI lives up to each and every one. But I have one big issue that I can not resolve with this road rocket: I can't justify paying an $8,000 premium to get performance that I can not truly enjoy outside of a road-racing course. The STI in Sport mode is essentially a WRX. Turn the magic dial to Sport Sharp to release all of it's potential and you must drive the car at its's limits because that's where the power band is and that's where the suspensions stiffness transforms into amazing road-holding control. Below those limits of RPM and outright velocity, the STI is a rough-riding WRX. Other cars such as domestics with lumbering V8 motors make their power at lower RPMs and they rely on torque to provide amusement between stoplights or powering out of a corner. The STI is a higher-bred racing machine that requires skill and a closed track to reach its potential. It's an amazing car, but more than the streets of Montreal can handle. The WRX STI is nothing short of capable, but as a daily driver, it might be a little too much. The Specs Type of vehicle All-wheel drive 5-passenger compact sedan |
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