BMW M550I Reviews

BMW's i8 might feature a cutting-edge hybrid powertrain and over-the-top looks to make you think it's a supercar-slaying machine, but the truth is that it's actually a lot tamer than its styling might suggest.With a low-slung silhouette, and the theatre (and impracticality) of butterfly doors on the coupe, the i8 looks ready to demolish the established supercar big players such as Ferrari and Lamborghini, but in actual fact BMW has prioritised efficiency over performance.Mounted just behind the driver and passenger is a 170kW/320Nm 1.5-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine that drives the rear wheels, while a 96kW/250Nm electric motor drives the front wheels, giving the BMW i8 all-wheel-drive grip.The combined output, though, is rated at 266kW/570Nm, meaning the BMW i8 is comparable in power to a Nissan 370Z Nismo or Audi S5, while its torque figure exceeds that of the Mercedes-AMG C43 and Lexus LC500.With a six-speed automatic transmission in tow, the BMW i8 0-100km/h acceleration can be dispatched in 4.4 seconds - much slower than its contemporaries in a similar price bracket such as the Audi R8 and Mercedes-AMG GT.Meanwhile, the BMW i8's quarter-mile (0-402m) was in the range of 12.1 seconds to 12.3s, according to independing testing.The BMW i8 top speed was also limited to 250km/h, much less than the often 300km/h-plus capabilities of supercars at the time.Without the limiter, though, its hard to tell how fast the BMW i8 will go, but then again it was never designed to be an outright record-setting in pace.Where the i8 makes up for its lack of straight line performance is with its ultra-efficient fuel economy figure of just 2.1 litres per 100km, largely thanks to its plug-in hybrid powertrain that enables around 40km of all-electric driving range.That's right, the BMW i8 is also a plug-in, and is actually the world's best-selling plug-in sports car, with more 20,000 sales.The cars from 2015-2017  featured a battery size of 7.1kWh, which was boosted to 11.6kWh from 2018 for an increased range all-electric driving range of 55km.The electric motor was also boosted to deliver 105kW with the update, resulting in a new combined total of 275kW/570Nm for the 2018 model, but the BMW i8 acceleration remained steady at 4.4s for the 0-100km/h run.The BMW i8 maximum speed also remained unchanged at 250km/h after the update.However, American publication Car and Driver managed to achieve a 0-60mph (97km/h) confirmed time of 4.1s on test, though it was for the convertible version that lacks the two rear seats and sports a folding fabric top.

BMW Australia will introduce two special-edition versions of its X3 and X4 M40i performance SUV pair, dubbed Frozen Edition due to their Frozen Deep Grey metallic paint finishes.Limited to 37 examples - split 17 and 20 for the X3 and X4 - the Frozen Editi

BMW is gearing up to add more electric vehicles to its line-up, with confirmation of an all-electric version of the next-generation X1 small SUV.Announced as part of BMW Group's annual conference, the German giant also laid bare more details of its upcomi

BMW has finally sorted out the M4, even in the hedonistic and yet still ballistic Competition Convertible. New from the ground up, and now with all-wheel drive, the 3 Series-based high-performance four-seater sun-seeker raises the bar for its mix of speed, handling, ride, comfort and control, blitzing all before it, even when you lower the taut fabric roof. It wears the M badge honourably.

BMW was one of the first brands to commit to the electric future with its i3 hatchback, but its cutting-edge technology and bespoke platform drove up prices and kept it out of hands of everyone except early adopters. BMW’s next-gen of EVs, however, share much with corresponding petrol and diesel models. So, does something like the i4 do enough to differentiate itself?

Launching the right car at the right time is the greatest challenge for the car industry. 

BMW’s first standalone electric vehicle since the fabulous but compromised i3 hatch has a lot riding on its broad shoulders. Can it pack a punch like the Tesla Model X?

A front-wheel drive BMW? Blasphemy, right? Well, the 'F40' 1 Series has been a reality for a couple of years, and now there's a FWD hot hatch to tempt buyers. So, does the new 128ti variant tick all the right boxes?

There's been so much change in the automotive industry of late, it's hard to know who's who in the zoo.Globalisation has seen more car companies change hands, re-brand or change names, and understanding who, or what entity, owns a car company is tricky.Yo

Episode 218 - Best hybrids coming to Australia in 2022!