What's the difference?
BMW has been incredibly smart with its electric vehicle (EV) offerings in Australia to date.
Ever since the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption was introduced for novated lease buyers of EVs under the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold, the German brand strategically introduced versions of its EVs that qualify.
The BMW i4 eDrive35 electric liftback, which is based on the locally defunct 4 Series Gran Coupe, is one of these cars.
It recently received a mid-life update that brought more range and features, while remaining under the LCT threshold for fuel-efficient vehicles.
However, the plot thickens. BMW is soon set to launch its new i3 electric sedan which is based on the company’s Neue Klasse dedicated electric architecture.
BMW hasn’t given the i4 an official production end date, however overseas reports indicate it’ll end as soon as next year to make way for the new i3.
Should you hold out for this new-generation car, or does the i4 still hold up? Read on to find out.
The new Ford Mustang GT was not designed for Paris.
Fighting through the morning peak hour rush (which seems to extend through the middle of the day and the afternoon), the new Mustang feels like a caged animal. Which is appropriate, given the car’s namesake is a wild horse that exists to roam the American wilderness.
But once we finally break the shackles of Parasian traffic we find ourselves getting to let this Mustang gallop across the French countryside and unleash its full potential. But more on that later…
The reason we're driving the Mustang in France is because the American brand wanted to connect it to its new racing program at the famous Le Mans sports car race (you know, the one in the Matt Damon movie, Ford v Ferrari).
No less than Bill Ford, great-grandson of the company’s famous founder, was on-hand to see the Mustang at Le Mans, such is the passion for performance.
Ford (the man, not the company) took the opportunity to declare that the Blue Oval brand is not only committed to internal combustion engines for the foreseeable future, but it will retain the V8 under the bonnet of the Mustang GT for as long as it can legally do so.
Australians will have to wait a few more weeks (maybe months) before the seventh-generation Mustang arrives, but here’s what you can expect when it lands on local roads.
The BMW i4 balances a solid, old-school feel with the beauty and stunning looks of high-end technology. It feels like the end of an era for the German brand before it leaps into the screen-heavy age of software-defined vehicles.
While BMW hasn’t publicly announced an end-date for i4 production just yet, the new i3 is bound to overshadow it once it arrives. It offers more than double the claimed range and will likely address a number of this car’s flaws.
In the meantime however, the i4 is definitely worth considering if you value driving dynamics and a quality feel in a car that you can drive daily.
Having driven the latest example of the Mustang GT, I hope Bill Ford is true to his word and keeps the V8-powered Mustang for as long as possible. It isn’t the most razor-sharp sports car or the most powerful muscle car, but it offers the kind of driving thrills and enjoyment that have made the car an icon.
The price increase is steep but the new technology inside drags the Mustang into the modern era and will add more youth appeal to a car that is largely unchanged in concept for the past 60 years.
But now that I’ve driven it in the USA and France, I can’t wait for it to finally reach Australia.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.