BMW i Series 2014 News

BMW is about to launch its first mass-produced vehicle to run solely on electric power. The German company is normally in the forefront of technology, but surprisingly, in this instance is running behind the Japanese and Americans.The first vehicle to come out of the new BMW i sub-brand, the i3 is a compact five-door hatch that uses a combination of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic and aluminium to keep the car's weight down to 1195 kg.POWERTRAINPower comes from a lithium-ion battery pack mounted on the floor of the chassis rather within the cabin. While this pushes up the overall height of the car, giving it a semi-SUV look, it does provide a higher driving position.The electric motor generates up to 125 kW of power and 250 Nm of instantaneous torque that's sent to the rear wheels. It allows the BMW i3 to get from standstill to 100 km/h in a sporty 7.2 seconds.Range is quoted at between 130 and 160 km, however this can be increased up to around 200 km by using either the Eco Pro or Eco Pro+ modes, although these do impact upon the car's performance and air conditioning effectiveness.By fitting an optional 647 cc two-cylinder rear-mounted petrol engine range can be further increased to around 300 km. The range-extender engine does not power the vehicle but is used solely to charge the batteries through an electrical generator. The tiny engine – it's sourced from a BMW Motorrad scooter – is located beneath the boot floor and adds 150 kg to the weight of the i3, so slightly reducing the battery-only range.The range-extender would seem a natural fit for Australia's sprawling cities, indeed BMW Australia is considering including it as standard. A big advantage of a petrol range-extender is that it can be refuelled in a few minutes.The batteries can be charged at home through a conventional 10-amp power socket (11 hours for a full charge) or a specially-installed BMW i Wallbox (six hours). Fast charging stations are still a rarity in Australian cities but will grow in time.STYLINGWe were able to examine and sit in, but not drive, a pre-production version of the i3 at BMW Australia's head office in Melbourne. The styling is quite distinctive with a sweeping rear roofline cleverly offset by a dip in the beltline at the base of the rear windows to improve outward visibility.Entry to the back seats is through rear-hinged doors which can only be opened when the front doors are open. The resultant wide opening provides easy access and, with no B-pillar to intrude, will improve the driver's vision.The traditional kidney grille clearly identifies the i3 as a BMW, although it is purely cosmetic – the range extender, where fitted, is cooled via a small radiator located next to the front wheels – and framed with a blue highlight which is continued on the door sills. U-shaped LED headlamps wrap around to the side of the car. INTERIORStorage space is limited with 250 litres in the rear hatch area regardless of whether or not the range extender engine is fitted plus an additional 35 litres under the bonnet at the front of the car. With the batteries out of the way under the car the rear seatbacks can be folded flat to expand the available space to 1100 litres.Another standout feature is the wheels which although large in diameter (19- or 20-inch) are quite narrow to improve the car's aerodynamics and reduce tyre drag on the road.Four design options are available: Atelier, Loft, Lodge and Suite with a choice of six colours, all two-toned with a black band running from the bonnet across the roof to the bottom of the hatch.INFOTAINMENTLike the system we've seen previously in the Nissan Leaf the BMW i Remote App allows smartphone owners to remotely display information such as range and current battery charge status as well as adjusting the temperature of the interior before entering the car.There are two monitors located on the dashboard, a small one in front of the driver that shows relevant charging and performance information and a larger (10.3-inch) one in the centre with the normal multimedia and navigation features.The second model to come from BMW i will be quite different to the i3. Not only is the i8 a sports car but it is a plug-in hybrid combining a 1.5-litre petrol engine with a lithium-ion battery pack. We'll do a detailed report on the i8 closer to its arrival date.PRICINGThe BMW i3 is expected to go on sale in mid-2014, and the i8 towards the end of that year. They will only be sold through one selected dealership in each of the major capital cities, initially in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane to be followed by Perth, Canberra and Adelaide. Service will be available at most BMW dealerships.Pricing and specifications will be provided closer to the i3's launch next year but as a guide prices in the United States start at $US42,000 and in Britain at around 30,000 Pounds. In both cases there is government assistance to encourage buyers towards environmentally friendly vehicles – sadly something in which Australia's civic leaders have shown no interest to date. The optional range-extender adds around $US4000. 

BMW has confirmed key details for the new engine lineup for the 2014 Mini Cooper range, which will make its first public appearance simultaneously at the Tokyo and LA motor shows in November.The new F56 Mini Cooper will be available with a three cylinder engine for the first time, with new 1.5 litre turbo petrol and turbodiesel triples to make up the volume of Mini's most popular model. A 2.0-litre turbocharged four cylinder engine will power the Cooper S model, with the modular units developed by BMW for the first time.The first two Mini generations under BMW's stewardship used engines developed in conjunction with Chrysler and PSA respectively, and the new third-generation BMW model's petrol engines are related to the 170kw 1.5 litre petrol three used by the new i8 hybrid sports coupe.In Mini guise, the direct-injected TwinPower 1.5 litre petrol develops 100kW/220Nm from 1250rpm(with 230Nm on overboost), while the Cooper S-spec direct-injected TwinPower 2.0 litre makes 141kW/280Nm (with 300Nm on overboost).The new 1.5 litre turbodiesel makes 85kW and 270Nm, representing a slight power gain over the current 82kW/270Nm 1.6-litre four.Both petrol engines represent a gain on the existing 90kw/160Nm base 1.6-litre four, and the 135kW/240Nm for the turbocharged Cooper S, while a challenger for the current 155kW/260Nm and 160kw/260Nm John Cooper Works (JCW) range-toppers will likely come later.The 170kW achieved by the three cylinder unit in the i8 suggests that a figure in the vicinity of 226kW is possible for the 2.0-litre JCW models, which could make the smaller Mini a serious rival for the current hot hatch hero Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG.BMW claims that all engines will trump their existing counterparts for fuel efficiency and emissions with Euro 6 compliance, but exact figures will have to wait until the Cooper's November unveiling.Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions will continue to be offered across the range, and a fuel-saving stop/start system will now be standard. Automatic models equipped with satnav will also be able to downshift in preparation for upcoming hills and intersections, using similar technology to the new Rolls Royce Wraith and Ghost models.Kerb weights of the new Cooper lineup have been minimised through the use of construction technology shared with the i3 and i8 models, but once again, Mini is yet to mention specific figures. The new model will continue the Cooper tradition of a dynamically-focused chassis, with a multi-link rear end and single-link spring-strut front end, and adaptive dampers will be available for the first time on Mini models.Following the Cooper's LA and Tokyo debuts, the new model is expected to make its way down under in the second quarter of 2014.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn  

But do we really care more about volts and hertz than kiloWatts and Newton-metres?

The concept's scissor doors have made the cut, although they're no longer made of tinted glass. And the producton i8 also gets the standout rear flying buttresses -- on what is one of the best-shaped derrieres in the car world.It sports different wheels, but arguably more handsome ones than the concept. And while the interior is understandably less space station and more current BMW cues, it retains the signature blue accents in the instruments cluster, and sculpted steering wheel.It also carries over the concept's petrol-electric hybrid system, comprised of a 170kW 1.5 litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine -- the highest power: displacement unit in the BMW stable -- and a small 96kW electric motor that work in tanden to deliver a combined 266kW and 570Nm.A six-speed automatic transmission delivers drive from the engine to the rear wheels, and the electric set-up looks after the front ones, with the weight distibuted 50:50 between front and rear.Watch video here. 

One of the big magnets at Frankfurt motor show this year was the dynamic BMW i8 - but performance purists might be horrified to learn the Bavarian muscle car only has a three-cylinder turbo 1.5-litre petrol engine. And an electric motor.But the output is staggering: 170kW/320Nm from the tiny petrol motor and the rest from the electric power plant, for a total output of 266kW and a whopping 570Nm of torque. It goes to 100km/h in 4.4seconds and uses next to no fuel. Try 2.5litres/100km.It's an all-wheel drive model, with the electrics powering the front wheels and the three-potter the rear. Most of the body is of carbon fibre plastic, the suspension and other underbody parts are aluminium and the electric bit can be recharged at home in about four hours.BMW says the i8 is likely to go from concept to production in a matter of months and has even worked out a price for it: US$136,000. It might be a tad more if it comes to Australia.Ferrari produced a 458 Speciale, said to be its 'best V8 ever'. The blue-striped red coupe producing some pretty decent numbers: 445kW/540Nm, three seconds flat from standstill to 100km/h and a top speed of 325km/h.Across the passage Fiat had a flotilla of its cute littlies. There was the 500e, an electric powered one with a 140km range, the 63kW GQ Twinair, a turbo S version with 77kW and one called Living which offered a head-spinning 88kW.Plus a 500 Abarth circa 1959, one of the world's earliest mini hotties, alongside the latest and considerably bigger version. But Alfa Romeo's 4C was possibly the best of the Italian sporting machines, a lovely blend of style, performance and balance at a comparatively affordable price.  

Images of the BMW i8 in full production form have leaked ahead of its official unveiling at next week's Frankfurt motor show. The photos show it's kept a lot of the design from the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept -- which first appeared at Frankfurt in 2009, and has been a globe-circling showstopper in the years since.The concept's scissor doors have made the cut, although they're no longer made of tinted glass. And the producton i8 also gets the standout rear flying buttresses -- on what is one of the best-shaped derrieres in the car world.It sports different wheels, but arguably more handsome ones than the concept. And while the interior is understandably less space station and more current BMW cues, it retains the signature blue accents in the instruments cluster, and sculpted steering wheel.It also carries over the concept's petrol-electric hybrid system, comprised of a 170kW 1.5 litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine -- the highest power: displacement unit in the BMW stable -- and a small 96kW electric motor that work in tanden to deliver a combined 266kW and 570Nm.A six-speed automatic transmission delivers drive from the engine to the rear wheels, and the electric set-up looks after the front ones, with the weight distibuted 50:50 between front and rear.BMW says the i8 can charge in 3.5 hours from a domestic powerpoint to give an electric-only range of about 35km, while a full charge and fuel tank will give between 500-600km, depending on driving mode. And offer fuel economy of a miserly 2.5L/100km.The official 0-100km/h figure of under 4.5 seconds is helped by carbon fibre being used for the frame and passenger cell, along with being used as reinforcing in plastic components, plus lashings of aluminium -- keeping the weight trimmed to a slim 1490kg.Watch the video here.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

The new i3 electric hatch isn’t the only i-badged BMW we’ll be seeing this year; another is a new i8 plug-in hybrid sports car that will not only top the i range of cars but also serve as BMW’s flagship. We were given our first taste of the i8 four years ago, when BMW rolled out its Vision EfficientDynamics concept at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.Since then we’ve seen the concept’s design revised, a convertible Spyder unveiled, and numerous prototype versions testing around the globe. Soon, we’ll see the production i8 revealed, as BMW has confirmed the car’s appearance at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show in just over a month.In a lead up to its debut, BMW has provided details on the car’s technology and specifications. As we already know, the i8 features a sophisticated drivetrain that pairs a turbocharged and direct-injected 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine with an electric motor.The engine is used to drive the rear wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission while the electric motor powers the front pair via an integrated two-stage auto ‘box. However, both power sources can work together to form a through-the-road all-wheel-drive setup.The engine develops a peak 170kW while the electric motor rates in at 96kW. Maximum system output is 266kW and 570Nm, which is said to be enough for 0-100km/h acceleration in under 4.5 seconds -- and that, friends, is Porsche 911 Carrera territory. Like most BMWs, top speed of the i8 will be governed to 250km/h.On electric power alone, top speed is limited to 120km/h and BMW predicts a driving range of 35km. On a mix of electric-only and hybrid modes, BMW says i8 owners can expect a fuel economy of around 2.5L/100km for the Euro-measured combined cycle.BATTERY PACKRunning down the centre of the floor is an “energy tunnel” that houses a lithium-ion battery. It has a liquid cooling system and can be recharged at home using an ordinary power socket. In the U.S., a full recharge takes approximately 3.5 hours from a conventional 120-volt, 12-amp household socket. Importantly, charging can also be done on the run using regenerative forces.DRIVETRAINThe i8's sophisticated drivetrain is housed in what BMW calls the “Drive” module, a lightweight aluminium structure that also houses the electronic control units, suspension components, and structural and crash protection components. The suspension consists of a double-track control arm front axle and a five-link rear axle, all made of aluminium. Electromechanical power steering and electronically operated dampers are also fitted. The wheels are forged aluminium and measure in at 20 inches across.WEIGHT AND BALANCEBy attaching all of these technical components to the Drive module, the i8 benefits from a very low centre of gravity (the lowest of any BMW) and a perfect 50:50 weight distribution.Mounted on top is the “Life” module, which is essentially the passenger cell. This section is comprised primarily of carbon fibre-reinforced plastic in order to keep strength and rigidity high but weight low. The savings from this design offset the additional weight of the electric motor and battery, giving the i8 a curb weight of less than 3,285 pounds. If it had stuck with conventional steel, BMW says the i8 would weigh around 50 per cent more.DESIGNOther innovations for the i8 include the use of chemically-hardened glass similar to Gorilla Glass used for smartphones. Some of the glass on the i8 is just 0.7 of a millimetre thick, yet it still provides the sound-deadening one would expect in a luxury car. The exterior of the i8 stretches close to 4694mm in length, has a width of 1951mm and a height of just 1280mm. The car has a drag coefficient (Cd value) of just 0.26 and inside there is generous 2+2 seating.TECHNOLOGYFor the driver, selection of power sources is done intelligently via computer control. BMW’s typical linear acceleration is said to be maintained even at higher speeds since the interplay between the two power sources absorbs any power flow interruptions when shifting gears.Using the gear selector, the driver can either select position D for full automatic mode or can switch to SPORT mode. SPORT mode offers manual gear selection and at the same time switches to very sporty drive and suspension settings. Power is also split between the front and rear axles to aid handling. On entering a corner, for example, the power split is biased towards the rear wheels to improve turning precision.The Driving Experience Control switch on the centre console offers a choice of two settings: COMFORT and ECO PRO. On starting, COMFORT mode is activated, which offers a balance between sporty performance and fuel efficiency. ECO PRO minimizes power loss through items like the air conditioner and maximises regenerative forces. The driving range in the COMFORT setting is around 499km but hitting ECO PRO can boost this by around 20 per cent.That's all BMW is telling us for now, but we should have the full details soon. Following its debut at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show early next month, the i8 will hit European showrooms later in the year and should be on sale in the U.S. next spring.www.motorauthority.com 

The BMW i3 in production guise isn’t scheduled to be revealed to the public until later this week, but photos of the car have already hit the web.As expected, it closely resembles the handful of concept versions unveiled over the past two years, right down to the suicide-style rear doors and relatively spartan cabin. At the rear there is an “i3” badge denoting the vehicle’s name and a second “eDrive” badge is BMW's way of signifying it as an electric car.The basic i3 will come with a five-door body and electric motor rated at 125kW/250Nm, driving the rear wheels via a fixed-gear transmission. On a single charge of its lithium-ion battery, owners should expect a driving range of 150km.A second version uses a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine (from BMW's scooter line-up) acting as a range-extender to give 300km of travel when a full tank of petrol and batteries at 100 per cent capacity are employed.What’s so special about the i3 is that it is revolutionising the way mainstream cars are engineered and built. Most of its body is composed of lightweight composite materials such as reinforced carbon fibre plastic and its chassis is composed of aluminum and magnesium--the first mass-produced car with such attributes.www.motorauthority.com 

The Australian introduction of the i3 in 2014 is expected to mirror Europe, where BMW is pushing shoppers towards a lease deal that pegs the price at $415 per month in Britain including a home fast-charger that delivers a 7.4 kiloWatt kick and zero to 80 per cent of battery capacity within three hours.There is an outright purchase plan in Britain but, with very limited numbers and a low-key start-up in 2014, BMW Australia is playing a conservative game. "Our preference would be to do it through leasing, including the wall chargers, and then return the cars to us," the marketing chief of BMW Australia, Tom Noble, tells Carsguide. "There are a couple of things to manage. There is the resale value, but also the recyling. If it's a sustainable concept, let's make it truly sustainable."The first i3 deliveries in Australia will be in the third quarter of next year, with the baby city car landing at almost the same time as the high-performance i8 coupe. "We will have an i3 demonstrator coming this year, so we'll use that as a pace car for the Melbourne Marathon. We'll be showing it to governments and fleet companies. "Next year is when they start to arrive. They will be in Q3 next year."BMW will begin with just two i-line dealers, in Sydney and Melbourne, and both are factory-owned shops. "We thought it made sense to do it with two. If the interest levels are bigger, and we can get more products, we'll roll it out to more dealers," Noble says."We can control it nicely. There will be a lot of investment in training to sell the concept. So it's really a well-thought-out car, or future mobility." He says BMW Australia is only expecting a small number of cars in 2014 - without giving a final figure - but that supplies should grow rapidly in 2015."Numbers? To be honest, I don't know yet. We've asked for more than we can get. "We don't have a ton of cars next year to flop into the market, so we want to use the cars we get to build the demand leading into 2015. There is a minimum number of cars we'll get."Noble says the pricing, and even such things as an online purchase plan, are still a fair way from being settled. "It isn't just about a car. It's about a new way to build cars, but also to buy mobility. We haven't worked through it 100 per cent on the financing package."This reporter is on Twitter:  @PaulWardGover 

BMW’s revolutionary i3 ‘Megacity’ vehicle is now less than a year away from launch and in the lead up to its eventual arrival engineers are hard at work finishing off the final prototype evaluation. The latest spy shots show the i3 doing a striptease that leaves little to the imagination.If you're not familiar with the i3, it is essentially a rear-wheel-drive electric minicar due out from BMW at the end of the year, and arriving here in 2014.It's aimed at providing a high degree of urban mobility while still allowing the occasional extra-urban long-distance jaunt when fitted with a range-extender, which BMW has said will be available at launch.While the i3 retains the stubby proportions inherent to the minicar class, it wears them well, thanks in part to what appear to be large, if narrow, wheels, and a raked, extended windshield. Apparently, so many people have taken to the car's design that BMW has more than 100,000 eager to test drive one.The basic i3 will come with a five-door body and electric motor rated at 125kW/250Nm, driving the rear wheels via a fixed-gear transmission. On a single charge of its lithium-ion battery, owners should expect a driving range of 150km.A second version uses a 650cc two-cylinder petrol engine (from BMW's scooter line-up) acting as a range-extender to give 300km of travel when a full tank of petrol and batteries at 100 per cent capacity are employed.The original concept version claims a 0-60 mph sprint of under 8 seconds, making it not exactly quick, but far from pokey. Key to its performance will be lightweight carbon fiber reinforced plastic used for its body. Charging is claimed to be quick, too, with a high-speed charger juicing the lithium-ion battery pack to 80 percent in one hour.There is still a little bit of development before the i3 reaches production, but if the retail car reaches the goals of the concept, at a rate of 40,000 sold per year globally, the i3 could be a very attractive option for urban dwellers and suburbanites alike.BMW’s upcoming i3 electric car will be priced similar to a reasonably-equipped 3-Series sedan in the US, which means a starting price there of around $40,000. However, Australian buyers are likely to pay more than $60,000 when it arrives here in 2014.That estimation takes into account our higher prices for cars, and the levels already set by the less-prestigious Holden Volt at $60,000, and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and Nissan Leaf -- both of which were just under $50,000, with the Leaf taking another price cut recently to $39,990 drive-away.Though we’ve seen many i3 concepts since the reveal of the first one in 2011, we’ll finally get to see the production version at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show in September. The first showroom examples should start rolling out in overseas markets before the year is out.www.motorauthority.com