BMW I3 2014 News

Lighter is better. Less weight improves handling while increasing efficiency and performance, so even mainstream automakers are really beginning to push the boundaries of lightweight vehicle construction in order to meet emissions regulations and performance expectations.When the BMW i3 electric city car launches it will be the first economy car sold in Australia to make extensive use of carbon-fibre and carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP). The i3 employs a carbon-fibre passenger cell – like an F1 car or McLaren 12C - while all of its body panels are made of CFRP, so despite lugging heavy batteries around it is very light.Using lessons learned during the development of its new ‘i’ models, BMW is set to push the carbon-fibre envelope even further by introducing wheels made of the lightweight material. During BMW’s Innovation Days in Munich, the brand displayed two types of lightweight wheels; one featuring a carbon rim with alloy spokes which is around 25 percent lighter than an all-alloy equivalent. And one all-carbon design which is 35 percent lighter than an alloy.Carbon wheels have previously been sold by aftermarket manufacturers in limited numbers at ridiculous prices, but BMW is the first automaker to develop them in-house. The German brand has indicated that these wheels are not planned for production or EU approval, however overseas reports suggest we could see the innovative lightweight wheels on BMW products within two years. The company is also finding uses for its secondary carbon-fibre – the scraps from i3 and i8 production. These offcuts are chopped up and mixed together with plastic molecules to create a material that will replace aluminium, magnesium and steel in semi-structural components like steering wheels, seat frames and even dash board support structures. And because this new material is made from what would normally be considered waste, it’s cheaper than magnesium and other lightweight metals.BMW now just needs to prove to the regulators that these carbon components are strong enough and safe enough to be used on the road.

The New York motor show in April will see the announcement of which vehicle has won the 2014 World COTY, and there looks to be a tough -- and very varied -- field of finalists.Last year's winner was the Volkswagen Golf, which also took awards in pretty well every country on the globe. But this year it could be anything from the little electric BMW i3 to the offroading Jeep Cherokee and even the Citroen C4 peoplemover, judging by the shortlist.A panel of 69 motoring experts from around the world -- including Carsguide's Paul Gover and National Motoring Editor Joshua Dowling -- will choose the winner from: Audi A3, BMW 4 Series, BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Ford Fusion/Mondeo, Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, Lexus IS, Mazda3, Peugeot 308 and Skoda Octavia.The 10 finalists for the 2014 World Luxury Car are the Bentley Flying Spur, BMW X5, Cadillac ELR, Cadillac Escalade, Maserati Ghibli, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Macan, Range Rover Sport and Rolls-Royce Wraith.Due to a tie, there are 11 finalists for the 2014 World Performance Car: Alfa Romeo 4C, Audi RS 6 Avant, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Ford Fiesta ST, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster, Mercedes-Benz A/CLA45 AMG, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 Turbo and Volkswagen Golf GTI.A separate panel of five 'green' experts will choose the 2014 World Green Car from Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (+ Audi e-gas), BMW i3, Honda Accord Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Volkswagen XL1.Similarly, a panel of five design experts will decide on the 2014 World Car Design of the Year, from among: BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Mazda3, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volkswagen XL1.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Toyota’s FT-1 concept was arguably the star of the 2014 Detroit motor show -- prompting considerable comment about whether or not it points to a successor for the iconic Supra – with an outright perfo

There are exciting new releases planned across the board; from budget hatches to practical SUVs, to exotic supercars. We’ve broken them down into segments and likely price categories to help you. We've based our price estimations on the current market, but some estimations could change in the future, and some model ranges span across price categories, so be sure to check our other stories...New cars for 2014 | less than $20,000New cars for 2014 | $20,000-$40,000New cars for 2014 | $40,000-$59,000New cars for 2014 | over $100,000 LIGHT CARSBMW i3: BMW will bring the high tech i3 city car down under from September, with the pure-electric i3 BEV expected to start at about $60,000, and a range-extended i3 REX version with a 647cc petrol generator further up the price scale. (Approximately $60,000)SMALL CARSAudi A3 sedan: Audi will add a sedan version of its A3 small car to the existing Sportback hatch lineup from January, with the hot S3 version to follow in April, and the drop-top A3 Cabriolet (from about $57k) to complete the lineup in about September. (Approximately $65,000)BMW 2 Series: The discontinued 1 Series coupe will be replaced by the new 2 Series coupe in around May, and will likely mirror the petrol and diesel drivetrains of the existing 1 Series hatch. A soft-top convertible is also in the works, but its launch date is still up in the air. (Approximately $45,000-$85,000)FAMILY CARSInfiniti Q50: Infiniti models are set to become a more common sight on Australian roads before June, with the Mercedes C-Class and BMW 3 Series-rivalling Q50’s arrival, boasting fresh styling, rear-wheel drive, and a choice of diesel or hybrid drivetrains. (Approximately $51,900-$73,900)Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Mercedes' new C-Class sedan and wagon are due around mid-year, with a range of new engines and an 80mm wheelbase stretch to help combat the also enlarged BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS rivals. Drivetrain availability from launch will include the 115kW/250Nm 1.6-litre C180 and 135kW/300Nm 2.0-litre C200 petrols, and the 125kW/400Nm 2.1-litre turbodiesel C220. A smaller diesel, diesel-electric hybrid and more powerful petrol engines will come later. (Approximately from $60,000)Tesla Model S: The long-awaited Tesla Model S pure-electric passenger car is due to arrive locally in the second quarter, with the five door hatch balancing style, performance, and all-electric tech in equal measures. (Approximately $80,000)Volvo S60 and V60: Volvo will introduce the first of its new Drive-E engines to the S60 sedan and V60 wagon range in March, with power and efficiency gains promised, along with a new eight-speed auto. (Approximately $49,000-$78,000)LUXURY CARSLexus RC: Lexus’ new RC coupe should arrive before the end of 2014 to take on the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5, with a choice of petrol V6 and hybrid drivetrains likely to expand to include a high-performance 5.0-litre V8 RC-F soon after. (Approximately $70,000-$130,000)SUV/4WDAudi RS Q3: The company’s first RS-badged SUV will arrive in February, with the RS Q3 borrowing its 228kW/420Nm five-cylinder heart from the TTRS, and promising 0-100km/h in 5.5 seconds. (Approximately $81,900)BMW X1: The baby bimmer SUV is also in line for a refreshing in March, with styling and interior tweaks expected. (Approximately 46,000-63,000)BMW X5 sDrive 25d: BMW will add the first two-wheel drive X5 to the new 2014 lineup early in the year, with a price-leading $82,900 2.0-litre turbodiesel sDrive 25d undercutting the existing all-wheel drive xDrive 25d by $5000. (Approximately $82,900)Ford Territory: The Territory SUV will score SYNC-inclusive revisions by the end of the year, ahead of its 2016 fate. (Approximately $40,000-$63,000)Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: The stylish Range Rover Evoque is due for an update before June, with a new nine-speed auto delivering fuel economy gains of about 10 per cent, plus styling tweaks to bring it in line with the new full-size Range Rover and Sport models. (Approximately $50,000-$91,000)Porsche Macan: Porsche will add the new sub-Cayenne Macan SUV to its Australian lineup from June, with the cheapest diesel model forming a new entry point to Porsche ownership at $84,900. Twin-turbo 3.0 and 3.6-litre V6s will sit further up the price scale, with the 294kW top-spec capable of 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. (Approximately $84,900-$122,900)Volvo XC60: Volvo’s new Drive-E engines will also appear in the XC60 SUV in March, with power and efficiency gains promised, along with a new eight-speed auto. (Approximately $57,000-79,000)SPORTS/PERFORMANCEAlfa Romeo 4C: Alfa will bring a limited number of its limited-build 4C sports car to Australia in around June, with the mid-engined, carbon-chassised performance hero expected to lob for as little as $75,000.Peugeot RCZ-R: Building on the brand’s reignited performance cred thanks to the excellent 208 GTi, the French brand will also add the hot RCZ-R to the lineup in the second quarter, with a highly tuned 199kW version of the existing petrol version’s 1.6-litre turbo. (Approximately $70,000)CONVERTIBLESBMW 4 Series convertible: The folding hardtop version of BMW’s 4-Series coupe is expected by March, and echo its hardtop sibling with 420d, 428i, and 435i drivetrains. (Approximately $85,000-$120,000)  

German carmaker BMW is intent on making electric cars desirable with their little i3 city vehicle and sexy i8 sports car. The problem with both of those is that no matter how much a family desires them, neither model can practically do duty for the usual family chores of lugging people, gear and groceries.However a solution may be in the works, with BMW planning to stretch the i3's platform to build a new vehicle, tipped to be called the i5 according to UK website Autocar.Their report suggests the little car's 4000mm could be extended by just another 100mm of leg room in the back and another 150mm of rear overhang for extra cargo, to create a family-friendly electric package longer than the current Mini Countryman -- although the next Countryman is likely to be bigger than that as well.The i3's carbon-composite body is built onto a separate aluminium chassis 'skateboard' rather than integrated into the monocoque steel platform of a conventional vehicle, so stretching will be a simpler task involving extending the platform length -- and changing the design of the rear doors.But it could also mean the necessity of muscling up the drivetrain to cope with the extra load without penalising range. The i3 has a 130-160km range when powered entirely by the  lithium-ion battery pack feeding a 125kW/250Nm electric motor. And while the range is boosted to 300km by adding the optional 647cc rear-mounted motorcycle engine -- which tops up the battery charging but also adds 150kg of weight to the i3.Also watch: BMW i3 electric car video reviewWe've reported previously that BMW could build a range of body designs on the same rolling electric platform. And with the brand tipped to have already registered nameplates ranging from i1 up to i11, a volume-targeting family car is the next logical step for the birth of a new BMW sub-brand.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Mercedes-Benz could be working on its own answer to the electric BMW i3, according to a new report. Speaking with Reuters, Daimler CFO Bodo Uebber said the German giant will increase its focus on small cars, in a bid to lower the average age of its buyers.Uebber also said that Mercedes “could use more” involvement with Tesla -- the US electric car brand founded by Elon Musk – in which the German brand has held a stake since 2009.The first fruit of this technological alliance will be the B-Class Electric Drive, which will use a Tesla-supplied motor and battery system when it goes on sale internationally next year.While the B-Class is smaller than Mercedes’ conventional C, E and S class models, the Uebber’s words point to the possibility of electric variants of the smaller-again A-Class or CLA models, to sit above electric versions of the upcoming 2015 Smart Fortwo.This reporter is on Twitter: @Mal_Flynn 

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. 

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

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