BMW i4

A while back, BMW stated that all of its EV offerings would be on shared platforms (i.e. shared with ICE powertrains).
So everything has to be viewed in that context. This is just the electric version of the 3-series.

cruisey1987 wrote: »

They need to make the number plate bigger to hide that grill, it looks like a pair of butt cheeks, and not good ones at that

Nope, not seeing butt cheeks there. I've tried staring at it now too, for quite some time. No, no butt cheeks.

Buck teeth - yep - just like this emoticon .

I'm underwhelmed by it - it's just muh.
Disappointing.

MJohnston wrote: »

I’m good with how it looks

Apart from the buck tooth grille (& gaudy enough looking wheels), it's just a plain Jane, unassuming, uninspiring, unremarkable, unexciting & boring, new car.

That's not what I'd want from BMW for €70k plus (probably a BIG plus, at that :pac:).

ewj1978 wrote: »

Any pricing/range info available?

They’re saying “up to 600 kilometres (WLTP)” https://www.bmw.ie/en/all-models/bmw-i/i4/2021/bmw-i4-preview.html

No Irish pricing yet, but I’d say the guesses above are close.

Paddy

unkel wrote: »

So I see it's a hatchback.



Now that is good news. Also the wheel base is 2.86m, which is more than a typical large SUV like say a VW ID.4, so should be big enough. Anyone know yet about Irish pricing and availability?

https://www.completecar.ie/car-news/article/10975/BMW-i4-EV-priced-from-63565-in-Ireland

carsfan2 wrote: »

https://www.completecar.ie/car-news/article/10975/BMW-i4-EV-priced-from-63565-in-Ireland

“ When it goes on sale in November 2021, the Irish range will start with the BMW i4 eDrive40 Sport priced from €63,565 on-the-road, while the M Sport version using the same powertrain will be €65,405. If you want the performance of the i4 M50 then you'll be handing over €78,315. To put this into perspective though, the M4 Competition currently starts at €129,456, making the i4 M50 seem like a bargain.”

pretty competitive prices considering it’ll be priced roughly the same as the Tesla model3 LR and performance, but probably competes more with the Model Y - and looks to be landing here in Ireland before the Tesla model Y too.

I like it.

sk8board wrote: »

“ When it goes on sale in November 2021, the Irish range will start with the BMW i4 eDrive40 Sport priced from €63,565 on-the-road, while the M Sport version using the same powertrain will be €65,405. If you want the performance of the i4 M50 then you'll be handing over €78,315. To put this into perspective though, the M4 Competition currently starts at €129,456, making the i4 M50 seem like a bargain.”

pretty competitive prices considering it’ll be priced roughly the same as the Tesla model3 LR and performance, but probably competes more with the Model Y - and looks to be landing here in Ireland before the Tesla model Y too.

I like it.

So €78,315 for the M50. Decent range and <= 3.9 to 100kph

It'll be interesting to see what 'extras' that comes with.
It's priced like a 440i/440d. I wonder will it follow the same pricing approach around 'extras'

I had a 4 series and typical of German manufactures you had to pay extra for features like 'extended storage', a small storage compartment to the right of the steering wheel and storage on the back of the drive/passenger seats. I kid you not.

And then a lot of faff, in that you can only get a certain feature by buying an entire package which costs thousands and may have stuff you don't even want.

Performance-wise it would be competing with a Model 3 Long Range + acceleration boost (€61K). Though I'd wager the BMW having way more consistent build quality.

I curious to see how they would compare on the 'extras' front...

AMGer wrote: »

I’m tempted by the M50, that’s a lot of performance for under €80k

A lot less performance though than the Tesla Model 3 P, for under €70k. If the performance was on a par (and the spec similar - does the BMW come with decent level 2 autonomous driving as standard?), then the BMW might be worth the €10k extra. Because it's a BMW. As is, I'm not so sure.

MJohnston wrote: »

I'm wondering what's under the bonnet in this thing — literally I mean — as I heard someone say there was no frunk at all, which would be crazy to me.

You can't even open it going by the iX reviews

unkel wrote: »

A lot less performance though than the Tesla Model 3 P, for under €70k. If the performance was on a par (and the spec similar - does the BMW come with decent level 2 autonomous driving as standard?), then the BMW might be worth the €10k extra. Because it's a BMW. As is, I'm not so sure.

There's no comparison between this and a tesla model 3. This will be leagues ahead.

ELM327 wrote: »

There's no comparison between this and a tesla model 3. This will be leagues ahead.

What do you mean with leagues ahead? I have no doubt that the Tesla Model 3 Peformance (which is €10k cheaper) has far better performance by any metric compared to the BMW i4 M50. Acceleration, time around a track, etc. That is the point I made responding to AMGer who said the BMW was a lot of performance for the money. It really is not, compared with the Tesla.

If you are talking about more subjective points like styling, driveability, build quality, desirability, etc. then I'm with you, I'd rather have the BMW myself

unkel wrote: »

What do you mean with leagues ahead? I have no doubt that the Tesla Model 3 Peformance (which is €10k cheaper) has far better performance by any metric compared to the BMW i4 M50. Acceleration, time around a track, etc. That is the point I made responding to AMGer who said the BMW was a lot of performance for the money. It really is not, compared with the Tesla.

If you are talking about more subjective points like styling, driveability, build quality, desirability, etc. then I'm with you, I'd rather have the BMW myself

Have you seen the new model 3 performance though, in bjorns reviews, you can see that the performance is only really available at above 70% SOC. Below 60% the LR is actually quicker. The pre '21 model did not have this.




It's stuff like that that turns me off Tesla.

unkel wrote: »

What do you mean with leagues ahead? I have no doubt that the Tesla Model 3 Peformance (which is €10k cheaper) has far better performance by any metric compared to the BMW i4 M50. Acceleration, time around a track, etc. That is the point I made responding to AMGer who said the BMW was a lot of performance for the money. It really is not, compared with the Tesla.

If you are talking about more subjective points like styling, driveability, build quality, desirability, etc. then I'm with you, I'd rather have the BMW myself

The performance, with an option or two, won’t be €10k cheaper from July, (I think?)

Bizarre that you’d make the case for the model 3 vs i4 sales here in Ireland by talking about dragtime and time around a track. They’re almost the least important thing for any normal driving, and on virtually every other metric the bmw will be better - (and they’ll take it back as a trade in after 3 years too!)
As stated above, in reality the Perf is actually very poor value when you consider the LR is faster much of the time - and at the speeds these EVs are doing, it’s almost impossible to discern the difference between 3.9s 0-100 and 4.3s , due to the quiet way they go about it - and you’ll look like a d|ck every time you do a big pull anyway

unkel wrote: »

A lot less performance though than the Tesla Model 3 P, for under €70k. If the performance was on a par (and the spec similar - does the BMW come with decent level 2 autonomous driving as standard?), then the BMW might be worth the €10k extra. Because it's a BMW. As is, I'm not so sure.

I think the rrp looks good, especially with Tesla’s going up by 5k post July. I would be concerned that BMW will murder you in extra’s, Adaptive cruise is an extra in the new M3 and M4’s abs I believe part of a 6k/7k pack but let’s see the specs.

Performance for me is the ability to handle well on challenging Irish roads, like between Mitchelstown and Mallow if any knows it. I can see the Beemer being the better steer here.

The lack of dealer network, poor quality and questionable styling especially interior will be enough to see Tesla stay as a niche choice while this i4 will pull sales from 3/4/5 series, A4/5/6 and others

sk8board wrote: »

it’s almost impossible to discern the difference between 3.9s 0-100 and 4.3s

Big difference between 3s and 4s though.

Casati wrote: »

Performance for me is the ability to handle well on challenging Irish roads, like between Mitchelstown and Mallow if any knows it. I can see the Beemer being the better steer here.

Only a spirited test drive of both will tell I suppose. But I think it is fair to assume you have not driven a Model 3 P over some mountain roads in track mode. I have and I was very impressed.

Can't disagree with anything there. I guess half of Ireland's population live in the greater Dublin (commuting) area, but if you're in the other half, the dealer location is a problem. Tesla is only small in terms of number of cars sold and even if they grow much bigger, they will never have the same number of dealers as say BMW

Casati wrote: »

Even if your within the greater Dublin area that doesn’t mean you are happy to head out to traffic hell that is Sandyford Industrial Estate

Traffic hell Sandyford Industrial estate has not been seen since pre-COVID times. I get there from my home in Lucan in about 15 minutes typically (25km)

Also surprisingly many repairs can be done by a Tesla ranger coming to you in your home or your place of work

Casati wrote: »

Not having full service dealer who will retail your trade in

Yeah that's an issue alright. But more of an issue for people to adjust, rather than an issue with the sales model that Tesla is using. I guess times are changing and Tesla is only the first to be like this, all or most others will follow soon enough. No longer any negotiations about the price of the car is the first step. On line sales. No interest in taking trade-ins.

Whereas I’d just prefer a price than the BS rigmarole that comes with buying cars.

Casati wrote: »

I remember about 20 years ago Opel tried that game and later on I think Fiat went with it. Didn’t work out for either of them.

You mean the FIAT open plan pricing from the mid 90s? It worked great for them, they sold loads and loads of Puntos and Cinqucentos that way (as the open plan price made them look super cheap)

Not sure why they gave that up mind

I prefer the old way of buying as I am a strong negotiator. But I can see more and more companies moving to the online buying model. Sure it would make cars a lot cheaper. What's the point of having a useless car sales person? When I buy a car I know more about them than they do. They don't add value for me (I don't take finance)

Casati wrote: »

Tesla model might work for those with no trade in, buying without finance and like you only 15mins (at a 100kmph avg???) from the sales office, but with most cars sold new via PCP and people often trading a two/ three year old car it’s a flawed model and I can’t see it working long term if Tesla are to be a mass market high volume car manufacturer

I would agree - much of the Tesla sales volume to date have been people who have bought-in to the Tesla/Musk story - which is a compelling one in fairness.
they’ve saved/waited for a few years, sold their old car, all to have ‘a Tesla’.

From now onwards however, Tesla are relying on the mass market new car buyer. they are a completely different beast, and at the very least they’ll shop the market.
I wonder how many 3 year old tiguans and golfs are being traded against ID3’s and 4’s, and on 0% pcp on some of them too.
However, Tesla don’t ever plan to be that type of garage, so it’s hard to see where the sales volumes will come from once people start trading in their 3 year old Tesla, A6, or 5-series and their options in the EV market are much much wider.
(not to mention how hard it is to sell a €25-40k car privately).

That really looks like the replacement for my G20 330e in a few years !

I dunno - it seems to me that Tesla official figures are usually bullcrap. Leaving out the first few yards and all that jazz on the quarter mile times etc. Plus I've driven a Model 3 performance. Had about 86% charge in it and we did a 0-60 test. A few of them actually! All of them close to 4 seconds. Nice dry warm day, so nothing negative against it.

Also the official figures of the Model S cheetah stance look like it'll be way faster than a Taycan S. In reality, the Taycan S not only matches it off the line, but gets ahead almost instantly and beats it to quarter mile too.

There's a lot to be impressed with in Tesla cars, but Musk spouts a lot of crap.

Some truths in what you are saying and the Tesla 0-60 official times use rollout. Which is a load of bull if you ask me, that shouldn't be allowed. But the newest version of the Model S released this year (plaid) has indeed been clocked by Motortrend magazine as doing 0-60 (from standstill) in 1.98s, that's quicker than any other production car ever made (and quicker than the 1.99s that Musk / Tesla promised), although that was tested on drag strip asphalt which has better traction than the public road would have

Not sure why your results in the Model 3 performance were so slow. Several people have tested them and published the results, which were very close to the paper specs iirc.

Yeah, the Plaid is a fast car, and if I had the money, I'd likely buy one - but that steering "yoke" is an insult to intelligence. I'd like a Model 3 also, but not sure the Performance model is worth 10k over the LR.

I'd be interested to drive this i4, because to be fair - the 3-series really is a gem to drive. And at least with the i4, you won't have to throw your money at injectors and coil packs for the 6-cylinder petrol!