[ExZHP]

Had a blast at the BMW Ultimate Driving Experience last weekend. Never been to a track yet, so I imagine this is something reasonably close - driving a timed course with a pro racer sitting next to you telling you what to do! We drove the new 540i, but there was a wide range of new bimmers available for street tests, too. The most popular one - you guessed it, M240i. I tested it out too, and while it seemed a whole lot faster than my 228i, I attribute it largely to the engineered growl, because the car that was ACTUALLY the fastest of the lot - the i3 - was quiet and did not seem like the fastest at all.

Gave me a whole new appreciation of the job of sound engineers

[Deutsche-Broke]

That sounds great.. I keep reminding myself to go find one and sign up, but alas, distraction and work take over..

[Questofthetune]

I3 was the fastest?

[Solarphil]

Originally Posted by Questofthetune

I3 was the fastest?

Torque, EVs are blessed with torque. Plus the course for the driving event is geared to shorter straights to keep the speed within reason, and that lets torque shine.

On a somewhat related note, last year I volunteered to chase cones for the car control clinic at O'fest. There was one person with an M3 that went around the course like they were negotiating a parking lot, but there was a kid in an I3 that just hammered it. Tires wailing, drifting around the corners, it was really fun to watch

[ExZHP]

Originally Posted by Questofthetune

I3 was the fastest?

It was indeed.

[ExZHP]

Originally Posted by Solarphil

Torque, EVs are blessed with torque. Plus the course for the driving event is geared to shorter straights to keep the speed within reason, and that lets torque shine.

On a somewhat related note, last year I volunteered to chase cones for the car control clinic at O'fest. There was one person with an M3 that went around the course like they were negotiating a parking lot, but there was a kid in an I3 that just hammered it. Tires wailing, drifting around the corners, it was really fun to watch

While the i3's interior is not my cup of tea at all, test driving it gave me a lot of respect for the model and for BMW's staying true to itself even with a "yuppie prius"

[pz619]

I have both the I3 and M235i. The i3 is torquey down low but quickly loses steam. They say it's the fastest bmw to 30 and I can believe that. The M235i pulls much harder at any speed above 30ish mph.

[RotorOver]

The i3 is just so fugly.

[ExZHP]

I don't mind the i3's exterior design - it's quirky yet unmistakenly BMW. It's the interior that I find truly fugly.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Nice

[Zoomigo]

Originally Posted by Questofthetune

I3 was the fastest?

Last I heard, the i3 was the fastest BMW 0-40.

[harma24]

Originally Posted by Zoomigo

Last I heard, the i3 was the fastest BMW 0-40.

Are you sure your not thinking of the i8? The i3 does 0-60 in about 7 seconds. The i8 is under 4. I've driven both; the i3 is anemic.

https://www.0-60specs.com/bmw-i3-0-60-times/
https://www.0-60specs.com/bmw-i8-0-60-times/

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by ExZHP

I don't mind the i3's exterior design - it's quirky yet unmistakenly BMW. It's the interior that I find truly fugly.

And limited range. Battery only: 81 miles?

[pz619]

Originally Posted by harma24

Are you sure your not thinking of the i8? The i3 does 0-60 in about 7 seconds. The i8 is under 4. I've driven both; the i3 is anemic.

https://www.0-60specs.com/bmw-i3-0-60-times/
https://www.0-60specs.com/bmw-i8-0-60-times/

I3 is the fastest bmw to 30. They bring it up at every single one of their events to make it look sportier than it is.