This weekend saw the launch of the all new BMW iSeries in Cape Town and i was lucky enough to experience driving in both the zippy BMW i3 as well as the fierce BMW i8 at the popup showroom in the V&A Waterfront.
Friday morning was spent test driving the BMW i3 and my initial thought upon seeing the car in person was, “can this tiny car really have the power everyone has been talking about?”. How wrong I was…
The BMW i3 comes in a fully electric or Electric + Fuel, but the fuel is only used to charge the engine when it is running low, and when you put your foot on the pedal, its INSTANT power and you’ll get from 0-60km/h in only 4 seconds!!
This little car packs a powerful punch and can get you between 90-160 kilometers on a single charge depending on your driving style, and the best part about it, it will only cost you R28 to charge it after Eskom introduces its new increased electricity rates in July.
The shape of the car is also super futuristic, boasting a clean and open interior design and an exterior that women all over the world are falling in love with! What I thought was something really amazing is that the BMW i3 is 95% recyclable after its reached its lifecycle, making it the first of its kind to be as environmentally friendly.
While at the launch of the BMW i3, I managed to catch a glimpse of the BMW i8 and I could almost feel my adrenaline start pulsing through my veins, because I knew my test drive was coming up on Saturday evening!
The launch of the BMW i8 was also at the V&A Waterfront and we got to rub shoulders with the likes of the beautiful Jo-Ann Strauss and comedian Siv Ngesi, while enjoying oysters and other luxurious snacks before the test drive itself.
When I got my chance to get into the BMW i8 and drive this amazing car, my adrenaline started pumping through my veins and the moment I shifted the car out of electric and into Sports mode, the engine started roaring and it was incredible!!
This beast of a car has been put together using lightweight carbon fibre that has all been manufactured using 100% renewable energy. BMW pulled all the stops with the design of this futuristic sports car on both the exterior as well as the interior! The exterior is bold, sporty and streamlined to get you further for less, while the interior has been designed with all the bells and whistles you’d expect in a sports car. Bucket seats with a leather finish, a digital HUD that displays speed limitations on the route you’re on, warning systems when you’re too close to another vehicle and then of course the sleek carbon fibre finishes to the dash.
What makes the BMW i8 stand out from its competitors is that the engine, which will get you a top speed of 250km/h, is only a 1.5L and when you open the doors, it looks like it has wings because they fold up with the touch of a button.
My BMW iExperience was amazing and both the BMW i3 as well as the BMW i8 have been added to my list of cars I’d love to own!
If you would like to drive either of these cars from the BMW i Series, all you need to do is BOOK A TEST DRIVE HERE and be sure to also check out all the information about the BMW i3 on their special website that will talk you through just how amazing this fully electric car really is!
