BMW i8 Test Drive and Review by Autoblog

Autoblog went to the BMW testing facility in Miramas, France to test drive a BMW i8 prototype. They enter into the test drive asking if this is a race car or more of a street car. They got the answers in this excerpt from their review:

The i8 is expressly not a race car, nor is it a Nürburgring lap time record hunter. And although such shenanigans will doubtlessly be mentioned eventually, they are not at all a priority at launch. This is a street car and, according to the BMW i team, it needed to be maximized as such. For now, at least, leave the Nürburgring boasts to the M division.

Electric range can vary widely based on how the i8 is driven, of course, and the topmost speed allowed for the e-motor/front-wheel-drive mode is 75 mph. With everything up and running, though, top speed is let out to 155 mph, and acceleration to 60 mph can happen in under 4.5 seconds. That’s pretty great for a “boring old” hybrid, we’d say. And the feeling while doing all of this in the sport seat is almost-M-sensation terrific. The steering is ultra-electrified, yet at the same time, very precise. When switching to Sport, the dampers automatically switch to a more rigid setting, yet we enjoyed the ride over both smooth surfaces and imperfect pavement. Braking – quite the regenerative affair, of course – is immediate and sure, aided by the standard, very light and aero-friendly forged 20-inch wheels.