My driving experience of the i3

[Lolotte]

Hello everybody,

I had the opportunity to see and drive the i3 a few days ago...
I would like to share with you my experience.
First of all, the car looks way better in real than on pictures. I saw an Andesite Silver and a Ionic Silver, with Loft, Lodge and Suite interiors.
I was really amazed by the Lodge interior. Even if it's far away from my tastes, I almost fell in love with that interior. Well, I think it's by far the most comfortable and it's really different from what we see in a car normally.
The car I drove was a pre-serie, Loft interior. I was kind of disappointed by this interior, because, I think, it looks way better on pictures than in reality.
I really liked the screens, because you have a lot of information on them and it's easy to understand.
As for the driving part, I could test it on the back seats, then on the passenger seat, then on the driver seat.
The back space is really spacious. A lot more than what you can find on normal cars I think. I am quite tall but had no trouble seating comfortably, and it's easy to slide in the back.
Then I had the opportunity to try it on a small track, made mostly to test the maniability of the car. I can tell you it almost turn around itself!
When you press the accelerator, you can feel the 170hp and the power the car has. The silence is, of course, really surprising and nice.
Unfortunately, the "one pedal feeling" was deactivated, so if you let go of the accelerator, it was not braking like it should, which was really surprising after trying the ACtive-E.
But I guess it was because of the pre-serie version...
Anyway, this experience was really positive and I now hope I'll be able to drive a BMW i3 home in 2014...

I am trying to put a picture I took just below this sentence so I hope it'll work... If not, can someone tell me how to add pictures on this forum?

 

[Lolotte]

Apparently the picture thing didn't work for me ! ^^

 

[Parker]

Lolotte, you must be one of the first people on this forum to have actually driven the i3.
Well done you!
How did that happen?

You said
"I drove was a pre-serie, Loft interior. I was kind of disappointed by this interior, because, I think, it looks way better on pictures than in reality."

Was it the quality that disappointed?

I must admit normally with BMW if you change from Black cloth interior to Grey you normally do so without a €£$1000 charge ..... so I was expecting it to be a proper upgrade rather than just a colour change.

So you think Lodge looks better in person.... the configurator makes it look like there is a LOT going on. I would never normally choose yellow leather .... or TBF the Brown of the Suite option either.

I hope I get to see i3's outside in daylight at Frankfurt so as I can make a more informed choice.

 

[Lolotte]

All the i Agents were invited to an event a few days ago, and I am a close friend to one of them. So I went with him, as I am really interested in the BMW i3.
There was a speech from the director, and then, after the live launch, we went to a really small road track they made for the occasion.

Regarding the Loft interior, I didn't have the opportunity to see a Standard version, so I can't tell you if the quality is the same or if the Loft version is better. Anyway, the quality was what I expected from the car. I think. It is just a question of taste but I was expecting it to be more comfy I guess, nice looking, more in the "Loft" spirit.

The Lodge version is not only leather, there is also wool, and I think that's what makes it so comfortable. And when being behind the wheel of that version, I could really picture myself in it, because it's different, as the i3 is from every other car.
Also, the wood on the dashboard is the little detail that made it for me... As well as the white steering wheel, but that's on the Loft version too.

Anyway, the i3 is such an amazing car... And I can tell you that trying the Renault Zoe just after the i3 made me realize even more the quality of everything in the i3!

 

[TomMoloughney]

All the i Agents were invited to an event a few days ago, and I am a close friend to one of them. So I went with him, as I am really interested in the BMW i3.
There was a speech from the director, and then, after the live launch, we went to a really small road track they made for the occasion.

Regarding the Loft interior, I didn't have the opportunity to see a Standard version, so I can't tell you if the quality is the same or if the Loft version is better. Anyway, the quality was what I expected from the car. I think. It is just a question of taste but I was expecting it to be more comfy I guess, nice looking, more in the "Loft" spirit.

The Lodge version is not only leather, there is also wool, and I think that's what makes it so comfortable. And when being behind the wheel of that version, I could really picture myself in it, because it's different, as the i3 is from every other car.
Also, the wood on the dashboard is the little detail that made it for me... As well as the white steering wheel, but that's on the Loft version too.

Anyway, the i3 is such an amazing car... And I can tell you that trying the Renault Zoe just after the i3 made me realize even more the quality of everything in the i3!

That's great to hear Lolotte. Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[surfingslovak]

Hello everybody,
I am trying to put a picture I took just below this sentence so I hope it'll work... If not, can someone tell me how to add pictures on this forum?

Lolotte, I've noticed that you tried sharing a Facebook photo. Could you open it in your browser, then right-click and then copy the image address? The link should look like what I copied below as an example.

https://sphotos-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/q71/s720x720/995782_653921314620534_528600895_n.jpg

 

[Lolotte]

 

[Lolotte]

Ok, so it worked!
Thanks a lot Surfingslovak!

Unfortunately, I couldn't take a lot of pictures there so I just took the two pictures you can see.
I really like the i3 in that colour (but I guess it is because I couldn't see a Solar Orange one!!)!

 

[surfingslovak]

Ok, so it worked!
Thanks a lot Surfingslovak!

Unfortunately, I couldn't take a lot of pictures there so I just took the two pictures you can see.
I really like the i3 in that colour (but I guess it is because I couldn't see a Solar Orange one!!)!

Glad it worked out! I really like this color, I think BMW calls it Ionic Silver. Andesite Silver is also nice, but I suspect that Solar Orange will likely be the most popular choice, as others have said

 

[Mike74jcw]

I, too, really like the Ionic Silver . It has very nice contrast versus the black bonnet/roof/boot. The Solar Orange had been my 1st choice in colors until now - think I like the Ionic Silver a little more but both colors are great.

 

[SanSerif]

Interested to see you've tried both the Zoe and the i3; that must put you in a small and select group!

I was keen on the Zoe when I first read about it (and, later, saw it). But my (probably unnecessary) "need" for the extra range of the REx, my greater trust of BMW when it comes to new technology (and a secret desire for a bit more luxury) has meant the i3 has won me over.

 

[Parker]

Great pictures Lolotte, I must say I never considered the Light Blue / Silver colour but it looks good in your photos and TBH is probably the only colour where all the Blue accents actually make any kind of sense. Maybe I should embrace my inner "blueness" and choose the base interior with all that BLUE too..........maybe its a good combo.

From the photos it looks like that was the Loft interior car .......what did you think of the dashboard treatment - its described as "grained metallic finish" but in the pictures looks sort of Black / Grey....... could you describe it? Was it in anyway attractive?

Also looking at the photo it looks as if the car you drove was a Rex ........ member of the public to drive a Rex ......another first!
Did it ever kick in?

 

[Lolotte]

@ Parker: I didn't even see it was a Rex version, but it is actually.
So, no it didn't kick in at any point... But I now wish I tried to turn it in just to hear the difference...

Concerning the Loft Version, you indeed have a metallic finish, in place of the wood on the dashboard on Suite and Lodge.
The "grained metallic finish" looks good, it it more modern than wood, making the Loft version looking a little bit more "high-tech" I think.
It is well finished and you see they put a lot of thoughts in it, as well as everything on the car.
If I remember well, you have a small button, opening to a small glove compartment (I think it is part of the "upgrade" here in France).

@SanSerif: The Zoe is really good looking and the range is quite good. But apart from that, after seeing and trying the i3, the Zoe is clearly a step down.
It is normal anyway, as the price is not the same, and the type of client aimed is also different.
But I am glad that Renault and Bolloré (Autolib') is in the EV business in France, so people are more aware of possibilities, and, even if a lot of people are still against it, we can really see EV in every corner in Paris.
Soon, we will see i3 as well!

 

[Parker]

Thanks for the response Lolotte ..... I'm looking forward to seeing the Metallic Dash.

I don't think the configurator does it justice by the sound of things.