To my mother, any spice is too spicy. To some people, highly responsive, tight steering is too much to handle. Some LIKE the steering the way it is...BMW does not feel it is dangerous, or they wouldn't have sold the car with an intentionally dangerous feature. BMW's choice on packaging options on the i3 is not out of line with their whole range, and is very similar to many of the German brands. Bundles are a way of life. Some people hate it that some things like say a sunroof are only packaged with some other desirable features, when the addition of one can make the difference between whether one fits in the car or not, or must then make the decision to being locked out of other desirable options. This is the way with bundles. To some, certain 'options' are a required feature of a car purchase...to others, it is a superfluous frill, they do not want, nor do they want to pay for it. THe backup camera is a case in point. It costs, even the car company, more money to include a backup camera in a car than $3.50 (one report said in the order of $40-200, depending on the vehicle, and that's cost...not counting markup - you can't give things away for free, in the end, the consumer pays for it). There's more to it than just the camera, there's the different rear hatch, the wiring, the interface to trace the lines on the display matched AND calibrated during assembly to the steering wheel's sensors, which may not exist unless that is installed, and then the digital video input processor. There are probably other things as well. In the USA, the feds have mandated all cars by 2017 have one, and you'll see that happen on all brands - the timing of the ramp up is up to the manufacturer. IN the interim, if they can get people to pay for the package, more power to them...if you want something, whether it is 'standard' or whether you pay for it as an option, you're still paying for it - they don't give it away for free. In the USA, we get the KLE, the heat pump (on the BEV), and 'free' maintenance on our cars, in other markets, people pay for them separately (and there are probably other differences, like the LED headlights verses halogens). Are they 'free' because they are standard, hell no. It's a marketing decision. BMW is a business. THeir goal is to make money. Bitching about something you think should be standard is just that...your opinion. If it was a critical thing on your purchase, and you chose not to buy it, whose issue is that? Certainly not BMW's...you either pay up, or you don't buy it! If enough people don't buy it, they may change, but complaining, after the fact, may make you feel better, but annoys others. You walk into a Chinese restaurant, but you hate that type of food...do you complain they won't make you a nice juicy steak? It is what it is, if that's what you want, you go elsewhere.
To the vast majority of people buying the i3, the steering is not dangerous...it is somewhat different, but then again, many of the features on the car are unique. It took me all of a couple of days to acclimate just like the one pedal driving. It obviously won't match everyone's desires...make something too 'common' or 'bland' and then you won't please those that like unique and responsive.
