BMW GIVES i3 JOLT OF EXCITEMENT WITH NEW S MODEL
It’s highly unlikely that owners of the 2018 BMW i3s will participate in extracurricular automotive activities like autocross with their electric cars, but if they do, well, they’ll have some fun.
Mash the accelerator to the floor while exiting a tight turn on a coned course in Sport mode — new on the i3s — and the zero-emission, five-door vehicle charges forward more forcefully than the majority of hot hatches out there. And with the rear end kicked out to boot, not in an opposite-lock, Ken Block-like drift, but more of a gentle sliver of a slide.
Steering, although somewhat disconnected in feel, is quite precise, while grip from the relatively narrow tires is good enough to make you wish the seats had deeper side bolsters. Even the brakes — assisted by a regenerative braking system — can handle the aggressive deceleration without fading. Well, at least for a couple of laps, which is all we got.
Yes, it’s quite improbable that i3s drivers will sign up for local time-attack competitions (though I suspect with sticky tires it’ll do surprisingly well), but we were nonetheless offered an opportunity to thrash BMW’s upgraded and sportier version of the i3 around an autocross course to demonstrate its new-found emphasis on the driving experience.
The first thing on the agenda toward making a sportier i3 was to boost power, so the i3s has an electric motor with output increased to a stout 181 horsepower and torque now peaks at 199 pound-feet. This upgrade is good for a zero-to-100-km/h time of 6.9 seconds (four-10ths of a second quicker than the standard i3) and a top speed of 160 km/h.
There’s now a Sport mode and traction control has been programmed to allow for a little rearwheel spin when Sport is selected.
The i3s draws current from the upgraded 33-kWh battery the i3 received in 2017 and it still has a range of about 200 km. That can be stretched to 330 km with the optional, range-extending 650-cc twin-cylinder gasoline engine.
A performance upgrade meant the chassis had to follow suit, so the wheels track 40 millimetres wider compared to the i3 and its 20-inch wheels measure 155 and 175 mm front and rear, respectively. Bump absorption is now handled by a firmer sport suspension, which also drops ride height by 10 mm.
Externally, there are some subtle differences in the front and rear fascias to differentiate the i3s from its standard sibling, but the telltale signs are the widened wheel arches that accommodate the wider wheel track and tires.
The interior is surprisingly tidy, at least in terms of switches and knobs, and it’s roomy, comfortable and quiet at speed. You’re surrounded by recycled trim materials, some of which have a deliberate, almost unfinished surface, though this is easily forgiven considering their eco-friendly sourcing. A 10.25-inch central screen handles infotainment, including navigation, media and ConnectedDrive displays, while a smaller screen mounted behind the steering wheel provides driving information.
Access to the rear seat is made easier through the use of rearward-swinging rear doors. Cargo space is unchanged at 260 litres behind the rear seats and almost four times that with the seatbacks down.
Lisbon’s very narrow and tightly twisting streets emphasize the i3s’ focus on urban driving; it has a surprisingly tight turning circle, visibility is good all around and it blasts up steep inclines with seatcompressing force. If you drive conservatively, the regenerative braking is strong enough to let you get by with one-pedal driving without being too intrusive. Drive it with a normal level of vigour and you’ll call upon the brake pedal maybe 30 per cent of the time you would normally.
So far all is good in the i3s, but my sole issue with the EV is the excessively firm sport suspension; this isn’t a BMW M car. I understand the urge to offer a sportier version of the i3, but no one is really going to drive the i3s on winding roads like they stole it or take it to the racetrack to chase lap times, so the stiff, comfort-inhibiting ride seems like an unnecessary tradeoff, especially because the i3 was already a pretty nimble car.
Although there is an array of driver assists available, there are some now basic features missing. You can get adaptive cruise and Parking Assistant, which takes over all of the controls when parking, including braking and gear selection. There’s also the optional Driving Assistant Plus, which combines several driver aids to allow the car to drive in stop-and-go traffic up to 60 km/h, while also keeping within its lane without driver intervention. But missing are blind-spot and rear-traffic alerts.
The i3s is BMW’s first foray into fully electric high performance. The company has confirmed that 25 new electrified vehicles are coming by 2025 and among them will be 12 battery-electric vehicles. The i3s is just a hint that the future of sustainable mobility, according to BMW, doesn’t mean you have to commit to a life of buzz-killing, hypermiling energy management when driving electric. You are allowed to have some good, clean fun behind the wheel and the i3s delivers in that respect.
The 2018 BMW i3s starts at $52,350 before any rebates, which is about $3,600 more than the standard i3, and is already in dealerships.