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Starting an internship at Source West Bristol was very exciting. To have the opportunity to put my

engineering skills to use and a chance to gain experience as well as an insight into the automotive

industry was very thrilling.

While doing a site visit to Cribbs Causeway for a routine inspection of one of the many charge points

being introduced to Bristol, we took the opportunity to visit BMWs Dick Lovett dealership to see thenew i8.

BMW has provided the world and the team at Source West an insight into the future. As well as

the successful i3, BMWsnew i8 shows the world that you can have performance and elegance

without compromise.

BMW's new i8 Parked outside Dick Lovett

Parked on the entrance of Dick Lovett BMW Bristol is a sculpture of absolute beauty and engineering

perfection. Witnessing the i8 first hand is an amazing experience. The photos do not do this

revolutionary car justice. We at Source West have been granted a unique opportunity to test drive

one of the worldsmost ambitious cars.

The silver i8 has a very futuristic design and will be turning heads where ever you go. The very low-

slung body, elegant lines and stunning attention to detail is exhilarating.

Another point is the magnificent scissor dihedral"doors. BMW thought the i8 out thoroughly.

The sporty character of the i8 is recognised instantly. As described by BMW the scissor doors are

an optical highlight and blend perfectly into the smooth lines of the aerodynamic body shell.

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An entirely new concept of sports car, the BMW i8 is more efficient due to its intelligent lightweight

construction with carbon and aerodynamic design. Its more sustainable, with highly efficient BMW

eDrive technology and recyclable materials in the interior. Yet with no compromise on dynamics and

its sporting appearance, it creates the optimum combination of driving pleasure and efficiency. TheBMW i8 is a plug-in hybrid that brings together the advantages of an innovative electric motor and

combustion engine technologies. The result is an extraordinary driving experiencewith extremely

low consumption and low emissions.

The technical bitGoing from 0-60mph in less than 4.5 seconds is fast. But consider this; the BMW i8 has a 1.5 litre 3-

cylinder petrol engine! You may wonder even wonder how is that possible? It is possible thanks to its

parallel hybrid system. In addition the engine is a powerful electric motor which has a 96kW (131hp)

output. Combine this with the turbo charged 1.5 litre engine producing 170kw (231hp) of peak

performance and you get a combined figure of 266kW (362hp) for power and 320Nm of torque.

A person might ask, These are normal figures for a sports car. So what is so special about the

BMWs i8?

True, a Porsche 911 PDK does have 257kW (350hp) power output and does from 0-60mph in 4.6

seconds, which is similar to the BMW i8. However, this is where everything changes and the BMW

takes over.

Porsche 911 PDK has a fuel consumption of 34.4mpg and has CO2 emissions of 191 g/km. Can you

guess what the efficiency figures of BMWs i8 are?

Here are the BMWs i8 figures: Fuel economy is 135mpg and CO2 emissions are 49g/km. Even a

small city car struggles to compete with this. Add to that the fact that you pay 0 road tax and no

congestion charges. Added perks do not stop here. In addition the i8 qualifies for the 5000 plug ingrant and as a business the company car tax (benefit in kind) is 5% this year and 7% next year. It

does not stop hereas there are other tax advantages for some businesses.

With the ever rising prices of Petrol and the fact that petrol is a non-renewable resource, BMW is

showing us that this may be the way forward. As for anyone who has any range anxiety rest assured,

the BMW i8 can travel almost 375 miles once charged and fuelled.

Weight is where BMW have worked their magic; the i8s kerb weight is less than 1490kg. This was

done thanks to a number of savings, one of which is passenger cell which saves nearly 200kg as it

utilises carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic (CFRP). This not only saves weight but also improves safety.

The passenger cell sits on an all-aluminium frame which has been utilised for improved safety and

agility. The weight distribution is 50:50, in addition to the very low centre of gravity both of which

increase agility.

Layout of the new BMW i8 Cut away section of the i8

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The eDrive ensures the i8sfeatures are utilised intelligently

at all times without any need for driver input. The torque

from the electric motor is instantaneous from the moment

the accelerator is pressed, whether it be braking or going

downhill everything is used extremely efficiently. The highly

intelligent energy management system ensures perfect

interaction between batteriesmotor. The electric motor

with the combustion engine is always geared to maximise

performance without sacrificing on energy. You can tell the car is trying to get the best efficiency of

the available resources. The car is also never trying to charge the batteries to their full, that way it

optimises charging availability. In addition when the car recognises you are approaching a

destination, it will allow the batteries to be used to their maximum, as it recognises that you can

charge the car at the end of your journey. Very clever stuff.

There is a lot of advanced technology working within the system of the i8, meanwhile you can

continue driving the car without anything trying to take away the joy of driving or getting distracted.

Driving the i8.Climbing into the i8 is an amazing experience; the interior is very well designed and has a very

luxurious yet sporty feel to it. The seats are comfortable and provide good support. The dash board

is very refined with improved safety features, such as the BMW Head-Up Display meaning you will

not have to take your eyes of the road. This gives the driver the ability drive undistracted and in a

comfortable environment.

The innovations continue throughout the interior, the attention to detail can be seen everywhere;

the way the gear leaver is designed with exotic materials. The eye catching BMW i design, which is

engraved using lasers show precision, underlining the dynamics of the car and the design.

eDrive technology

Eco mode

This is where you produce 0 g/km of CO2 at the tail

pipe. The i8 is entirely driven by the electric motor

only. The i8 systems ensure that everything is

adjusted to run as efficiently as possible. Giving you

speeds up to 37mph. Do not worry about having to

adjust anything if the battery runs out or if you are

trying to overtake another vehicle, the engine kicks

into life seamlessly without any compromise.

When driving in Eco mode, the passenger cell is very

comfortable and quiet. Even the dash board

changes to a very calming blue colour.

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Sport mode

Shift the gear lever into sport mode and you are ready for some serious fun! Everything changes, the

suspensions are adjusted using electronic dampers, steering becomes sharper and you are ready to

use the paddle shifters. Unlike normal paddle shifters, which sometimes give you very strong

gearshifts, the BMW system is extremely smooth. Climbing through the gears is very refined; shifts

are instantaneous without any loss in drive.

Braking into corners is very strong thanks to the added effects of the regenerative braking. The i8 isalways trying to charge the battery system in the most efficient way possible, very clever. Meaning

you can brake later into corners and still be at complete ease and safety.

The car corners with such accuracy as if laser guided. The car is very stable through high speed

corners and has a supple ride quality. Reaching the apex, plant your foot on the accelerator and you

get instant speed thrilling speeds in very little time. The best part of it is the acceleration, instant

power thanks to its electric motor. There is no lost time between the accelerator being pushed and

the car taking off.

Extra features

The i drive system is very special, easy to use and integrated very nicely into car. Everything is laid

out very well. An impressive feature is the all surrounding view camera, showing you a birds eye

view of the car. Very helpful for parking!

Verdict

The i8 is a car you fall in love with at first sight. Elegance combined with performance, efficiency and

a futuristic driving system. This will hopefully pave the way forward and change the way we view

performance. BMW has shown us performance does not require an oil tanker following you at every

corner.

Comfort mode

This is similar to eco mode, with the addition of all the power you need as soon as you hit the

accelerator. This mode is perfect companion for motorway driving. Again driving at lower speeds

< 37mph, the i8 will try to utilise the electric motor alone.

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Technical Specs

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Special Note to Dick Lovett BMW dealership.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the customer service team at Dick Lovett, the staff

were very welcoming and extremely generous.

A special thank you goes to Scott Martin for the very professional service he provided us with. Scott

is very knowledgeable, especially when it comes to the i range. Scott was on hand to answer any

questions we had and would explain the answers in very simple, easy to understand terms.

Thank you Scott again for letting us drive the beautiful i8 and enjoy the scenery on some lovely

B-roads and trusting us with a 99,895.00 special car.

All around view - High tech cameras

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For more info contact: Scott Martin

BMW i Brand Manager

Dick Lovett Bristol

Laurel Court, Cribbs Causeway

Bristol

BS10 7TU

Direct Dial: 0117 9050145

Fax: 0117 9050090

Email:scott.martin@dicklovett.co.uk

Web: www.dicklovett.co.uk

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