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Trip To The Future
Words and Photos by Davide Carletti
It all began with a 1:43 scale model, that model that you can find as a “special gift” when you buy a BMW, and that last year it was given to me: the fascinating BMW Vision EfficientDynamics prototype of a hybrid 2+2 coupe that combined a BMW M car, with fuel consumption and emissions performance of the latest generation city cars.
Who would have thought that after one year, that very car would has been protagonist in a road trip from Turin to Montecarlo? Traveling partner, a friend and a great professional and engines lover, Davide Manera, or “PIT STOP Supercars”, a new way to share this passion, with events and meetings, driving tours made by and for those who really love to drive and live road trips at 100% in a dynamic and socializing way.
So we meet at Bi Auto, the dealership who provided us the car. Welcoming us the nice Francesca di Martino, head of the “i” department, which introduced us to the peculiar characteristics of the model in question and after the classic signatures, we find ourselves in front of the long awaited BMW i8, beautiful in its elegant metallic silver, with coffee and cream-colored interiors and it is now time to push the “start” button.
The first leg of our journey sees us leaving from the center of Turin, where we use the car in all-electric mode. You do not hear anything and that immediately struck us, but basically the car is a hybrid, and as such the electric motor softly breathes with its unmistakable hiss and the only small annoyance I feel is a slight vibration of the left rear-view mirror lens, which on the old pavement of the city center and the tram rails, vibrates more than it should, but otherwise the silence and peace are only ruined by the chaos and the honking of the most undisciplined drivers around us.
Then, out of the city, the desire to test the car is great and that’s why, after moving the selector lever in “Sport”, everything changes. The hiss becomes an incredible sound, the steering response and the gas pedal change immediately and the fully digital cockpit instruments varies the color, from a reassuring ice blue turns red/orange, a shade so strong and more aggressive that we could not better.
The gears are devoured one after the other, as well as the asphalt on the motorway ramp leads us to a part of the trip that does not require great effort and in no time I find myself beyond the speed limits, so I was forced to light my right foot from the accelerator pedal.
On board, the driving position is very easy to find, electrical adjustments are extremely precise; the only flaw is the steeply raked A-pillar that because of the sloping windshield gives a bit of troubles as far as it concerns the ¾ side view, especially while in the city, something not optimal, but we are facing a very special sports car, a pure breed one and so, a very few compromises should be accepted. After a short stretch of motorway where you appreciate the great qualities of the chassis of the i8, stiff but not at all uncomfortable and very well soundproofed, we head to the first stage and the first “driver change” of this busy day. From the flat and straight roads, we now cross the hairpin bends that make us go up to almost 1100m above the sea level, in the beautiful ski resort of Limone, Piedmont. The driving change coincides with a quick coffee and a mid-morning snack, everything done super fast, because the road ahead is waiting for us and the schedule has to be respected, while things to see and photos to do, are still many.
The peace of mind found while at the wheel leaves its place in the precise moment I switch seat, because my namesake Davide has a heavy foot and a very sporty driving style that is well suited to this supercar. The sport mode is very gratifying, at this stage in fact the internal combustion engine is always on and the electric motor does not think of anything but make it look good. It’s the least “green” setting, but just bring the gear lever into “Drive” and the BMW i8 switches to “Comfort”: the hybrid nature becomes the star, the two engines talk along (or pass the torch, depending on the situation) and you can drive with all the tranquility you want. Leaving aside the pace of my companion, I can finally dedicate myself, as a true lover of cars and details, to analyze the quality of this BMW. I noticed a well done interior and full of very loving features, the car’s seats being tested had different types of materials, from leather to a breathable honeycomb tissue which would be appreciable during some hot summer days, the dashboard and center console are all covered in leather and everything is very pleasant, not only for the eyes but also to the touch. We do not have excessive reflections on the windshield and the storage compartments are absolutely sufficient to allow the two occupants to be able to put everything neatly.
The seats in the back are anything else that two small armchairs, well covered, but not roomy enough, as much as the small rear trunk, where we find just the place for the charging cables and enough luggage to leave for the weekend.
We are now close to the border and, after making some photographs in the French section, we take the motorway heading towards Monaco and within a bunch of minutes we find ourselves in the heart of the Principality, where the elegance of the place favors the i8, that becomes object of so many looks and photographs of passers who observe it and find it hard to recognize it, because so beautiful and peculiar at the same time, even rare to see in the Principality of Monaco, where sports cars and luxury cars are daily stuff. Time for a little lunch break and we use one of the many rechargeable stations present in this city, which has strongly supported the idea of electric cars, to allow both us and the car to recharge the batteries.
After a quick lunch and a “flash charge” we still have time for some shots at the port and the main corners of the fascinating Grand Prix, before leaving. Back to the driving seat and, a bit tired, I prefer the Comfort mode to the less extreme Sport, for having a more meandering and less grumpy trip. Also important to mention, all the passive safety devices that indicate the minimum distance from the vehicle ahead and slow down the car, anticipating the braking, thus reducing the risk of accident and all of its consequences.
On top of the “Colle di Tenda” I stop for a quick driver change, the last of the day, also because for the wait at the tunnel connecting Italy to France, the red traffic lights made us accumulate about half an hour late and forced us to call into cause the sportier nature of the i8, in addition to a more decisive drive, all in order to recover the time wasted.
Between a pass and the other it is already time to make statements on today’s trip. We arrive in the center of Turin and with the electric charge left we enjoy the acoustic comfort of the “total green” mode, just before getting in time at Bi Auto for the return of the car. We thank the gentle Francesca and her staff which were waiting for us to ask our thoughts about the test drive and we say goodbye with a promise to see each other again.
The “i” is fascinating and definitely worth a little ‘more attention for what it represents, especially in a Country like Italy, which is still far behind and when it is about sustainable mobility. The day draws to an end and we are left with a final judgment on this fascinating sports car.
The BMW i8 is one of the most complex cars ever put into production, a subject for technology lovers (automotive and otherwise), that deserves to abandon its niche to become a real competitor to classics such as, for example, the emblazoned Porsche, even with all the differences of the case. Yes, it is strange, it is different, it is all that you want, but it does not even require any kind of compromise. And it is no small feat.
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