The New 2018 BMW i3 and i3s – MINI’s Distant Cousin Gets a Make-over
With MINI still two years away from releasing it all electric car, BMW has revised the 2018 BMW i3 and added a bit of sport in the process with the i3s. To be fair only similiarty that these two cars have with MINI is that they’re created by the same parent company. The i3 rides on a bespoke carbon fiber monocoque chassis that is entirely different than MINI’s traditional UKL steel structure. The only components remotely shared are deep under the skin and likely relate to electronics or seat-belt fasteners. Of course that doesn’t change the fact that the i3 is about the same size as a Clubman and (surprisingly) offers a similarly sporting drive.
While it doesn’t technically compete against the MINI (yet) it does offer an interesting value proposition for those looking for a sporty small electric car with plenty of luxury and tech. Prices for the revised 2018 models will be announced in the coming weeks but rest assured a properly specced i3s model will easily top $50k making any JCW Clubman look like a steal.
What’s new? We’ll get to the visual updates in a second. But first lets get to the stuff that might appeal to the MINI buyer – the sport model. The new BMW i3s comes equipped as standard with sports suspension that includes a 10-millimetre drop in ride height. The additional 40 millimetres of track width compared to the BMW i3 is given added impact by the black wheel arch borders.
Under the hood (so to speak) the i3s is developing 181bhp and 199lb ft of torque, 13bhp and 15lb ft more than standard version of the facelifted i3, which still produces 168bhp and 184lb ft.
The result is a 0-62 time of 6.9 seconds (vs 7.2) and a 20 KG weight penalty (due to the new suspension and wheels).
Range stays the same with the 94Ah battery. In our recent i3 tests we saw 130 miles on electric alone and well over 200 with the REX range extender.
Visually BMWi has given the i3s exclusive 20-inch light-alloy wheels in double-spoke design that are 20 millimetres wider than the previously available versions. They can be ordered in the Bicolour and Jet Black colour variants.
BMWi has visually changed the the i3 with revised front and rear aprons. At the front, the bumper inlay as well as the U-shaped surround encircling it have a black finish. The front apron’s side sections are bordered on their lower edge by accent strips in BMW i Blue or Frozen Grey that further emphasise the width of the car. The accent in the closed BMW kidney grille is also painted in high-gloss black on the BMW i3s to give the grille a larger and more prominent appearance. The rear apron of the new BMW i3s is likewise composed of individually styled contours, while the black surround frames an extra-wide, body-coloured inlay. On the new BMW i3s, the roof line accent also sports the same high-gloss black finish as the A-pillars.
The revised BMW i3 and i3s will hit showrooms this fall with US pricing expected in the next few weeks.
<p>Front looks much better. Wish they would sort out the belt-line by the rear doors which dips and ruins the look. Other things i wish they had done:</p>
<ul>
<li>Lowered the price – its obscenely highly priced for what it is.</li>
<li>Put on conventionally opening rear doors.</li>
<li>Put in a normal 3 bench seat in the back rather than the two seats it has.</li>
</ul>
<p>Then, maybe it would have got serious desire for me. Which is a shame because I think the powertrain is really rather good in this car (and the Rex is particularly unique and good).</p>
<p>However it doesn’t look anywhere as good as the electric Mini concept. So lets hope mini just gives us the powertrain of a i3 in a mini with a few of the interior technological advancements. And simultaneously make a 5 door variant.</p>
<p>Dreaming I know as car execs seem to make strange decisions quite a lot of the time.</p>
<p>If MINI would ever actually build the MINI E, I’d own that, but in the mean time, the i3 is the closest thing to an electric MINI, so I have that instead.</p>
<p>The MSRP is high, but actual cost to own via lease is much lower than the MSRP would indicate. See my post above comparing it to a JCW Convertible, for instance.</p>
<p>Conventional doors different, not necessarily better. In the case of someone who doesn’t often park closely next to other cars (never have, never will because I prefer my cars without tons of door dings), the coach doors are often more useful than regular doors because of the huge opening sans b-pillar. It’s easier to put kids in the back and easier for adults to get in and out of… unless you’re in a tight parking spot. So, it depends on the use case.</p>
<p>I agree with you, in general, though. I want them to throw this drivetrain in a MINI. RWD would be great, even, since the motor is small-ish. But until they actually do it, I’ll drive it’s closest relative, the i3.</p>
<p>When I first saw the i3 I thought that maybe BMW started the project as a MINI but redirected its badging after they figured out they couldn’t wring such an exorbitant price tag out of that marque. It certainly has more design queues in common with their sporty compact car line than an Ultimate Driving Machine and wouldn’t require much more than cosmetic changes to make it a MINI.</p>
<p>As other reviewers have said, it’s a concept show car that you can actually buy. That accounts for the price of entry with the amount of carbon fiber and bleeding edge engineering and technology in this machine, but yes, it’s still a crazy price. I’d wager that BMW makes very little margin of profit on these things.</p>
<p>Countryman S E already benefits directly from the i8’s powertrain so it’s not a stretch to believe that the i3 is a stepping stone to the newest all-electric MINI.</p>
<p>BMW seems to be really good at answering questions no one is asking.</p>
<p>“Prices for the revised 2018 models will be announced in the coming weeks but rest assured a properly specced i3s model will easily top $50k making any JCW Clubman look like a steal.”</p>
<p>Actual cost of ownership for a leased i3 will not be substantially more than a JCW Clubman, if at all, based on my i3 experience. Once you account for the tax credit, inflated residuals, discounts, and “fuel” savings, my first i3 cost me roughly the same to drive as my $25,000 GTI did, despite the $50k MSRP.</p>
<p>Look at the current lease deal on a JCW Convertible vs an i3 with Range Extender</p>
<p>JCW Convertible
$37,950 MSRP
$2,524 due at signing
$449/mo for 36 months
Total for 3 years: $18,688</p>
<p>i3 with REx
$50,995 MSRP
$4,254 due at signing
$329/mo for 36 months
Total for 3 years: $16,098</p>
<p>So, the i3, despite a $13,000 higher MSRP, is still $2800 cheaper over the course of a 3-year lease, in this case.</p>