[bradleyland]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

All these words tell me the i8 is targeted as a high-performance sports car, which the Corvette is too, and has many of the same features: dynamic damper control, sports-oriented suspension design, five (5) driving modes, use of aluminum and carbon fiber in construction (yeah I get it, the i8 has a carbon fiber passenger cell).

The all-new C7 Corvette gets the job done (with better performance) and at a substantially far less price. It's admirable BMW is advancing the art, but sometimes the direction is not the right track. If BMW came out with a turbo 3-cylinder ceramic-engine with 300HP and 350 ft.lb. torque and ran at 95% efficiency (i.e. 5% heat loss), that would be impressive, even at $136,000

The term "sports car" is a very, very broad term. Is the M3 a sports car? Because the i8 will have M3 levels of performance. The Mazda Miata is considered a sports car, and it doesn't have anywhere near the level of performance the i8 will have. Is it ok for BMW to call it a sports car now?

Not once has BMW has compared the i8 to the Corvette. They wouldn't, because the Corvette includes zero advanced eco-related technology, and is in an entirely different league from a performance standpoint.

It's a daft comparison, and you're not proving anything by continuing to harp on it. The Corvette's performance is in super-car territory. It is at the opposite end of the spectrum from the i8's target performance.

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

The all-new C7 Corvette gets the job done (with better performance) and at a substantially far less price.

The C7 Corvette outperforms a very long list of cars at a much, much lower price point. The car is a modern wonder of engineering and a value that has never been seen in automotive history. I cannot think of a single example of a car that outperforms the C7 (or C6 Z06 and ZR1, for that matter) on a performance-per-dollar standpoint. However, this has nothing to do with the i8.

If you are looking for performance-per-dollar, then you shouldn't even consider the i8. Go ahead and toss all your brochures in the trash. Delete any bookmarks from your web browser. Unsubscribe from this thread. Go outside, have a breath of fresh air, and forget you ever saw the car.

You should probably also consider that your wife's first-impiressions from a single commercial might not be the best basis from which to start the reasoning for your next car purchase.

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Let's call the i8 what it is, an engineering exercise, put into limited production.

Absolutely true. That's the point of the entire i line-up. I'm not sure I expect i to even be around in 15 years.

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I remember when BMW introduced the limited-production Z1 (about 6 years after GM put the Fiero into production) and touted it as the next age in car design and manufacturing (space-frame covered by plastic panels). BMW built a few hundred copies of the Z1. GM built tens of thousands of price-competitive Fieros, built other vehicle designs using the technology, and even started a new car company (Saturn) based of the space-frame/plastic body construction technique. Automobile Magazine just claimed the i8 has the design of the year and what regular cars will be like (regardless of price) in 2064; let's hope it holds true.

All the i8 does is trade the cost of fuel for the cost of technology, and to me doesn't do that good of a job at it. The Tesla Model S does do a great job at trading the cost of fuel for the cost of technology. The Tesla S is very close to providing the same over all cost of ownership for an EV as compared to a ICE-powered automobile in it's price and size class (how the price is subsidized is a matter of conjecture, but they are selling quite well and the consumer understands the purpose of it).

Now these are good arguments!

BMW is claiming to push the envelope, but as you pointed out, Tesla is kicking everyone's ass. By including an ICE, BMW is making a different bet. I've often wondered the same thing about the i8: "Does the inclusion of an ICE even make sense?" I have a feeling we're in agreement that the inclusion of an ICE is a misstep here. I think Tesla have it right. If you're going electric, go electric. Although, the Porsche 918 is an excellent demonstration of the benefits of a supplementary ICE can provide at the very top end. Maybe BMW followed Porshe's lead here? Seems plausible considering their market position.

For me, the most exciting thing to come out of the i program is the CFRP technology. Rumors are that the an all-new Z-car will use a carbon fiber tub chassis. I'm sure that rumor is based on a whole lot of unproven hypotheses, but if it comes to fruition, the i program will have been more beneficial to BMW's core mission than the Z1 was. Similar rumors are circulating regarding the M2, although that car won't use a CF tub, just lots of CFRP. Reportedly, more than the M3/4 even.