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2014 BMW i3 Spy Shots

 
8 2,530 views Feb 8, 2012
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2014 BMW i3 spy shots

HI-RES GALLERY: 2014 BMW i3 spy shots

It's still little more than a concept and a cool idea, but already the BMW i3 has a smartphone app, a fan following, and, now, a new set of spy shots of a prototype for a production-bound  version.

If you're not familiar with the i3, it's a range-extended electric minicar, due sometime in 2013 most likely as a 2014 model, aimed at providing a high degree of urban mobility while still allowing the occasional extra-urban long-distance jaunt.

From the spy photos, we get our first look at the rear-opening passenger side door, somewhat like the MINI Clubman's arrangement, and a taste of the less-glassy production-intent body shape and styling. While the i3 retains the stubby proportions inherent to the minicar class, it wears them well, thanks in part to what appear to be large, if narrow, wheels, and a raked, extended windshield.

According to a previous report, BMW is targeting a very low price point--right around $35,000 in the U.S. With futuristic design, a highly-efficient powertrain good for 80-100 miles of electric-only driving, a 167-horsepower electric motor driving the rear wheels, and a curb weight of just 2,755 pounds, that's an incredible bargain. Of course, these are concept specs and a pre-pre-preproduction price estimate, but if BMW can deliver, the i3 will be in a class by itself--barring similar advances from its competitors.

The concept claims a 0-62 mph sprint of under 8 seconds, making it not exactly quick, but far from pokey. Charging is claimed to be quick, too, with a high-speed charger juicing the lithium-ion battery pack to 80 percent in one hour.

We still have nearly two years of development before the i3 will reach production, but if the retail car reaches the goals of the concept, at a rate of 40,000 sold per year globally, the i3 could be a very attractive option for urban dwellers and suburbanites alike.

The first public outing for the new i3 will be at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, due to kick off July 27, 2012, though we expect to see more concepts and near-production versions at the intervening autoshows. The i3 will also be joined by the upcoming i8, which you can learn more about in our spy shot article here.





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Comments (8)

  1. fb_100001663981238 avatar Daniel Chavez Moran Posted: 3/8/2011 10:12am PST

    This new electric car looks very promising. It also looks bigger than Smart cars, which I think is an improvement (safety-wise). I am excited to see it come to the states.
     
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  2. fb_82100996 avatar Rich Shanks Posted: 3/8/2011 3:41pm PST

    I fail to see how this is a BMW. BMW has failed miserably to extend their brand into smaller, more efficient vehicles. (MINI doesn't count because that's a separate brand.) Just the opposite, each new version of BMWs keeps getting fatter, heavier, bigger and less efficient. The 3-series today is larger than the 5-series was in the late 80s. Now they expect the public to embrace a cheap little economy car that looks like the Toyota iQ with the propellor on its hood? Total brand management failure on BMW's part.
     
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  3. By WizardsLore Posted: 3/8/2011 7:02pm PST

    Umm Rich Shanks - you are missing the point. having that blue and white propeller on thhe hood ornament will guarantee massive slaes. people will be stupid enough to flock to the brand because it is a Beemer, not because it is any good or value for money. look at hom many people bought the original 1 series wagon, regadless of the fact it was basically a 2 seater with 2 seats in the back for very very short journeys for people with less than average siized legs and a storage space in the hatch boot that was smaller than a corrolla
     
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  4. fb_82100996 avatar Rich Shanks Posted: 3/9/2011 8:59am PST

    My point, Wizard, is that BMW needs to do some more brand management today... Should have done some more brand management all along... preparing for smaller cars, which are inevitable given the prices of gas, govt regulations, recent consumer preferences. Instead of exploring both ends of the spectrum, they only gave us bigger, thirstier cars. The last M3 with a huge engine shoehorned in there was an example of going away from the brand's roots, which was sporty, efficient, lighter cars with superb handling.
     
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  5. By WizardsLore Posted: 3/9/2011 6:29pm PST

    Rich - I will re make my point then using your logic. For every 1 driving purist that long's for the day of the snappy little driving machine with the Bavarian propeller on the hood walks away from the brand, 5 misguided and fashion conscious superficial people with no clue of the marque etc with join the buying queue. It's simple economics. BMW will make multiple times the profit that it would if it tried to appeal to a simple demographic by extending its range. I don’t agree with it personally, but from a business standpoint it’s a complete no brainer and the fat cats in BMW Munich GmbH will be laughing all the way to their multi million pound houses on the Italian and French rivieras. It’s sad but oh so very true
     
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  6. Nelson avatar Nelson Ireson Posted: 3/9/2011 11:49pm PST

    Wizards: you're probably right (if a bit cynical) about the sales potential. Even current BMW owners aren't all that into the driving dynamics or details of their cars: http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1043671_80-percent-of-bmw-1-series-owners-think-their-car-is-front-wheel-drive
     
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  7. By WizardsLore Posted: 3/10/2011 4:44pm PST

    Nelson: I wouldn’t say i'm being a cynic more so a realist. I would love a BMW in my driveway but realise that I just can’t justify paying the premium for a car that is only slightly better than the one I currently own. Your article you have linked proves the point I made about the economic factor. The new buyers of BMW aren’t interested in how well it drives or corners, or how BMW has always been at the forefront with innovations etc along with its Stuttgart based rival. No, these new buyers all care about the badge at the front of the car only as a fashion statement, and that is it. It’s a terrible truth in that society as a whole is acting more and more like this not just with cars but with everything else. You only have to look at all these oh so smart people over extending themselves with loans well beyond their means and when the GEC took hold in 2009/2010 they couldn’t cover their outlays. If you have the money to purchase a BMW (or whatever brand you like) to appreciate a great driving machine then by all means indulge yourself, you probably deserve it. But to purchase the car purely on the fact that its badge is recognised as a fashion icon goes against the principles that BMW (and a lot of other Marques) used to stand by. i look forward to your response
     
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  8. fb_100000079225802 avatar Samuel Choi Posted: 2/8/2012 4:43pm PST

    I like what you said. My friends like certain cars because they're "cool" but I would want some of the same cars for the reason of their engineering marvels and appreciation of design, heritage, and quality.
     
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