Twin Turbo Navigation Backup Camera Adaptive Xenon Premium Pkg Leather Heated on 2040-cars

Auto blog

BMW i8 now has 10-month waiting list in UK

Reports that the BMW i8 would be a popular plug-in vehicle have been circulating since stories claiming 'sold out' status circulated late last year. Those turned out not to be entirely true, but now that deliveries have actually started, the $160,000 EV is proving to be only available to the patient in posh English shops. The Telegraph reports that there is a 10-month waiting period for the i8 in the UK, where one dealer (Park Lane in London's Mayfair) has managed to convince 170 people to place an order. Well, maybe convince isn't the right word. The store's sales manager told The Telegraph, "We've had numerous people asking to buy the display car. Many have said to me: name your price." Many locals want the car to avoid paying the expensive London congestion charge. The i8 uses a turbocharged 1.5-liter, three-cylinder engine and a 96-kilowatt electric motor to move from 9 to 60 miles per hour in only 4.2 seconds. The plug-in powertrain is good for 357 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. The plugged portion gives the i8 an EV range of up to 22 miles. The first i8 in the US is going to be auctioned off at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance Weekend next weekend.

BMW X5 driver repeatedly fails to understand big rig braking distances

Nobody should be shocked that a big, heavy vehicle like a semi truck takes a longer distance to stop than the average passenger car; it's just basic physics. However, this BMW X5 driver seemingly has a major problem grasping the concept, and it results in some serious damage to the back of his SUV.
The whole incident is very confusing to watch. The BMW doesn't even seem to have a reason to slow down before the semi slams into the back of it at fairly high speed. But to make the situation even weirder, the crashes just keep happening again and again.
To give the BMW driver a little credit, he appears amazingly calm when surveying the damage afterward. But you have to wonder what this guy was thinking when trying a harebrained move like this. Check out the video to watch the carnage unfold.

DC fast charging standard on 2015 BMW i3 EV

The BMW i3 is about to get a lot cooler. No, wait, a lot warmer. That's because there will a few new standard features in the i3 plug-in vehicles sold in the US, including seat heaters and satellite radio. Oh, and DC fast charging. The department head of BMW i USA, Jacob Harb, told BMW Blog that the company is, "now confident enough that in 2015 we will have the right infrastructure for DC fast charging, so it makes to include it standard in the MY2015." We can expect more details at the Detroit Auto Show in January and Harb told BMW Blog that, "you will be pleasantly surprised" by the announcement. There are a few other potential changes in store for the i3, including a configurable keyfob (like European i3 drivers get) and a heated steering wheel. It's unlikely that a sunroof or Lane Departure Warning will be offered, but Harb said BMW is always open to suggestions.