The 2019 BMW i8 Roadster Is A Future Classic | Automotive Affairs Review by Nauman Farooq

2019 BMW i8 Roadster - ** Spyder was the concept ** Written by: Micheal Banovsky | Edited by: Nauman Farooq Low, lean, and mean-looking, few sports cars get as much attention as the 2019 BMW i8 Roadster. First introduced to Canada in late 2017 with the i8’s mid-cycle refresh (more on that in a minute), the Roadster is confusingly the production version of a car BMW called the ‘BMW i8 Spyder’…that looks nearly identical to this car. Its drop-dead gorgeous styling is one thing, its lightweight, advanced carbon fibre chassis is another, but what’s it like to drive? In typical Automotive Affairs style, let’s find out! STYLING: At first glance, this is every bit a sports car — even its doors open upward. Look more closely, however, and the ‘usual’ furniture on a car like this is missing: no aggressive front spoiler, no rear wing, narrow tires, and no exhaust pipes. What’s going on here? INTERIOR: If you’re familiar with modern BMWs, once past the butterfly doors, the interior should hold no surprises. A driver-focused, digital gauge set, tall and snug centre console, and tiny centre screen leave occupants with little to do but enjoy the drive. Mid-2010s BMW gear selector, iDrive, and climate controls make this car very easy to live with. Power-closing top does the job in 15 seconds. POWERTRAIN: Combined power? 369 horsepower. Combined torque? 420 lb-ft. If it doesn’t matter to you how you get there, stop reading. If not, consider that all of this is stuffed under the i8 Roadster’s skin: a 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder engine (shared with MINIs); a 141 hp electric motor, 11.6 kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters, and drive modes. PERFORMANCE: Electric-only range is approximately 40-50 km, if you drive gingerly. If you drive like we do, assume 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds (we managed 4.9 seconds during our test), and a (governed) top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). DRIVING DYNAMICS: Numbers just don't paint a real picture when it comes to how the i8 feels like from behind the wheel. It feels light, agile (even though, at 1,665 kg - 3,671 lbs, this is far from being light), and sporty! It feels planted when you're going for it on the highway; but show it some curvy back roads and it is just as happy to change directions. In short, it is a joy to drive! BMW engineers found a very good setup - using placement of drivetrain components to give the vehicle a nearly perfect 50:50 weight distribution. Combine that with skinny tires [for a German sports car (215/45 R20 front - 245/40 R20 rear)] and a perfectly weighted steering, the i8 Roadster turns out to be much more fun to drive that its power numbers suggest - just remember to snick the gear lever to the left to engage "Sports mode" for maximum fun! FUEL ECONOMY: We achieved a combined rating of 6.0 L/100 km (39.2 U.S. mpg) over a week of testing. That far exceeds the stated range of 8.7 L/100 km (27 U.S. mpg) - although, we charged it as much as we could! PRICE: Base price when new for the 2019 BMW i8 Roadster in Canada? Approximately $169,000. Price now? This example (that you see in the video) is for sale at BMW London, for $124,849. That's quite good for a one-owner example that has covered less than 11,000 km. VERDICT: The BMW i8 (in either Coupe or Roadster form) is not a car for those who look at horsepower, zero to 60 mph (0-96 km/h) times, or top speed numbers; but if you get in and drive one with an open mind, you'll soon realize that the i8 Roadster is a real joy to drive! It's abilities are well suited for the style of driving we mostly do in North America (stop and go city driving, with some country roads, plus covering long distances on the highway, it does it all in style)! BMW stopped making the i8 in 2020 - so the only ones on the market are pre-owned. Don't let that distract you, it's a great vehicle, as this rare, German convertible (only 3,884 i8 Roadsters were produced for the global market) is sure to become a future classic! Give us a Like if you found this description helpful, and Subscribe for many more car reviews! Automotive Affairs is on Facebook and Instagram, join thousands who follow our latest updates using the links below :-) Instagram:   / automotive_affairs   Facebook:   / automotiveaffairs   #bmwi8roadster #bmw #bmwi #bmwi8 #roadster #spyder #sportscar #hybrid #roadtest #review #canada #2019 Hope you enjoyed the video! BTW, we do car reviews, just like Top Gear - Fifth Gear - Throttle House - The Straight Pipes - Harry's Garage and Autocar magazine, on YouTube.