Time for something special again.

Capable of delivering 0-62mph in a shade under 4.5 seconds, or 135mpg (sadly, not both together) the BMW i8 on paper delivers two cars in one – an economical stylish hybrid and a high-performing supercar.

But have BMW pulled it off? With four seats (granted the rear ones are not that spacious) and stunning scissor doors, this looks every bit the well-heeled toy that it invariably is… and at the same time isn’t.
It’s incredibly fast but at the same time it’s remarkably comfortable and practical enough for a more everyday use, although you do have to learn how to get into it gracefully, or at least not embarrassingly! Granted, you’re not going to be going on family holidays in it, but still it is an impressively usable supercar. I know someone who owns one, and he does use it everyday.

But it is the detail that BMW have gone to in order to ensure it ticks the supercar boxes. Consider first of all that this is powered by a 1.5 litre 3 cylinder diesel engine, on its own the noise coming out of the exhaust is never going to match the looks. You expect a growling V8 (as a minimum) and what is delivered is anything but.

Making the experience match the expectation

So to match the experience with the expectation, BMW designed a speaker system behind the front seats that is tuned to the engine. They are programmed to deliver the engine note that you expect from the performance, making the whole experience match the expectation.

And the whole thing really does deliver. The controls are very familiar – if you’ve driven a modern BMW, there will be nothing surprising. The dash looks a little more futuristic, but that’s partly to do with combining the displays needed to communicate both diesel-based combustion with electric wattage consumption.

There are a couple of additional menu options to switch between full economy, a power/ economy mix, and full attack-mode, but otherwise, it really does feel like a normal car.

It’s comfortable, luxurious (and with the £115,000 price tag, it should feel luxurious) but with little touches that remind you you’re in something special; the blue LED lighting accentuating the cabin, the heads up display to focus the attention on the driving experience, the throaty roar (albeit, artificial) and the kick to the lower back when you put your foot down.

It definitely feels, looks and performs like a supercar. And yes, to buy one you may have to save up a few pennies, but once you’ve done that, the costs of running it don’t have to be bank-breaking.

If I had around £100k to buy a car, in all honesty, I’d pick a Tesla over this, given I have a family, but if the kids had left home, I think my decision may very well be different. Possibly.