Auto express M3 long range review. [thread]

[Mrklaw]

Mostly spaghetti

I think carwow opened it up if you want to see

 

[JonB]

I love my M3 and honestly think it’s better.

But if everyone buys one, they’ll lose some of that exclusivity magic.

That ship has sailed my friend. M3s are everywhere... even my wife, who is effectively "car blind" says they're common as muck.

 

[spdpsba]

It is amazing how many different types of cars there are on the roads, people make all kinds of different decisions about what cars they buy. For every car you see there's a person inside that specifically chose that above many others, including the really shocking Jeeps, Souls etc.

I'm glad BMW have a reasonable EV saloon, I know plenty of colleagues that will only ever buy BMW so it's necessary. I don't think I'm missing out on anything though. One thing I've not seen reviewers cover is what exactly is under that massive bonnet?

Not sure they specifically chose that Jeep or Soul above the rest - there are other variables involved, so again some consider car as a tool to go from A to B and don't mind a Soul or a Jeep as long as the price points/range/lease deals/capacity including the size of boot/ fits theirs.

BMW have a EV saloon, again not sure whether it is reasonable of course, they are going to sell a bucket load of them and keep the dealership/used car sales man in the business. Unfortunately Automative sector is not like software industry as the value of the product is anywhere north of 20000-50000. That restricts the kind of change that happened in the phone market or computers. And Elon is not Jobs! BMWs, Audis and Mercs will sell all their compromised EVs thro' their network of dealers/marketing channels to gullible customers.

 

[DoricJim]

Not sure they specifically chose that Jeep or Soul above the rest - there are other variables involved, so again some consider car as a tool to go from A to B and don't mind a Soul or a Jeep as long as the price points/range/lease deals/capacity including the size of boot/ fits theirs.

BMW have a EV saloon, again not sure whether it is reasonable of course, they are going to sell a bucket load of them and keep the dealership/used car sales man in the business. Unfortunately Automative sector is not like software industry as the value of the product is anywhere north of 20000-50000. That restricts the kind of change that happened in the phone market or computers. And Elon is not Jobs! BMWs, Audis and Mercs will sell all their compromised EVs thro' their network of dealers/marketing channels to gullible customers.

Gullible is extremely unfair and don’t get blinded by the Tesla hype. Yes I bought an M3 as for me it is the best EV on the market and like the latest tech. I also came from long term BMW ownership.

However, my dad who has recently retired is chopping in his 525d for an i4 40 and it is the ideal stepping stone into EV ownership in his case. He has always ran BMWs, is far from tech savvy, and since it has the same iDrive system etc. as his previous cars, backed up by an established dealer network he can call upon, it is less intimidating for him.

Just because some like us can easily adapt to this new world of cutting edge EVs don’t think everyone will find it so easy.

I’m looking forward to comparing my M3 to the i4 and think I’ll be pleasantly surprised by all accounts.

 

[prabhu]

Gullible is extremely unfair and don’t get blinded by the Tesla hype. Yes I bought an M3 as for me it is the best EV on the market and like the latest tech. I also came from long term BMW ownership.

However, my dad who has recently retired is chopping in his 525d for an i4 40 and it is the ideal stepping stone into EV ownership in his case. He has always ran BMWs, is far from tech savvy, and since it has the same iDrive system etc. as his previous cars, backed up by an established dealer network he can call upon, it is less intimidating for him.

Just because some like us can easily adapt to this new world of cutting edge EVs don’t think everyone will find it so easy.

I’m looking forward to comparing my M3 to the i4 and think I’ll be pleasantly surprised by all accounts.

i4 is based on the BMW 4 series gran coupe, so there would be some differences compared to a 5 series, which is like the benchmark for comfort. The idrive system on i4 is actually a new developing software, so requires some learning. Agreed, the presence of physical buttons, BMW charging card, plus the dealership network is a great benefit for your dad.

 

[DoricJim]

i4 is based on the BMW 4 series gran coupe, so there would be some differences compared to a 5 series, which is like the benchmark for comfort. The idrive system on i4 is actually a new developing software, so requires some learning. Agreed, the presence of physical buttons, BMW charging card, plus the dealership network is a great benefit for your dad.

He has also had a test drive and was impressed. Sounds as though the comfort level isn’t too far off the 5, albeit he has an F series rather than the latest G. Only gripe was the smaller seats which are shared with the 3.

 

[spdpsba]

Gullible is extremely unfair and don’t get blinded by the Tesla hype. Yes I bought an M3 as for me it is the best EV on the market and like the latest tech. I also came from long term BMW ownership.

However, my dad who has recently retired is chopping in his 525d for an i4 40 and it is the ideal stepping stone into EV ownership in his case. He has always ran BMWs, is far from tech savvy, and since it has the same iDrive system etc. as his previous cars, backed up by an established dealer network he can call upon, it is less intimidating for him.

Just because some like us can easily adapt to this new world of cutting edge EVs don’t think everyone will find it so easy.

I’m looking forward to comparing my M3 to the i4 and think I’ll be pleasantly surprised by all accounts.

I am not saying everyone should buy a Tesla. No car is perfect that includes Tesla.

Correct me if I am wrong BMW i3 came to market in 2012 when Model S came to the market. Now Tesla has S 3 X Y with slightly different platforms and body size. BMW has none as pure EV. Both the i4 and iX3 are modifications from ICE platforms. A multibillion car company aware of all the regulations and environmental effects, purely for a profit reason yet to invest in an exclusive EV platform?. Why would they invest? And what are they doing now producing a compromised EV (both in platforms, design and tech) and encouraging the same business model of dealerships, servicing, sticker prices that make sense only to people who can bargain and encouraging customers to tick the options as gullible customers need leather seats or cruise control etc., In the last 10 years, BMW could have easily had 4 pure EVs but they did not want to and even now they will sell all their ICE models with the EVs as just the icing on the cake hoping that all the countries will push back the deadlines. I don't know about Germany but UK will definitely push back the deadlines from 2035!

 

[qwickshot]

It’s far cheaper for a company like BMW to run a hybrid platform than it is to run two platforms side by side.

VAG only manage the multiple platforms because of their vast scale across brands.

Other manufacturers like BMW, Hyundai/Kia etc. are taking a mix of hybrid and bespoke to manage their transition.

I really don’t get the hate for the i4, sure aspects are not as good as Tesla but the same is true the other way round. Both are very good cars.

 

[spdpsba]

IX is a ground up EV - maybe you were thinking iX3

Corrected.

 

[phil4]

People get different cars for different reasons. Badge snobs, familiarity, like the look, fastest, best gizmo, does apple carplay etc. etc.

The i4 has things going for it depending on what you desire from a car. Me? forget the car itself for one thing, I love the contrary nature of Tesla, the lack of keys, having an API which I use etc. etc. And the removal of some things I really don't like, smarmy salesman for example.

The one thing it does do, which is nice, is keep Tesla honest with pricing. Competition is never a bad thing for the consumer.

 

[DM206433]

People get different cars for different reasons. Badge snobs, familiarity, like the look, fastest, best gizmo, does apple carplay etc. etc.

The i4 has things going for it depending on what you desire from a car. Me? forget the car itself for one thing, I love the contrary nature of Tesla, the lack of keys, having an API which I use etc. etc. And the removal of some things I really don't like, smarmy salesman for example.

The one thing it does do, which is nice, is keep Tesla honest with pricing. Competition is never a bad thing for the consumer.

I don't actually think it will keep Tesla honest with pricing. I genuinely think Musk will just charge what he wants when he wants to.

 

[Mrklaw]

Nothing necessarily wrong with a hybrid platform. Lots of snobbery around not being a bespoke EV in reviews but the e-Niro is an efficiency king and is a converted ICE. Take each car on its merits. If BMW designed the platform to be hybrid from the start then it shouldn’t be too compromised. Although would have been nice to have the transmission tunnel removable for EVs, and some frunk space

 

[spdpsba]

It’s far cheaper for a company like BMW to run a hybrid platform than it is to run two platforms side by side.

VAG only manage the multiple platforms because of their vast scale across brands.

Other manufacturers like BMW, Hyundai/Kia etc. are taking a mix of hybrid and bespoke to manage their transition.

I really don’t get the hate for the i4, sure aspects are not as good as Tesla but the same is true the other way round. Both are very good cars.

It is not a hate. Remember those days when the computers came in with big bulky hard drives and monitors with 64MB RAM and so on. We don't have that now - technology improved and we have iPads and surfaces with irresistible power and speed. In the automotive world, last 10 years are similar to iPad era with tech improving and car manufacturers had a chance to produce something like an iPad. But what BMW managed to do was one i3 and an i4 (in the same big bulky ICE platform put a battery). That is a fair criticism of a company that used to produce peach of products in the late 80s and 90s.

 

[phil4]

I don't actually think it will keep Tesla honest with pricing. I genuinely think Musk will just charge what he wants when he wants to.

Elon's free to ask whatever he likes, but if, for example he charged £100,000 for a Model 3, he'd sell very many less than he does now. I know we're not a massive market, but if he doesn't price in line to competition he'll have some fun investor calls in the future.

 

[Plagued]

My biggest issue with the i4 is I really don't think it has any real advantage over the standard 4 series. If you were only keeping it for 3 years then, even if you include the cost of fuel, the ICE model would be cheaper, lighter, slightly more space on the inside, and have a much bigger range without needing to reply on a poor (but improving) public charge network. To me an Electric car is more than just you can plug it in at home, it's extra storage, better leg room, no tunnel down the middle of the car, and all the other design & software features that you can accommodate with a simpler powertrain. I do get the need to keep costs low by reusing parts, but surely when you're making things in volume you can manage to have bumpers without the cutouts for an exhaust .. etc

 

[duncans]

Under the i4 bonnet:

From Matt Watson's Carwow review BMW i4 v Tesla Model 3 REVIEW with 0-60mph test at 14:05

 

[Mrklaw]

My biggest issue with the i4 is I really don't think it has any real advantage over the standard 4 series. If you were only keeping it for 3 years then, even if you include the cost of fuel, the ICE model would be cheaper, lighter, slightly more space on the inside, and have a much bigger range without needing to reply on a poor (but improving) public charge network. To me an Electric car is more than just you can plug it in at home, it's extra storage, better leg room, no tunnel down the middle of the car, and all the other design & software features that you can accommodate with a simpler powertrain. I do get the need to keep costs low by reusing parts, but surely when you're making things in volume you can manage to have bumpers without the cutouts for an exhaust .. etc

to many it’ll be a 1% BIK freebie which can be enough for big chunks of sales

 

[DM206433]

My biggest issue with the i4 is I really don't think it has any real advantage over the standard 4 series. If you were only keeping it for 3 years then, even if you include the cost of fuel, the ICE model would be cheaper, lighter, slightly more space on the inside, and have a much bigger range without needing to reply on a poor (but improving) public charge network. To me an Electric car is more than just you can plug it in at home, it's extra storage, better leg room, no tunnel down the middle of the car, and all the other design & software features that you can accommodate with a simpler powertrain. I do get the need to keep costs low by reusing parts, but surely when you're making things in volume you can manage to have bumpers without the cutouts for an exhaust .. etc

We very briefly looked at an i4 eDrive40 for the wife when we changed her car a few months ago. The price and wait times were too high, so we ended up finding a mint approved-used 320i with nearly every option ticked for under £30k which is essentially half the price of a new i4 once you've added options. She's very happy with it, regularly gets 45mpg on the motorway and its a really, really nice car to be in and drive.

I love my Model 3 LR, but I would swap the infotainment system for BMW's latest iDrive in a heartbeat. But the i4 is definitely not worth the large premium over the Model 3 just for that.

 

[Xdama]

the i4 40 is getting some good reviews. probably charges pretty flat to high states of charge like the etron so that can mitigate range and efficiency to some degree (although relies on having a fast enough rapid nearby). Both it and the polestar are good options.

was put off the i4 due to the original list price. They’ve nudged that down to roughly simlar to the LR + 19” alloys (£51k) and if that had come with the spec you expect these days I might have looked further at it. But so many basic things like electric seats are expensive options. Do you really want to pay £50k+ and be pumping that stupid handle up and down every time you get in after your wife has been in it?

Active cruise and lane keep assist should be standard at that price point too - pano roof I can live without but it has the tech for cruise/lane keep from its built-in safety monitoring so why lock it behind a cost option?

Hell no active cruise / lane assist would be a selling point for me lol. I hate that stuff personally

 

[Jason71]

Car reviews aren't about practicality of actually living with a car, they are solely about the talking points that the press office give the reviewers to sound like they know something. I think this is poor as with EVs as the practicality of the navigation planning and estimation are very important until there is some universal way to feed state of charge to mobile apps over CarPlay.

It is amazing how many different types of cars there are on the roads, people make all kinds of different decisions about what cars they buy. For every car you see there's a person inside that specifically chose that above many others, including the really shocking Jeeps, Souls etc.

I'm glad BMW have a reasonable EV saloon, I know plenty of colleagues that will only ever buy BMW so it's necessary. I don't think I'm missing out on anything though. One thing I've not seen reviewers cover is what exactly is under that massive bonnet?

My parents have soul EV. 64kwh battery. every gadget under the sun except rear parking sensors weirdly (and each with its own individual button ) leased for sub £250 a month. They love it.
White with a red roof. Only one I have ever seen locally. You can't miss its them if you ever pass them on the road. They never even notice me in my common as muck while M3 these days unless I flash my lights