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Driven: BMW i3

    

    I had the recent opportunity to participate in BMW’s i3 test drive event.  BMW has a group of cars and personnel travelling across the country to BMW dealerships to host test drive events. The event I attended in suburban Chicago was by invitation only to those who have expressed interest about this vehicle. As you can tell by my prior post, I have an inordinate amount of interest in the i3.

The cars were available in various colors and trim levels. My particular example being a fully loaded “Tera World” model in orange, with leather seats and navigation. 

Curiously, the models available to drive where not U.S. spec cars.  Apparently, these models were brought to the U.S. as demonstration models. As such, my vehicle had a sunroof, which is not available to order in the U.S.

The test drive itself was a brief affair. I was allowed to drive by myself, as long as I followed the 2.2-mile test loop, which was programmed into the nav.  Although I expected as much, I was still surprised by the aggressive regenerative brakes, which almost relegate the brake pedal to a secondary control.  Also as expected, yet strange, was the immediacy of available torque that pushed the car forward.  While far from a sports car, especially with the skinny tires, this vehicle is actually fun to drive.  There is some hesitancy from a standing stop, which was unexpected. As soon as the electrons start flowing, the i3 can more than hold its own in city traffic. 

The electronics in the car are easy to use, with an excellent navigation system and nice set of secondary controls for HVAC and audio functions. Considering the lack of engine noise, I paid particular attention to sound intrusion.  Wind noise was minimal (in city traffic) but there was noticeable tire noise. 

The only ergonomic quirk I noticed during my brief time with the car is the somewhat awkward access to the rear seats.  There is a half door behind the driver that allows easier access to the second row. However, one must tilt the driver seat forward in order to make enough room.  Due to the seat bolstering, the driver’s seat will not stay in its forward position, requiring the passenger to hold the seat while getting in and out. This may not be problematic for adult passengers. However, having to strap a child into car seat while keeping the front seat backrest from springing back could be problematic. 

BMW i3

Don't ask me what it is about this car specifically, but I am obsessed with it. It's a technological marvel of engineering and styling.  Starting with the most embarrassing shot of the day, here is the side profile of the i3.

As you can (mostly) see, the shape of this vehicle is very different.  Much of the design is driven by the underlying engineering. Unlike almost every single vehicle for sale, this car uses a carbon fiber frame, which surrounds the lithium-ion batteries.  BMW likes to stress the modular nature of the car.  The frame for example is the "Life Module" - since it surrounds and protects the passengers.  More interesting than the marketing monikers is the actual construction, which is indeed modular.  

Weight: Carbon fiber has many notable qualities: rigidity, weight and cost are chief among them.  Long used in racing, automakers have been working with and trying to make it work for the last 15 years.  Forming, binding and layering carbon fiber is very different from stamping sheet metal and has consumed hundreds of millions of R&D dollars.  The material is ideal for this model since electric cars tend to be heavy due to the weight of the batteries.  In addition to having a carbon fiber frame, most body panels of the vehicle are plastic, which also saves weight.  How much does it weigh?  An astounding 2,600 lbs.  A Toyota Prius weights about 2,900 lbs., a 328i about 3,300 lbs. and a Chevy Volt about 3,700 lbs.

Styling: Like a Tesla Model S, the BMW i3 has a very low center of gravity due to the location of the batteries below the passenger floor.  Having the mass down low enables a more boxy design without the inherent handling effects.  While I did not have a chance to drive the i3, various press accounts are very positive.  Because the car is so new and groundbreaking, BMW decided to make it look new and groundbreaking as well.  Since the aim of the "i" line of vehicles is to minimize environmental impact, much of the interior materials are recycled or made from renewable resources, such as plant fibers.  While that sounds questionable, the materials look and feel great in person.  The top and bottom of the door panels are made of plant fibers. It's strange and strangely appealing.

Due to the strength of the "Life Cell", BMW was able to do without a B-Pillar, the removal of which allows for small suicide doors to access the rear seats.  As you can see below, the bottom of the door frame shows the raw carbon fiber.

 

The instrument cluster is electronic as to be expected. Even here, BMW chose an unconventional route by having a floating primary display for the driver and another, larger, display that floats in the center and controls navigation, radio, etc.  As the BMW press photo below shows, the dash has a horizontal wood accent running across it that provides a start contract to the otherwise large, gray dash.

           Courtesy of BMW

Note to Daimler, Stop Producting smart

There is no denying that purchasing the smart brand of cars from the Swiss company that procuded Swatch watches has been an absolute disaster for Daimler. Few automotive brands have had so little success and survived. It is time for Daimler to stop keeping this brand afloat.  It has been time to dismantle or preferably sell the brand for some time now, yet Daimler smart keeps the brand on life support.

The idea was attractive in 1994 when Daimler (then Mercedes Benz) decided to acquire the company.  A fun, urban runabout that could be easily customized. In a sense, the car would be a fashion accessory – similar Swatch brand watches.  It was an ambitious project. The joint venture had a complicated management structure and planned to make the production a point of differentiation whereby suppliers would be largely responsible for designing major parts of the cars and would have to install the parts in the assembly plant. The initial hopes for a hybrid powertrain did not come to fruition due to the associated costs and complexity.  The projects’ cost overruns and internal squabbles resulted in the Germans taking complete control. By all accounts, the project has been a financial disaster and losses are estimated at over €100 million annually.  Models have been limited to mostly different versions of what is now called the Fortwo.  The cars never garnered enthusiasm in the marketplace or automotive press.  With fewer than 100,000 annual worldwide sales, smart remains a niche player.  Penske Automotive Group decided to sell its US  franchise back to Mercedes-Benz USA in February 2011.

Unfortunately, the brand soldiers on.  Ahead of the 2012 Paris Auto Show, the company released images of a new concept vehicle the forstars.  Clearly a concept car, it will be powered by the existing electric motor used in the fortwo.  If past history is any guide, Daimler will commit more resources in the forms of R&D and advertising to the brand in the hope of creating a profitable business.  Past history would also suggest this to be a futile effort.

 

                        Courtesy: Daimler Benz AG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tesla Model S

I had the pleasure recently of visiting a Tesla Motors showroom. It was clear before entering that I was a tourist in this environment. The sales staff, while polite, didn’t seriously engage me and I was very self-conscious of the fact that my median income didn’t entitle me to be there.

Having spent more time on dealer lots than most, I am used to kicking tires and test driving vehicles for fun. This was not the case here. I used the term showroom to clearly identify this as a room meant to show off their cars. There was no dealer lot. There was no service center and there were no acres of pavement packed with vehicles looking for a new home. Instead, this was a fairly small store-front in a ritzy suburban Chicago mall that had one Tesla Roadster and one Tesla Model S.

Nevertheless, I soldiered on, excited to be around these interesting vehicles. One salesperson took pity on me and let me sit in the Model S.  Presumably, it was easy to justify after letting a potential customer’s two kids play in the car for ten minutes. They had a great time climbing through the thing, from the front seats, past the large back bench and into the hatch-like trunk. 

Once I got my chance, I was immediately struck by the car’s enormous center-stack display. Picture a screen larger than an iPad mounted where the radio and A/C controls should go.  The 17” touch screen controls said functions, in addition to navigation, internet and other vehicle controls. I had to make a conscious effort to focus on the remainder of the interior, which is nicely designed and quite comfortable.  In addition to the large center display, the cockpit also includes smaller LCDs instead of traditional gauges to show vehicle speed and

The exterior of the vehicle is quite handsome, in a modern Jaguar sense. This is true especially from the back, where the raised rear glass and modern lines create a decidedly European fast back look.   

 

Mercedes Shakes Up Compact Segment

Mercedes is a full-line manufacturer whose portfolio spans from large, commercial trucks to sub-compact city cars. In the US, Mercedes sells only a fraction of its global portfolio; mainly those models that fit the carefully crafted image of upscale luxury.  Products that don’t fit that image include commercial utility vehicles, trucks, minivans and subcompacts. 

One of those subcompacts, the A-Class, has been radically redesigned and was displayed at the Geneva Motor Show.  Unlike the prior version, which looked somewhat similar to the Mazda 5 (think small minivan), the new model morphed into a luxurious hot hatch. 

As Mercedes moves into this space, it will compete directly with Audi’s A3, BMW’s Mini and 1-Series. These models tend to be hatchbacks, including the BMW 1-series which is far more popular in hatchback variant than sedan, even though the sedan is the only available model in the US market. 

In the past, Mercedes has kept the A-Class from US shores, fearing that an odd-looking, tiny semi-minivan would hurt the brand. This was probably a good call.  The new A-Class, however, has been slated for the US market, which is good news for anyone who wants a stylish and sporty (looking) entry-level luxury car.

Personally, I think this is one of the best looking new models from Stuttgart in quite some time.  

 

 Courtesy of Daimler

 Courtesy of Daimler

P.S. Notice the lack of a physical gearshift on the center console. The rotary knob could either operate the COMMAND system, or the transmission or both.

Finally, Affordable Japanese Sports Cars

There is a reason that people who like cars don’t care for Japanese cars. What makes them great for other segments hampers their success with the enthusiast crowd. While practicality and reliability are important, design, driving dynamics and fun trump these more pedestrian concerns.

It wasn’t too long ago that the Japanese produced several highly acclaimed sports cars that were mostly affordable and easy to work on. The Honda CRX, Mazda Miata, Mazda RX 7, Mitsubishi 300GT, Toyota MR2 and Toyota Supra are just a few that come to mind. Unfortunately, the glory days of Japanese sports cars ended somewhere in the mid 1990’s when those manufacturers realized that sports cars don’t sell well. Instead, they focused on increasing their market share through mainstream sedan and minivan offerings. Dull, boring, appliances like – these are all adjectives that describe the vast majority of the Japanese manufacturer’s US offerings. While there are exceptions, such as the Mazda Miata, Subaru WRX and Mitsubishi Evo, there was a gap in product offering. Namely, for a car that is affordable handles well and looks good.

Form Over Function

Since I write about cars it shouldn't be surprising that I like to look at cars. My eyes are constantly scanning my surroundings in search of interesting sheet metal.  The term "interesting" is interpreted rather graciously, and can include old cars that I have a soft spot for, such as the early 1980's Mercedes Benz 240D models, entirely new models, or mild re-freshes.

In fact, what I consider interesting would be considered banal by most others. Is it really necessary to mentally debate the aesthetic and practical value of fuel filler door design of the current Ford Focus? To each his own. The point being, that I pay a lot of attention to automotive design.

It is my belief that in some instances it’s a "Form Before Function" mindset that yields the best result. The 2012 Range Rover Evoque illustrates this quite well.  While the current issue of Consumer Reports does not embrace this newcomer, the remainder of the automotive press has positively gone mad about this little luxury SUV, by graciously sweeping aside such bourgeois concerns as reliability, price, size and practicality.

To celebrate such indulgences as design, I pulled together some of the best photos of the Evoque I could find. The art here lies both in the subject and the skill of the photographer.

Curiosities Caught On Tape

If you read this blog, you probably have more than a passing interest in cars. Chances are you pay attention to cars, including random sighting of interesting vehicles you encounter on a daily basis. Personally, I enjoy spotting unusual vehicles, regardless of type.  Below are three sightings I ran across recently. 

First, who doesn’t appreciate souped-up versions of otherwise bland automobiles?  This owner clearly values his Ford SVT Contour. 

  

Next up is an otherwise common Ford Escape Hybrid. While the Escape has been sold with few modifications since 2000, this hybrid version is noteworthy due to its use as a NYC taxi cab. Thankfully, these are now quite common. What’s shocking is that old Ford Crown Victoria cab’s that get 12 m.p.g still rule the market.

  

Finally, I ran across this oddity the other day in Chicago. As part of FedEx’s green fleet, this electric vehicles is one of only 43 FedEx operates worldwide. Other locations include Los Angeles, New York, London and Paris.

 

Electric-Car Makers’ Quest - One Plug to Charge Them All

via www.nytimes.com

You would think that the few auto manufacturers that produce electric vehicles could agree on a universal architecture to charge these vehicles. Apparently, as this New York Times article points out, this is not the case.

There are different levels of charging (120 volts, 240 volts and 480 volts). The more volts you pump in, the faster the batteries charge. That's quite intuitive. What's less intuitive is that there is sophisticated circuitry in these chargers that interfaces with the electronics of the batteries. Those two systems have do understand each other in order to work. Unfortunately, they often do not.

Due to the short sightedness of some manufacturers, we have different standards for these things. That means different circuitry, different physical chargers (think various sizes of gas nozzles) and charging stations that support one, but not the other. Imagine the headlines when consumers get stranded because the charging station they relied on only works for Nissan Leafs as opposed to Chevy Volts.

I can already see enterprising companies offering universal adaptors. And you thought international travel was difficult.

2012 Volkswagen Beetle Dash Design

via www.motortrend.com

As most serious car enthusiasts, I despised the "New Beetle". You know the one. It was introduced with great fanfare in the late '90s, in a horrible color that can best be described as an unfortunate blend of milk and yellow mustard. Designed for the US market, this was supposed to be a fun car for baby boomers to reconnect with their past. 

 Apart from its unfortunate looks, the car suffered from a level of impracticability usually reserved for muscle cars. Backseat space rivaled that of a Porsche 911 and the trunk space wasn't much better. Yet, to the enthusiasts chagrin, the car sold well for the first five years, with Diesel and convertible variants keeping the car mostly fresh. 

 After 14 years, the Beetle was as deserving of a refresh as any in VW's lineup and I have to admit that the new model is much more attractive, functional and less cutesy than before. What really impressed me about the new car is its interior.  The body-colored painted dash panels provide a level of sophistication that no in-dash vase could overcome. Retro design cues can be a risky difficult to implement. How do you correctly blend old and new while maintaining functionality without risking a gimmicky look? You do it in a subtle way. That’s what VW has managed to do there. 

 In contrast, below is a picture of the previous generation.  It’s difficult to discern any connection between the retro exterior and the nondescript interior of that vehicle.

via www.edmunds.com

 For your enjoyment, this is a pristine 1955 VW Beetle interior.   

via www.cartype.com