My i8 Test Drive
Discussion
Thoughts from today's test drive;
Overall impression - probably the closest thing any of us mortals wanting a sports PHEV can get to a P1 right now. Stunning and dramatic looks coupled to exceptional performance. I'm still bemused by the way a 1.5l three pot is able to propel you to 60 in just over four seconds - and sound so good. So the noise is augmented but I couldn't tell - it sounded pretty good to me that's for sure. Don't know what it sounded like from outside but that surely shouldn't really bother the driver should it?
Unlike the Porsche Panamera eHybrid I'd test driven recently, the i8 will drive in EV only mode if requested - silently and all the way up to 75 mph without the intervention of ICE. Flip to normal or preferably sport mode and the dials change to red and the ICE is constantly running and ready. Ready to instantly give you a hefty dose of torque pushing you back into your seat and propelling you off into the distance, easily and effortlessly dispatching any victim you've chosen to overtake
Really nice touches are the auto blip on downshift and the head-up display. Coupled with the flappy paddles you are left in no doubt that you are at the helm of a very special car and are instantly alerted to any transgression over the NSL. Steering felt very precise and tightened up as you turned the wick up although I didn't get much opportunity to put it through any real twisties on my test drive.
As regards practicalities, I found visibility very good and the seating very comfortable. The standard electric (and heated) sports seats and height and reach adjustable steering wheel made for a good driving position. The rear seats are not just a posh parcel shelf either - the other half spent the whole test drive in there remarking it was very comfortable and she didn't feel at all queasy (I obviously wasn't trying hard enough!)
Any negatives? Only minor point I came across was that it grounded midships on a speed bump in the dealer's car park - perhaps it was because we were three up or the sleeping policeman was just a little over regulation height?
Will I buy one? I'm just deciding on the colour
Overall impression - probably the closest thing any of us mortals wanting a sports PHEV can get to a P1 right now. Stunning and dramatic looks coupled to exceptional performance. I'm still bemused by the way a 1.5l three pot is able to propel you to 60 in just over four seconds - and sound so good. So the noise is augmented but I couldn't tell - it sounded pretty good to me that's for sure. Don't know what it sounded like from outside but that surely shouldn't really bother the driver should it?
Unlike the Porsche Panamera eHybrid I'd test driven recently, the i8 will drive in EV only mode if requested - silently and all the way up to 75 mph without the intervention of ICE. Flip to normal or preferably sport mode and the dials change to red and the ICE is constantly running and ready. Ready to instantly give you a hefty dose of torque pushing you back into your seat and propelling you off into the distance, easily and effortlessly dispatching any victim you've chosen to overtake
Really nice touches are the auto blip on downshift and the head-up display. Coupled with the flappy paddles you are left in no doubt that you are at the helm of a very special car and are instantly alerted to any transgression over the NSL. Steering felt very precise and tightened up as you turned the wick up although I didn't get much opportunity to put it through any real twisties on my test drive.
As regards practicalities, I found visibility very good and the seating very comfortable. The standard electric (and heated) sports seats and height and reach adjustable steering wheel made for a good driving position. The rear seats are not just a posh parcel shelf either - the other half spent the whole test drive in there remarking it was very comfortable and she didn't feel at all queasy (I obviously wasn't trying hard enough!)
Any negatives? Only minor point I came across was that it grounded midships on a speed bump in the dealer's car park - perhaps it was because we were three up or the sleeping policeman was just a little over regulation height?
Will I buy one? I'm just deciding on the colour
Personally I found the i8 pretty dull to drive , too playstation . It doesn't move the game on for supercars in the way that the i3 does for electric "city cars" . Supercars are about feel and emotions and soul and the i8 left me really disappointed in all those areas .
It is stunningly pretty though.
It is stunningly pretty though.
ds666 said:
Personally I found the i8 pretty dull to drive , too playstation . It doesn't move the game on for supercars in the way that the i3 does for electric "city cars" . Supercars are about feel and emotions and soul and the i8 left me really disappointed in all those areas .
It is stunningly pretty though.
Agree with all this, it didn't exactly bristle with feedback and i was very aware of the augmented soundtrack (i'd definitely need to hear one on a flyby to reassure myself that i wasn't just listening to the world's most expensive CD)It is stunningly pretty though.
after the initial punch of torque and noise upon flooring it, it tailed off pretty quickly and once the CD was playing really loud
i was positively underwhelmed with the performance.It certainly was pretty though and the doors did make me giggle because i wasn't expecting them to 'open funny'
the tax perks certainly get it back in the ballgame though, it's definitely on a very short list of 2 (i8 and Tesla S)for my next car after the i3.
You need to double check that - all the information I can find says the scheme runs to 2018 but the 100% allowance limit is reduced to 75 gm from 31-03-2015 eg http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/assets/common/pdf/ccd/... page 8
insurance_jon said:
I'm in a quandry. I'm wanting to take advantage of the 100% write down of the purchase price on my tax return, but the scheme ends in april next year.
If I can't find an i8 before (has to be new and me the first registered owner) then I'm stuck with the panamera.
The suggestion from another post is that you'll end up paying CT on the disposal price as you've written its value down to zero on your books. If that's true it's not quite the benefit you thought.If I can't find an i8 before (has to be new and me the first registered owner) then I'm stuck with the panamera.
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