What in the world were the BMW designers thinking?

[Mabouya]

I saw my first i3 yesterday. Unbelievable.

In my opinion it looks like a cross between a Pontiac Aztec and a Honda Fit.

[seanile]

saw one in person a month ago. flippin stupid looking.

[joosttx]

saw one in person a month ago. flippin stupid looking.

They are all over the place out here. I've seen at least one, it seems, per day. I kinda of like them but would not ever buy one because Ithink they are too expensive.

Regardless, I heard on CNBC on Tuesday that Prius sales are down 15% y/y because of the drop in oil/gas prices. I bet there are a couple of BMW marketing managers that are sweating balls right now.

[jitahs]

Regardless, I heard on CNBC on Tuesday that Prius sales are down 15% y/y because of the drop in oil/gas prices.I bet there are a couple of BMW marketing managers that are sweating balls right now .

They're also down due to the Prius Leaf Blower Experience, but sales of the i3 are well beyond expectations; premium alt fuel swag. Costs must be $$$ but recently there was a very large consortium formed, in part, to bring carbon down to commodity levels for mass consumption. Like the Elon thing but with plastic.

[spopepro]

What BMW is doing with their i-cars is seriously impressive engineering. Tesla has the infrastructure and drive train nailed, but the things BMW is doing with weight, strength, and recycled materials is super, super cool.

I'd venture they stick out far less in Europe. I'd drive one.

[sk_tle]

^^^^ This. To me this is the first modern car made by a big manufacturer tha twas truly engineered has an electric car out of the box. The original Tesla was really a hack job converting a Lotus Elise. The modern Tesla, Chevy Volt, Nissan dontevenrememberitsname are cars made to look, feel and work like petrol car

[Vlad Luskin]

They are all over the place out here. I've seen at least one, it seems, per day. I kinda of like them but would not ever buy one because Ithink they are too expensive.

Regardless, I heard on CNBC on Tuesday that Prius sales are down 15% y/y because of the drop in oil/gas prices. I bet there are a couple of BMW marketing managers that are sweating balls right now.

There's one in my neighborhood and it doesn't offend me. Not anywhere near the hideousness of Pontiac Aztec. The real question about the Aztec is why GM brought it back for a second year.

[dgaddis]

There's one in my neighborhood and it doesn't offend me. Not anywhere near the hideousness of Pontiac Aztec. The real question about the Aztec is why GM brought it back for a second year.

While I agree the Aztec is buttassugly, I also think it was a bit ahead of it's time. They look less out of place today than they did when they first came out.

[Brandon White]

While I agree the Aztec is buttassugly, I also think it was a bit ahead of it's time. They look less out of place today than they did when they first came out.

Considering it was used in the futuristic TV show Dark Shadow (who paid attention to the cars anyway?) - I think you are right . Very futuristic.

[David Tollefson]

What was that Isuzu that had NO visibility in the back quarters? Kinda reminds me of that...

Ah, yes, the Vehicross...

[jitahs]

If Walter White lived in Silicon Valley he'd have it.

Haven't driven it yet, but I find the looks far less offensive than, say, those of lifted trucks or luxury SUVs, but then again I watched an hour of robots assembling the thing without narration. It's really an engineering marvel, hitting low weight, a very high strength passenger compartment shell (which has a resilience in crash tests no metal-silled ICE car can match), low Cg, rear wheel drive and gobs of torque, though I'm not sure about the training wheels for lateral grip. Will have to test on an autox course.

I'm a total fan of lots of headroom, airy cockpits with uprightish/thinish A pillars and expansive windshields. These make a huge difference in a crowded city.

Basically the perfect really expensive urban runabout. Just think of it as something Kraftwerk would drive far from Deliveranceville.

[hmbatrail]

At Artomobilia I slid behind the wheel of one. I have to say, it was a rather pleasant place to be.