[Mrgunfun]

Another way of saying, "we are not making much money off of i cars so we are gong to less the cost in design department"

[wdeerfield]

Originally Posted by Mrgunfun

Another way of saying, "we are not making much money off of i cars so we are gong to less the cost in design department"

its the right move. since diesel will be gone in the US and people want electric cars and not toasters to drive it makes perfect sense to use the design language already popular and hint at it being electric like they've done with the iX3.

Id be all for an electric g26 but we all know its going to cost 60K at least to compete with the Model S and Taycan. well 70K if you want blutooth, heated seats, and a backup camera.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by wdeerfield

Id be all for an electric g26 but we all know its going to cost 60K at least to compete with the Model S and Taycan.

BMW is much more worried about the Model 3 and upcoming Model Y than they are the Model S (or Model X). The i4 is unlikely to see a starting price over $50k for the shortest range model. Electric versions of the 5/6/7/8 are a better fit to go after the higher end luxury EV sedan market.

[oz555]

Originally Posted by allinon72

If the goal is for electric cars to go mainstream, they have to look like normal cars people want. Quirky designs such as the i3 appeal to a very small segment of the population.

The look of the i3 is catastrophic. It looks like Indesit dish washer with wheels and lights.

[akkando]

Originally Posted by allinon72

If the goal is for electric cars to go mainstream, they have to look like normal cars people want. Quirky designs such as the i3 appeal to a very small segment of the population.

Yeah. It seems like the i3 and some other EVs were designed visually to attract people who hate cars. The styling sent a clear message.

[phoenixbmwlife]

This is very good news. The i3 is the ugliest car in the BMW line up. And making the cars look like that was a bad decision. I always thought they should make the cars look like Bmw cars. But they decided to go another route. The only thing I would say is for the sporty brand like the i8, they should continue the way they have done the i8.

[Penguino]

Guess why a Tesla Model S is so popular? Because it looks like a regular sedan, not a lab experiment. I'd like a 3-series electric sedan that looks like a 3-series.

- Current i3 Owner

[sheepboy]

The future of cars is electric and BMW is lagging behind pretty much everybody else, including Mercedes, Audi, KIA, Nissan, GM...

The "born electric" i8 did not fool anybody: just an overpriced, underpowered hybrid.

The i3 is a joke: ugly, expensive and poor range. A big flop.

In the meantime, Teslas are outselling the BMW ICE cars! Again, not the BMW electric cars, they are hitting BMW where it hurts the most: their core business, the 3 series and others.

I love BMW, I am a "car lover", an enthusiast. But I just can't see a car in the current BMW lineup that I would consider buying today.

When I look around my neighborhood, Teslas and other electric cars are multiplying like a virus. Most people are coming from traditional German brands, like BMW. Ditching their 3 series and C classes in favor of Model 3s and Model Ss. X3,X5, GLC, GLE? No, Model Xs all over the place. I suspect once iPace/e-Tron are actually available to the public, they will become just as ubiquitous.

BMW has a huge problem in their hands. As far as I can tell, they just don't have an answer to it yet...

[440xiGCMSport2]

Originally Posted by Mani59

Damn shame in my opinon. I'm no fan of the i3 but at least it looks a bit different.

different is one thing but ugly is another. Rather plain Jane than ugly. not just my opinion but opinion of majority as spelled out by the sales numbers.

[ron_jeremy]

Well, the thing is, EV can be designed much more space friendly than the average ICE vehicle.
Take the Jaguar I-pace, it's a pretty small crossover/SUV, but inside it is pretty decent, and it could've been even better. So the average EV is going to be way more spacious inside than a similar ICE sized car. When you have certain new "laws" when you design a EV, why should it look exactly like the ICE then?
I have owned the i01 - so you can think of it like this, BMW owned this segment back in 2013/2014, they came up with a small, through and through EV with a Carbon chassi. In Norway it is the biggest selling BMW by far, and it looks different, drives different and still look fresh to this day. How many cars can you say stays fresh for so long time? Kudos to BMW who dared, i hope they don't chicken out like on the iX3, very sad attempt on a cost friendly EV, with very few EV cues, sad imo!

[DCG]

Why can't eco-friendly also be cool and sexy so it is more appealing and desirable?

BMW Group and their Designers are at times totally tone-deaf! As well as other manufacturers.

"Follow trends". Hell with that, set a high bar and create the trends! This is why I never went into Transportation Design, the suits just don't get it!

[DCG]

We forget that the BMW i8 Concept Car came out way back in 2010 and was introduced in 2011's Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol.

That was a long time ago. And their is a need for going forward and NOT being stagnant and complacent.

[raysspl]

Thank goodness

[MightyMouseTech]

Originally Posted by allinon72

If the goal is for electric cars to go mainstream, they have to look like normal cars people want. Quirky designs such as the i3 appeal to a very small segment of the population.

Just look at Tesla. They are now outselling BMW in the US for a reason.

[BigT]

Originally Posted by jmg

As much as I love my i3 as a commuter, and I have grown to appreciate it's quirky looks, I think this is a step in the right direction. However I agree with the OP, I hope there is a bit more forward thinking in terms of design than just the 530e and the 330e, which are fine cars, but a bit boring imho.

Yes I love the curios look in the eyes of the people when they see it's possible and it's normal and it's power and it's fun.
Of course the exterior of the i3 is very special but the interior as well and this is just superb in every aspect. I just love to sit in that car.

[CTinline-six]

Originally Posted by allinon72

If the goal is for electric cars to go mainstream, they have to look like normal cars people want. Quirky designs such as the i3 appeal to a very small segment of the population.

Yup, I'd rather drive a 330e than something that looks like a spaceship/dishwasher.

[Germanauto]

I think we can all agree that the i Division has been a total disaster for BMW.

The R&D and lessons they'll take from its mishaps are probably what's most valuable for BMW.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by sheepboy

The future of cars is electric and BMW is lagging behind pretty much everybody else, including Mercedes, Audi, KIA, Nissan, GM...

What's sad is that other automakers are coming to the market with stronger electric offerings than BMW without having wasted billions into a joke like the i division.

Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar, etc.'s electric models are hitting the roads in under 2 years. Meanwhile BMW is attempting to salvage what's left of their disastrous i3 and i8.

[Germanauto]

Originally Posted by phoenixbmwlife

This is very good news. The i3 is the ugliest car in the BMW line up. And making the cars look like that was a bad decision. I always thought they should make the cars look like Bmw cars. But they decided to go another route. The only thing I would say is for the sporty brand like the i8, they should continue the way they have done the i8.

BMW totally fell off during the 2010s decade. It all started with the mediocre driving porky E89 Z4 and F10 5-series. Eventually all their models ended up becoming numb driving lease specials. Then you have the i division joke.

BMW's priorities strayed 180 degrees from the brand's heritage. At least their recent crop of new releases are more class competitive. The only way they'll re-earn my trust is if the new 3er is a genuine driver's car.