We love the smell of burning rubber and the thrill of speed. We get a kick out of hearing the sound of a growling V8 or a screaming turbocharged V6. All we want to do is get out there and drive; drive hard and fast like it’s going out of fashion!
Unfortunately, it is going out of fashion. We, the Petrolheads are being pushed into a corner. Is the time of high octane fuel nearing its end? Are we a dying breed soon to be extinct? What does our motoring future look like?
We’re constantly being told that oil reserves will eventually run out and that we must find alternative methods for fuelling our cars. There seem to be only two sustainable methods: hydrogen fuel and electric cars. Manufacturers have been experimenting with hydrogen fuel for many years and the same can be said for electric motors.
Electric cars seem to have taken the lead as we find many manufacturers introducing them into the market. Cars like the Toyota Prius have taken centre stage in recent years and although they are impressive, they’re not what you would call exciting, are they? The really exciting stuff comes courtesy of Ferrari, Porsche and McLaren. They have developed hybrids that use electric motors to enhance the overall performance of the car. Unfortunately, unless you’re a Gupta or a Zuma, those cars are out of reach for most of us. There is a fourth way, however, and that comes from BMW…
I recently spent time with the BMW i8 to see if we, the Petrolheads, have a future. The i8 is a hybrid so that means it features an electric motor in the front and a petrol-powered engine at the rear. Yes, this too is out of reach for most of us but the chances of the technology filtering down into a more affordable BMW model at a later stage, is greater. So what can we look forward to?
Well, because the i8 offers both an electric and petrol motor there are three different configurations as to how it delivers its power. The electric motor in the front, which drives the front wheels, develops 96kW/250Nm and can run at speeds of up to 120km/h for a distance of about 30km. This means you can drive to the office or to the mall without the engine even switching on.
The petrol engine at the rear drives the rear wheels and that is a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder that has been taken from a Mini. BMW did some improvements to the motor, which now develops 170kW and 320Nm. The engine is a real little gem and it is able to propel the i8 along at a steady pace. Combine the two and the i8 makes a total of 266kW and 570Nm, which translates to a 0-100km/h time of 4.4 seconds.
So the performance figures are there but there’s something else that makes me sleep a bit better at night… the car doesn’t feel like it’s a bunny-hugging, tree-kissing hippy. Sure it’s not as alive as a BMW M4, but the handling is impressive.
I also get irritated by the design of some electric or hybrid cars. Why must they look so space age? Yes, the i8 looks like something Batman would drive but if BMW slapped an 8 Series badge on the back, no one would be the wiser. It looks really good - to be honest. Sure it has all sorts of curves and wings but that helps it in the aerodynamic department. The car has a drag co-efficiency of 0.2. The interior looks and feels like every other BMW, in fact the gear lever is from a 3 Series.
After spending time with the i8 in various situations I think it’s safe to say that the future is bright. We - the Petrolheads - have a future! BMW is on the right path; they are nowhere near the finish line, except they’ve just left the start line and we are all there to see it.
That brings me to my conclusion and it’s a sad one really because as much as we love cars, will our children have the same passion? I don’t think the future of the car is meant for us. We’ve had our fun and we’ve raced a good race. A car like the i8 is only going to get better and by better I don’t mean that it will end up with a bigger engine but it will get a bigger, more far-reaching electric motor until the idea of a petrol engine becomes obsolete. My only hope is that you, the Petrolhead, teach your children about the days of growling V-eights and screaming V-sixes so that they can pass those stories on to their children.
