The i3 was all about driving in the city with no emissions and using as little gasoline as possible in the case of the REx. BMW also had a third flavor of its pint-sized quirky car as August 2017 saw the launch of a sportier i3s. The more dynamic version of the city-oriented EV stars in a new video in which we get to see how the small hatchback behaves when it’s clearly out of its element.
Someone was curious to see how the BMW i3s fares during a full lap of the Nürburgring and completed the BTG (Bridge to Gantry) configuration driving the zero-emission car flat out. An onboard video recorded from a camera mounted on the driver’s helmet shows the diminutive electric car being pushed hard through the numerous corners of the challenging Green Hell.
Being the i3s rather than the standard model, it means the electric motor produces 184 hp (135 kW) and 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) or an extra 14 hp and 20 Nm (15 lb-ft) compared to the i3. The additional punch won’t set your pulse racing, especially since the driver reports a decline in output only after 1.5 kilometers (nearly a mile) into the lap. He goes on to say the i3s has the tendency to understeer, hence why he advises everyone that “curbs should only be approached lightly.”
The owner didn’t hesitate to floor it for three laps around the Nordschleife and while he argues the chassis feels good, the i3s is ultimately a slow car. In addition, the driver reports the ESP intervened more than it should’ve, but the brakes performed well and took the abuse without any issues. From our perspective, this is one of the weirdest onboard videos we’ve seen from the ‘Ring as the lack of engine noise under hard acceleration makes the video eerily quiet. The lack of image stabilization gives an authentic feel we wish to see more.
Source: Stighiz / YouTube
