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      06-01-2021, 10:25 PM   #1
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i4 Prototype Drive Reviews Released

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      06-02-2021, 12:16 AM   #2
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I'm glad to hear the praise so far, but yikes it's a lot heavier than I expected it to be. Hope it doesn't feel its weight.
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      06-02-2021, 04:36 AM   #3
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      06-02-2021, 05:16 AM   #4
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Any review videos?
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      06-02-2021, 07:36 AM   #5
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Any review videos?

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      06-02-2021, 12:25 PM   #6
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Yeah, big ouchie on the weight. It's on par with the Polestar 2 but Model 3 still wins handily on the scale at <4,100. This is the effect of cramming batteries into an ICE chassis. Goes to show how much of a leap Tesla has on the competition given that their next gen battery structure is going to literally be baked into the shell of the car - "10% mass reduction, 14% range increase opportunity, 370 fewer parts."
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      06-02-2021, 12:57 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ParkNuts View Post
Yeah, big ouchie on the weight. It's on par with the Polestar 2 but Model 3 still wins handily on the scale at <4,100. This is the effect of cramming batteries into an ICE chassis. Goes to show how much of a leap Tesla has on the competition given that their next gen battery structure is going to literally be baked into the shell of the car - "10% mass reduction, 14% range increase opportunity, 370 fewer parts."
No, this is the result of if being a larger car with electronic front suspension, air suspension on the real axle, power lift gate, much higher interior build quality with more features, more sound isolation, better nvh etc...
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      06-02-2021, 01:06 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sjokosaus View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by ParkNuts View Post
Yeah, big ouchie on the weight. It's on par with the Polestar 2 but Model 3 still wins handily on the scale at <4,100. This is the effect of cramming batteries into an ICE chassis. Goes to show how much of a leap Tesla has on the competition given that their next gen battery structure is going to literally be baked into the shell of the car - "10% mass reduction, 14% range increase opportunity, 370 fewer parts."
No, this is the result of if being a larger car with electronic front suspension, air suspension on the real axle, power lift gate, much higher interior build quality with more features, more sound isolation, better nvh etc...
Bingo. Somebody gets it.
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      06-02-2021, 02:11 PM   #9
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Very well done BMW and the price is very competitive! I doubt you could ever buy such a complete package for this kind of money ever before.
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      06-02-2021, 03:54 PM   #10
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Bingo. Somebody gets it.
The truth is definitely somewhere in the middle. I doubt the lightest i4 has the electronic dampers and the air suspension.
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      06-02-2021, 04:33 PM   #11
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Bingo. Somebody gets it.
Oh, I see - I just "don't get it."

Please, educate me on how much larger the car is.

Sure, the car is 3.5" longer but only 0.2" taller and 0.1" wider with a 0.4" shorter wheelbase.

This car is not the size of a model S but it weighs the same. I'm not trying to fling poo all over it but my god, the weight. You can't chalk it all up to the components you mentioned. The niceties on the inside do not add up to an 800 lb difference, and neither does the 3.5" in additional length (7.7 inches shorter than an S). It's due to chassis development from the ground up vs borrowing one available.

BMW badly missed which way the wind was blowing years ago. I hope the car is great, but range and performance have been compromised.

I got out of my E90 M3 ZCP in February and into a Model 3 Performance. Not as engaging, exhaust note blah blah etc that's all true. But I love it. The build quality is actually coming around on the Model 3 and can be attested to by even Sandy Munro. I like the interior (taste may vary) and the ergonomics and ease of use are fantastic. The car is very quiet (I have a 21 with the double pane windows so I'm not sure how big of a difference that makes). If I didn't need to make a change I may have potentially hung around for the i4. Was also heavily considering the Polestar 2. But these carry the compromise of a borrowed chassis. That is the reason for the weight. You guys are acting like stepping into this thing is going to be like getting into a Rolls Royce Wraith.
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      06-02-2021, 05:02 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ParkNuts View Post
Oh, I see - I just "don't get it."

Please, educate me on how much larger the car is.

Sure, the car is 3.5" longer but only 0.2" taller and 0.1" wider with a 0.4" shorter wheelbase.

This car is not the size of a model S but it weighs the same. I'm not trying to fling poo all over it but my god, the weight. You can't chalk it all up to the components you mentioned. The niceties on the inside do not add up to an 800 lb difference, and neither does the 3.5" in additional length (7.7 inches shorter than an S). It's due to chassis development from the ground up vs borrowing one available.

BMW badly missed which way the wind was blowing years ago. I hope the car is great, but range and performance have been compromised.

I got out of my E90 M3 ZCP in February and into a Model 3 Performance. Not as engaging, exhaust note blah blah etc that's all true. But I love it. The build quality is actually coming around on the Model 3 and can be attested to by even Sandy Munro. I like the interior (taste may vary) and the ergonomics and ease of use are fantastic. The car is very quiet (I have a 21 with the double pane windows so I'm not sure how big of a difference that makes). If I didn't need to make a change I may have potentially hung around for the i4. Was also heavily considering the Polestar 2. But these carry the compromise of a borrowed chassis. That is the reason for the weight. You guys are acting like stepping into this thing is going to be like getting into a Rolls Royce Wraith.
The double pane glass makes a huge difference. My '20 Performance is noisy.

I have 60k miles on two Model 3's. You'll be back here in about 2 years looking to swap back into a BMW once you get tired of the Elon diciples and his shenanigans in general. Plus the customer service, service, and some weird decisions. I'd bet on it.

I'm getting tired of it myself. Although being in a rental for 2 weeks while my car gets fixed from hail damage makes me realize how much I miss an EV as my daily.

But in the meantime, enjoy your Model 3. They have many excellent qualities and I enjoy mine for what it is.
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      06-02-2021, 08:56 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ParkNuts View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by JackB316 View Post
Bingo. Somebody gets it.
Oh, I see - I just "don't get it."

Please, educate me on how much larger the car is.

Sure, the car is 3.5" longer but only 0.2" taller and 0.1" wider with a 0.4" shorter wheelbase.

This car is not the size of a model S but it weighs the same. I'm not trying to fling poo all over it but my god, the weight. You can't chalk it all up to the components you mentioned. The niceties on the inside do not add up to an 800 lb difference, and neither does the 3.5" in additional length (7.7 inches shorter than an S). It's due to chassis development from the ground up vs borrowing one available.

BMW badly missed which way the wind was blowing years ago. I hope the car is great, but range and performance have been compromised.

I got out of my E90 M3 ZCP in February and into a Model 3 Performance. Not as engaging, exhaust note blah blah etc that's all true. But I love it. The build quality is actually coming around on the Model 3 and can be attested to by even Sandy Munro. I like the interior (taste may vary) and the ergonomics and ease of use are fantastic. The car is very quiet (I have a 21 with the double pane windows so I'm not sure how big of a difference that makes). If I didn't need to make a change I may have potentially hung around for the i4. Was also heavily considering the Polestar 2. But these carry the compromise of a borrowed chassis. That is the reason for the weight. You guys are acting like stepping into this thing is going to be like getting into a Rolls Royce Wraith.
You're kidding yourself if you think any Tesla's build quality is to par with the Germans.
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      06-02-2021, 09:48 PM   #14
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To be fair BMW did try the “lightweight EV” thing with the i3 and its CFRP bones in a dedicated platform. Iirc my i3s is ~3000 lbs. Whether due to the styling or modest range or whatever, people weren’t interested. I don’t think as many people actually care about the weight as forum posts might suggest. For heading out to Subway for a sandwich or taking the kids to school, the weight of the car is nearly irrelevant. Nobody ever brings it up in the context of a minivan or Accord, not sure why it appears to be a big deal here for a car that is clearly intended to be a daily driver.
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      06-02-2021, 09:55 PM   #15
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Quote:
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You're kidding yourself if you think any Tesla's build quality is to par with the Germans.
Ok. Not sure where I said that.
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      06-03-2021, 05:17 AM   #16
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If you want to know why A Tesla is lighter than a comparable BMW than you have to look into the details. The dedicated EV platform majorly effects the weight of the body in white. And here we are talking about a difference of roundabout 50kg.

All the other kg are contributed by a lot of other stuff: wiring harness (this is where Tesla has a real advantage in weight saving!), thickness of materials, overall interior parts, silencing measures….
What's also important to know are the global crash safety requirements. The newer the car or the later the homologation comes, the higher the requirements over all markets in the world become. This often concludes in the need to add structural reinforcements for example in the frontend (small overlap) or the doors.

https://portal.a2mac1.com/de/home-7/

If you are able to get access to this platform it helps to understand how the weight of the cars is distributed. They tear down several cars and make a full analysis of the total vehicle. They have a real impressive amount of cars in their database and nearly all brands.
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      06-03-2021, 07:10 AM   #17
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This is an electric car no one is gonna be tracking it. The extra weight just doesn't matter, especially to the general public/audience of this car
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      06-03-2021, 07:57 AM   #18
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Quote:
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This is an electric car no one is gonna be tracking it. The extra weight just doesn't matter, especially to the general public/audience of this car
Not sure about doesn't matter

It does effect range, performance, and handling

4500 vs 4100 and is understandable but 5,000 lbs?
I was seriously considering buying one until I saw that. 500 lbs heavier than my X3M

Maybe next gen they will figure that part out
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      06-03-2021, 05:25 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JackB316 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by ParkNuts View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by JackB316 View Post
Bingo. Somebody gets it.
Oh, I see - I just "don't get it."

Please, educate me on how much larger the car is.

Sure, the car is 3.5" longer but only 0.2" taller and 0.1" wider with a 0.4" shorter wheelbase.

This car is not the size of a model S but it weighs the same. I'm not trying to fling poo all over it but my god, the weight. You can't chalk it all up to the components you mentioned. The niceties on the inside do not add up to an 800 lb difference, and neither does the 3.5" in additional length (7.7 inches shorter than an S). It's due to chassis development from the ground up vs borrowing one available.

BMW badly missed which way the wind was blowing years ago. I hope the car is great, but range and performance have been compromised.

I got out of my E90 M3 ZCP in February and into a Model 3 Performance. Not as engaging, exhaust note blah blah etc that's all true. But I love it. The build quality is actually coming around on the Model 3 and can be attested to by even Sandy Munro. I like the interior (taste may vary) and the ergonomics and ease of use are fantastic. The car is very quiet (I have a 21 with the double pane windows so I'm not sure how big of a difference that makes). If I didn't need to make a change I may have potentially hung around for the i4. Was also heavily considering the Polestar 2. But these carry the compromise of a borrowed chassis. That is the reason for the weight. You guys are acting like stepping into this thing is going to be like getting into a Rolls Royce Wraith.
You're kidding yourself if you think any Tesla's build quality is to par with the Germans.
I jumped in a Model 3 after seven straight BMWs - finished it off with an F36 and the Model 3 is not a step down at all. My F36 had way more rattles etc. than the Tesla.

I love BMW and have been a long long fan, but haven't missed it a day after driving this thing. It's bloody fast and actually great driving dynamics.

I would love to try the i4 and might consider it for the next car if it's great and competitive. One thing I REALLY don't miss is the fact that you need 67 packages to spec your car nicely (which will ruin you)
With the Model 3 you pretty much get everything they make from the start. No ugly headlights just to make you pay for lasers, no ugly small screen to make you pay for pro navigation and no manual seats to make you pay for electric etc. Etc.
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      06-03-2021, 05:45 PM   #20
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Quote:
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Not sure about doesn't matter

It does effect range, performance, and handling

4500 vs 4100 and is understandable but 5,000 lbs?
I was seriously considering buying one until I saw that. 500 lbs heavier than my X3M

Maybe next gen they will figure that part out
If, as suspected, the realistic driving range of the i4 is 300 miles, will that be what you're hoping for?
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      06-03-2021, 07:33 PM   #21
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So much bitching about weight, who the fucks cares. It’s an EV, not a track car. If the range is good, priced right, handles right, looks good, it can weigh 6,000lbs IMO. I’m impressed with the reviews, good job BMW. Can’t wait to read about the iX
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      06-04-2021, 02:38 AM   #22
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That's how I feel, bjcarls. It's an EV. Doesn't really matter what it weighs. I'm not here to bench it.
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