BMW i3S, a new, more sporty version we will see in Frankfurt

In this way, there will be at least three important novelties that BMW will show in Frankfurt in mid-September: the new M5 already unveiled, the Z4 Concept presented at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and this i3 S version, which BMW itself defines as an i3 with a more sporty character.

Since the i3 first reached the market — whose renewed units will begin to go on sale next November — this new i3S version is the most important novelty introduced in BMW’s electric model and, curiously, the significance of its contribution does not affect the most critical point for electric cars, their range, since this remains unchanged at the little over 200 km that the i3 offered until now.

The new i3S stands out for its sportier look and for the greater delivery of power, that is, for its performance. According to BMWi, this new i3S offers “higher performance, specific chassis technology, noticeably more dynamic driving qualities and its own design characteristics”, which add to the already known offer of the BMW i3, whose offer is also being renewed. The i3S features subtle variations that affect the aerodynamic downforce the vehicle experiences, which allows it to noticeably vary its performance.

Thus, it differs from the conventional i3 through its slightly modified front and rear skirts, the 20″ wheels (20 millimetres wider than the previous ones) in light alloy with a double-spoke design, a slightly lowered suspension setup (10 mm) in terms of height, and a wider track (40 mm).

We have already said that the range of the i3S does not vary from that of the conventional i3, nor does that of the latter. Likewise, the battery remains unchanged. Both versions of the i3 range use the high-voltage lithium-ion battery developed by BMW Group of 94 Ah or 33 kWh, and in both cases customers can optionally add the Range Extender system. But all this does not mean that its power is the same. This Sport version (the “S” is its abbreviation) raises its power to 184 CV, 14 more than the 170 that the conventional i3 continues to deliver, and a torque that rises from the 250 of the renewed i3 to 270 Nm. Thanks to these performance increases in the mechanicals, the i3S’s performance exceeds that of the standard i3 by up to 40 percent. This increase is achieved not only through the improved aerodynamic downforce of the vehicle but also through the incorporation of a more sporty suspension tuning, which in this S version also includes new dampers developed specifically for it.

The BMW i3S also features the BMW Driving Experience Control system, which allows the driver to select different preset driving modes for the car. If Sport mode is selected, the response to the driver’s use of the accelerator becomes much more immediate, and both the damping and the steering are firmed up, thereby providing a more sporty driving feel.

The i3S accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds and reaches a top speed — limited by BMW’s engineers — of 160 km/h, figures that improve on the 7.3 seconds and 150 km/h that the conventional i3 with its 170 CV engine delivers in the same measurements. Both versions will continue to offer, optionally, the complementary REX system (extended range), with which the range of the i3s increases by an additional 150 km. The REX basically consists of the incorporation on board of a 2.0-litre petrol engine with 38 CV of power, which allows the i3 to continue on its way should the battery run out of energy, but in no case to recharge it.

As could not be otherwise in cars that “anticipate the future of driving” and that “make BMW i a pioneer in long-term mobility”, BMW i has equipped the new i3 and i3S with the most up-to-date version of BMW iDrive, the system that controls on-board navigation, communication and infotainment systems, which in units equipped with the Professional navigation system from BMW Group will feature a larger screen of up to 10.2 inches and an increased resolution of 1440×540 pixels, as well as a voice recognition system to facilitate its control without having to take your hands off the steering wheel or your eyes off the road.