The BMW i3 50 xDrive in BMW UK’s latest batch of media launch photos is an M Sport First Edition priced at £62,962.50 as specified. Its price summary lists a £56,900 basic price, £5,300 of options, and £762.50 for delivery. The photos were taken in England this autumn. In this spec, the right-hand-drive sedan is rated at up to 546 miles (878 km) on the WLTP cycle and weighs 2,280 kg (5,027 lb) unladen. Two motors deliver 463 hp (345 kW) and 645 Nm (476 lb-ft), enough for 0-62 mph in 4.7 seconds.
What £5,300 Of Options Buys On The i3 First Edition
- M Le Castellet Blue paint: £875
- 20-inch M Aerodynamic wheels, cross-spoke style 1066 M: £900
- Panoramic glass sunroof with climate comfort glazing: £1,275
- Motorway Assistant (limited duration): £925
- Parking Assistant Pro: £775
- BMW Digital Premium (limited duration): £450
- M steering wheel: £100
The two limited-duration items add up to £1,375, so about a quarter of the options money on this car comes with an expiry date. The First Edition’s extras appear on the sheet at no cost: BMW Iconic Glow, the 3D head-up display, Harman/Kardon audio, 22-kW AC charging, and M Sport brakes with dark blue calipers. The cabin uses BMW’s M Black interior design.
Le Castellet Blue Looks Great On The i3
BMW has shown the i3 in this paint at its Munich premiere, Goodwood, and the Turin show. It’s the unofficial successor to Portimao Blue, and both names come from race circuits: Portimão in Portugal and Le Castellet in southern France, home of the Circuit Paul Ricard. Away from direct sun, the metallic finish turns almost navy, and an English autumn offers plenty of that.
Can The i3 Cross Britain With One Charging Stop?
Earlier this week, BMW said an i3 50 xDrive drove 3,658 miles (5,886.7 km) from Norway’s North Cape to Tarifa in Spain with 2 hours, 45 minutes, and 54 seconds of total charging. It averaged 12.5 kWh/100 km and beat the previous Paneuropeana record, set in 2017, by more than seven hours.
Apply that to John o’Groats to Land’s End, roughly 840 miles (1,350 km), and the math works with one stop. At the record run’s consumption, the 108.7-kWh battery is good for about 540 miles (870 km), close to this car’s 546-mile WLTP rating. BMW UK says the 50 xDrive can add up to 263 miles (WLTP) in 10 minutes at a suitable 400-kW charger. The caveat is that the record run averaged 49.5 mph (79.7 km/h) while driving, well below a steady 70 mph on the M6 in November.
How Much Does The BMW i3 Cost In The UK?
The UK range opens with the i3 40 xDrive at £47,925 OTR (on the road), only £2,950 more than the petrol BMW 320, which arrives in January 2027 at £44,975 OTR. The standard 50 xDrive starts at £53,425 OTR, and the First Edition costs £57,905 OTR.. First UK customer deliveries begin this autumn, and an i3 M60 xDrive joins the lineup in 2027.
That gap to the 320 is the number we’d watch. For less than £3,000 more, the 40 xDrive is rated at up to 441 miles (WLTP), which leaves the petrol 3 Series a hard case to make before it even goes on sale.
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
