The reborn i3 is getting ready for one of its first real-world appearances, and BMW has picked quite the venue. The all-electric sedan will serve as the official lead vehicle for the elite men’s field at this weekend’s Berlin Marathon, putting the Neue Klasse model in front of some of the world’s fastest runners.
More than 84,000 athletes from 162 nations are expected to take part in this year’s event on September 27. BMW is supporting the marathon for the 15th time as title partner, but this year’s edition has an obvious star on four wheels: the new i3. Its SUV sibling will also be there, as the iX3 will perform the same duty for the elite women’s field. The i5 and i4 will lead the national elite men’s and women’s groups, respectively, while an iX will serve as the official safety car.
In total, BMW is providing 60 cars for the event, including a bunch of iX1 and iX2 support vehicles that “will ensure everything runs smoothly.” In addition, the Motorrad division is supplying 14 motorcycles and two e-scooters. Speaking of the two-wheeled division and Berlin, it’s been making motorcycles in Germany’s capital for nearly 60 years.
The New BMW i3 Can Complete All Seven World Marathon Majors On A Single Charge
BMW is making a point with the i3’s appearance. The company describes the electric 3 Series as an “endurance specialist,” thanks in no small part to its claimed range of up to 906 kilometers (563 miles) in the WLTP cycle. The luxury automaker even jokes that, in theory, the i3 could complete all seven World Marathon Majors over a two-and-a-half-year period without recharging.
For now, though, the i3 has a much simpler job. It needs to drive 42.195 kilometers (26.2 miles) at the front of the world’s fastest marathon without getting in anyone’s way. That’s probably one of the easier endurance tests BMW could throw at it. The car’s public appearance in Berlin will take place just days before the new 3 Series (G50) breaks cover with gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
BMW i3 Configurator Goes Live Next Week
Next week will be important for another reason. We’re expecting BMW to fire up the i3 configurator across Europe. Strong demand has brought the electric sedan’s launch forward, prompting an early release of a First Edition. However, customers won’t be able to configure the i3 as they please until next week. We should finally discover what the electric 3 Series looks like in its most basic form, as all the cars we’ve seen so far have had the M Sport Package and quite a few other options.
And while the sedan body style takes precedence, as always when a new 3 Series comes out, BMW will also make another Touring. The G51 with combustion engines and the fully electric NA1 are coming as early as next year or in 2028 for those who want a more practical car but don’t necessarily want an SUV like the X3 and iX3.
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
