Facelifted 2018 BMW i3 And Sportier i3s On Sale In The UK From £34,070 [133 Images]

BMW's updated i3 can already be ordered in several markets, the UK included, where it carries a starting price of £34,070 ($43,983).

This lands you the zero-emission version of the i3, which makes 170PS (168hp) and 250Nm (184lb-ft) of torque. It needs 7.3sec to sprint from naught to 100km/h (62mph), and it can reach 150km/h (93mph).

The more powerful BMW i3s can be had from £36,975 ($47,733) and uses an electric motor that feeds 184PS (181hp) and 270Nm (199lb-ft) of torque to the ground. The 0 to 100km/h (62mph) acceleration takes 6.9sec, while top speed stands at 159km/h (99mph).

A two-cylinder range extender (REx) petrol engine, with 38hp, is available as an option for both versions of the eco-friendly hatch, whose sole purpose is to increase their range to 225-235km (140-146 miles) NEDC and 190-200km (118-124miles) WLTP. The i3S, on the other hand, can travel for up to 220km (137 miles) on the NEDC, and 185-195km (115-121 miles) on the WLTP cycle.

Blink and you might miss the exterior changes, but these include new front bumper, and reshaped fog lamps, while the regular i3 adds some plastic cladding, which cannot be found on the i3s, as this comes with metallic trim and black accents, in addition to a set of 20-inch alloy wheels.

In the cabin, users won't find anything new besides the latest iDrive infotainment system with Apple CarPlay compatibility, and fresh trim.

As a final touch, BMW has improved the charging cable, and when using the 'i Wallbox', the energy can be transferred in less than 3 hours, which is 5 times quicker than using the standard charging cable.

Both the 2018 i3 and i3s will be on display at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, starting with September 12, before being launched in global markets, two months later.

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