I saw an iX today

I wont argue the asthetic.  That's a matter of personal choice.  I think it looks much better in person than in pictures.

The interior is drop dead gorgeous.  One of the best I've ever seen.  It was a beautiful stitched leather, with tasteful "wood" accents.  There is NOTHING about it that seemed fuzzy, or reminded me of an SVX! Haha!  The gauges and readouts are exceptional.  Wrap around screen, graphics quality that would rival many of the best video games.  Integrated "hamburger menus" exist throughout the console and dash to quickly access digital menus.  

The exterior is passable.  It's a luxury SUV, so it is already out of my wheelhouse.  The rear is a little oversized, and the lines are very masculine.  But I really didn't see much that I would call offensive.  Laser headlights and LEDs are well integrated into the lines.  Electrochromatic panoramic roof is stunning.  Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal technology for shading the interior. The panoramic glass roof’s transparency is altered by applying a voltage to the middle layer of film.   It looks exactly like a slick top, but can morph into being "invisible" with no cross struts to interfere.  Things like safety rear lights (LEDs that look like tailights when the tailgate is in the up position, so you are still visible to oncoming cars if at the side of the road with the tailgate up).  Cameras capturing video, including automatic recording of accidents, emergency situations, and thefts. 

EPA rated 324 miles range.  Variable charge amperages- level 1, 2, and 3 capable.

The grill could have a different look, but it is not a useless feature.  The car has an infra-red windshield, so cameras, etc can't read through it.  All of the sensors for LIDAR, active cruise, etc read through that lens in the grill, and it is made of a material that is self-healing.  Scratches and nicks are erased within an hour or so.  Don't ask me how all that works- I'm as clueless as the next guy!

Honestly, it's probably not an enthusiast car.  That's not what it is designed to be.  It's a luxury SUV that takes technological innovation to the next level.

I really can't describe all the details.  My memory is simply not that good.  I'm just suggesting a demo whenever you get a chance.

Slippery said:

mtn said:

... but if I need to go to BMW to fill up my washer fluid, there is a serious problem. I doubt that most new buyers will care though.

You can fill the washer fluid through the front roundel.

Yep.  And it doubles as a pop-up washer for the front mounted camera.

Barf:

Indy - Guy said:

Barf:

Interestingly, to me at least, under a few obvious faux pas .. ses? s'? err, under a few glaring mistakes, that's a decent looking SUV. If the grille disappeared and the super cheap looking black horizontal stripe behind the rear windows went away, it might actually be OK.

My favorite horrible part of the grille is how it's so big it doesn't even fit in the area provided for it on the front end. It looks like bad photoshop of someone making fun of the current BMW grilles.

Honestly? 'Waterfall' the grille. Make it even bigger, down past the bumper. It would probably mess with the aero, but I'd make it like a battleship prow.

The hood is not hard to open, there are 2 pull cables under the corners of the dash.  The problem is that the hood will hit the a pillars if you are not very careful closing it.  I feel they really missed the mark on pricing, starting at $80k, the one they brought to my shop to let us check out was over $100k.  That's alot for a small suv, almost double what the x3e was going for when you could get them.  I think the plug in x5's start at $50k and you can get into a rav 4 prime for around $30k.  So what makes this worth so much more?

In reply to Caperix :

I know how to open it. The point was that they designed it intentionally to have a "secret" method that involves 2 people and a screwdriver, then masking tape on the A pillars to reinstall. 

Same technique was required on the i8, except you didn't need to tape up the A pillars. 
 

Also had to make sure that they didn't lose the covers over the pull cables when in for service. 

In reply to Karacticus :

Yep. 
 

The i8 was also designed to discourage user serviceability. 

Yeah, under the hood on the i8 was the 12 V battery, brake master cylinder/fluid reservoir, coolant expansion bottle (or two, can't remember) A/C service points and a great big fan and heat exchanger. 
 

Washer fluid was filled through a port in the cowl under one of the wipers. 
 

And you can see two screw drivers in the picture to hold the hood up. 
 

If you didn't move it correctly, you would drag the very front of the hood on the front fascia.  

I was going to say that it's not easy to make a panel or case a user can't open - but it's easy to make one they that's hard to get closed again. In this case, it looks like they've made one dealer techs will really hate dealing with.

In reply to Karacticus :

Cheebus!  And I'm angry that I can't flip the windshield wipers up on my Volvos without starting the car and using controls to park them in a service position.

That BMW hood crap is ridiculous.

Hell, I have to open the hood just to wash my cars so I can spray the leaves and other assorted shmeg out of the cowl area.  I can't imagine that requiring 2 people and risking body damage.

Insanity.

In reply to Duke :

I believe the story was also that the hood should only be opened indoors, as the hinge/attachment system wasn't strong enough to take wind loads.