This is how something strange happens.
What are we actually looking at? This is not a literal statement. We are dealing with an BMW that has a huge widebody kit. The i3’s tiny eco-friendly tires don’t even come very close filling the huge wheel arches. A wire is also attached to the left side door, flared fender and another wire leads down to what appears like a sensor mounted low on front fascia.
Instead, we should ask, “What is the purpose of this snazzy looking i3?” We need more context to understand why this test vehicle is being used. Our source for these photos tells us that it is part of BMW’s suspension and tire design team. It’s also connected to BMW’s electric division, which is why we are dealing with an i3 test mue.
We don’t yet know the purpose of it, and neither was our source. We know BMW will keep the i3 in production at least until 2023. At that point, we expect to see an EV more like the one we have now. It is not clear if it will replace the i3 or add to it. However, this vehicle could be testing different tire/wheel combinations for the model. It could also be testing new suspension components that have a wider track. All of these are possible.
Maybe BMW is actually testing the long-awaited hover converter kit, as shown in Back to the Future II. This film clearly demonstrated that conversion kits like this were commonplace in 2015, five years ago. Is it crazy to have such thoughts? You might be, but it’s okay to be honest. Did you see this car and immediately picture the wheels tucked inside the arches of Doc Brown’s DeLorean. It’s perfectly acceptable to admit you did.