BMW i. 8 Review Auto Express A sports car with a three cylinder engine doesnt sound like the most thrilling prospect in the world, but thanks to the assistance of an electric motor, the i.Audi R8. Officially, 0 6.It doesnt matter what gear youre in the i.The i. 8s nature as part supercar, part eco car means it has different driving modes that affect how the engine and electric motor interact with each other.So, slot the gearlever to the left into Sport mode you get the petrol engine running all the time, the full output from the electric motor, firmer settings for the dampers and more aggressive power steering.Keep it in Comfort or Eco Pro mode, though, and the i.The eco friendly e.Drive setting gives you pure electric running for up to 2. The Handwriting On The Wall About Children . Using just the electric motor, youll find acceleration comparable to a hot hatch.Flooring the throttle gives you a smooth and muscular surge of acceleration, accompanied by a sci fi whine from the electric motor and a deep, throaty growl from the three cylinder engine.Adding to the sensation of speed is the automatic gearbox, which delivers seamless changes to create the illusion of an uninterrupted wave of acceleration.Best sports cars to buy right now.Guide the i. 8 through a series of bends and it feels light on its feet, with barely any body roll and a crisp response from the fingertip light steering.Unlike some rivals that feel as if they are pummeling the road into submission, the BMW is more delicate and measured, requiring only small inputs from the driver.Once youre actually in the corner, youll find the i.Audi R8, but its seriously capable nonetheless.Thanks to the standard adaptive dampers, ride comfort is pretty good, while the BMWs aerodynamic styling it boasts a drag coefficient of just 0.However, despite its skinny tyres, the i.Porsche 9. 11. Engines.HvUGVQejg/need-for-speed-the-run-bugatti-veyron-16-4-super-sport-gameplay-ps3-exclusive-car.jpg' alt='Download Need For Speed The Run Supercar Pack' title='Download Need For Speed The Run Supercar Pack' />Xbox One Origin Standard Edition.Preorder Need for Speed Payback now to receive the Platinum Car Pack.Drive straight into the action on the roads of Fortune.Download Need For Speed The Run Supercar Pack' title='Download Need For Speed The Run Supercar Pack' />Theres only one drivetrain to speak of, but as its so groundbreaking and so central to the existence of the i.A three cylinder turbo petrol engine which, with 2.MINI Cooper is located mid rear, behind the driver.It powers the rear wheels.The electric motor, with 1.That gives the i.Clever software ensures that during gentle driving the electric motor, which draws power from a lithium ion battery pack, assists the petrol motor in using as little fuel as possible.On the other hand, during more aggressive driving the two combine forces fully, with the electric motor serving up instant torque for a quick getaway then helping the i.If that output doesnt sound like much in this context, thats because it isnt the latest Audi R8 develops 5.Clever tuning means that the i.Porsche flat six from the inside, particularly in Sport mode when the electronically enhanced soundtrack piped into the cabin through the stereo speakers is turned up to full volume.Destroying Million Dollar Hypercars On Set With Need For Speed.SHARE. Destroying Million Dollar Hypercars On Set With Need For Speed Need For Speed in real life.Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a major motion picture set Have you ever considered how much time and effort goes into shooting even the shortest three second scene Have you ever contemplated what it takes to capture a high speed chase sequence or an epic crashIf so, then today is your lucky day as we take a look behind the filming of the big screen interpretation of Need For Speed.While Im not sure that such thing exists as a normal day of Speedhunting, when I got a call from Rod back in April asking if I could hop on a quick flight to Northern California to shoot some production stills on the set of a big budget movie, I knew it was going to be even less normal than usual.Living in Hollywood, I run across film sets on a weekly basis, but its not every day that youre around real high speed filming.As these things go, details were kept to a minimum since everything is very hush hush, but I was rather excited when I heard that the film was to be an interpretation of a videogame I grew up on Need for Speed.As a child born in the mid 8.I spent a lot of time playing videogames, as I suspect many of you did as well, but NFS holds a special place in my collection.While videogames may seem like a trivial hobby to some including parents, when I now look at my life in reverse, its quite clear that they played a pivotal role in my story and laid the groundwork for much of the person I am today a motorsport fan, a professional automotive photographer and a Speedhunter.Through these games I not only grew addicted to racing but I was also introduced to my lifes greatest fascination cars.The first title that I can remember that allowed me to start living car culture vicariously was Need for Speed II.It was at this time that I began to see the car as more than just a tool used for racing, but something beautiful with an aura of its own.I started memorizing statistics, picking up Road Track magazine and sketching my favorite exotics.So you must understand that even though I knew fully well I was on a Hollywood film set, there were at least a half dozen times where I thought to myself Wow, this looks exactly like a scene out of Need for SpeedI had to pinch myself to make sure it wasnt a dream.The cop cars, the row of exotics and even the location in Northern California looked as if it were plucked right from the game One thing that was always so clearly different about NFS the games was that it was about racing and cars in equal parts, and it put a huge emphasis on the machines you were competing with.I was very happy to see the crossover on set in the fact that the real stars of Need for Speed arent the actors, but the exotic cars they drive.Take for example the cast for the two days I was on setKoenigsegg Agera R.GTA Spano. 7. 80hp.Lamborghini Sesto Elemento.Saleen S7 twin turbo.Bugatti Veyron Super Sport.Mc. Laren P1. 9. 10hp.As you can see talent like this should make for one fairly incredible race.But sometimes looks can be deceivingMovie magic.Though so far it should be pretty difficult to tell, I suspect that the extremely keen lot of readers may have picked up that something isnt quite right with the hypercars.In fact, they arent hypercars at all, but extremely elaborate replicas.I know the thought of fake cars may leave some of you sitting at home perplexed, but let me assure you that there are a number of reasons why these special picture cars are used for starters, budget.But it goes beyond that.Nearly every single car in the film inevitably ends up crashing in a catastrophic fashion and for this movie the stunts which Ill touch on later are done for real.So bearing the sobering realities of filmmaking, you can come to appreciate these custom built tube chassis in a new light.Every car is based off the same MR platform and uses a reliable Chevy LS3 V8 crate workhorse engine.Although they might not be quite as powerful as the hyper engines theyre playing on the screen, theyre definitely more than enough to propel these lightweight frames and provide some heart pumping footage.Certain scenes require additional modifications for special stunts to be performed safely and predictably which couldnt be practically fitted on a normal car.Here we see a Saleen S7 that has been modified with a rail system to allow it to shoot under another vehicle and launch it into the air.Although the cars do actually drive, theyre fabricated quickly and are constantly being tweaked and worked on to get them running right.Here we see Tanner Foust doing his own adjustment of the throttle pedal via pry bar.Not everything is as glamorous it looks on the silver screen.A lot of quick roadside repairs and modifications are made between scenes.Since the stunt team never knows where they might have to work they had these ingenious air bags to lift the cars instead of traditional jacks.They lift the car in seconds and work on any surface I want some.In the event that a job is too large to tackle on the side of the road, the team rented a warehouse nearby and set up a makeshift shop.Here they can perform basically anything from routine maintenance to full on reconstruction.After a major stunt scene, the cars are brought back and stripped of any components that are still usable.If its feasible, the chassis can be cut apart and rebuilt, or a new one can be made from scratch as needed.A tube bender is an obvious must have for this type of operationAs is a welder and lots of rod.Since the chassis are all basically identical except for bodywork, spares can be kept to a minimum.Common replacement items include fluids, brake components, springs, shocks, axles and uprights.However some of the cars, like the hero Mustang of the film, are in fact actual carsBut that doesnt mean they dont get spruced up a little as well.While I was lurking around the warehouse, the art department was busy preparing two more Mustangs outside with some wear and tear from a yet to be filmed scene that occurs earlier in the movie.Continuity is everything.With the bullet holes and body damage out of the way, the last step was to replicate some red dirt.Though the opening scenes had yet to be shot, the cars would need to look like theyd already driven across the country for the small cameo at the end of the film they were shooting while I was there.Reel action and real speed.Back on set I found a horse of a different color, if youll excuse my pun.No this isnt a sinister disguise for a Mustang, but rather a precision camera car.When youre filming a high speed chase scene, keeping up is half the battle During my time on set, I saw a number of interesting camera set ups.Some, like the rig mounted to the hood of this police car, were a little more down to earth and built from a regular collection of grip gear.Even a hobbyist filmmaker could replicate a support like this for a few hundred dollars.At the other end of the spectrum are vehicles known in the industry as pursuit cars, which have been permanently modified to operate cameras under special circumstances.Pursuits have cables hard wired for cameras and monitors and almost always utilize a gyro stabilizer head to get unbelievably smooth footage in the most challenging of environments.The most elaborate of all utilizes what is called a Russian arm or Pursuit arm depending on brand which allows almost unlimited camera movement on multiple axis.This is the type of set up used in almost all car commercials these days and allows the camera to be swept vertically and horizontally while being panned and tilted simultaneously.Its so complicated that it takes a team of four or more people to operate.But perhaps the most fascinating camera car of all is what is called a pod car, and is actually both a picture car and a camera car in one.This strange invention is how you shoot real in car driving scenes instead of using those cheesy cropped in backgrounds you see in movies and TV about 8.It might work in a romantic comedy but that crap wouldnt cut it for NFS.Unlike the regular picture cars, the interior is a lot more elaborate on a pod car since the actors will be filmed up close, it becomes increasingly more important to nail the details.
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