It’s approaching 10 public-transport-reliant years since I last got behind the wheel of a car. Maybe it was because it took three attempts – and a heated exchange with a driving examiner – for me to finally clutch my driver’s licence that my ambition to actually use it withered. Instead, I crossed oceans to experience life on foreign soil, followed by exploring new countries, landing in new continents to then settle in London five years ago, a city where you can get by without a car.
But here’s the thing: I feel like I’ve missed out on an adventure. Yes, I’ve done the coming-of-age backpacking trips – I did the Thailand-Cambodia-Vietnam-Laos route before it became cliche, OK? Yes, I’ve left my hometown of Glasgow to climb the career ladder in one of the biggest, most bustling cities in the world. But what about the freedom that comes from driving a car of one’s own for the first time? I felt a turning point not so long ago when Geri Horner (AKA Ginger Spice and my fave band member) spoke in the BBC documentary My Drive to Freedom about the open-top 1967 car she bought with her first Spice Girl pay cheque. What did I do with my first proper pay cheque? Squirrelled it away as a means to leave my hometown behind on a plane – not behind the wheel of a car.
Like Geri, I’m in possession of a quiet love for classic cars. It’s the details: sleek lines, stylistic touches and hard-to-come-by materials that last the test of time. They’re so damn shiny. But, in 2022, I’ve also got my sights set on innovation. Change. New (shiny) details.
Hello, the new age of electric cars. I’m specifically talking about the new all-electric vehicles (EVs) from BMW – the iX and i4, and the subtly positioned coordinating cobalt blue accents on the latter that really pull me in. Because nothing says “play me like a toy” than an electric hue. And, from what I can see, there are plenty of technically savvy touches that spark joy. Before even stepping foot in either car, the My BMW app means that at any time, and any place, you can remotely interact with your BMW. This can be to send a destination, so your car is ready to take you there, or to check the battery charge. You can also pre-condition the cabin so that it’s warmed up on chilly mornings or cooled down on high summer days. When you’re in the car, voice activation is triggered by the command “Hey BMW!”, meaning you can interact with the EV as you enjoy the instant power of the electric engine, whose driving tones were created by the renowned composer Hans Zimmer.
The BMW iX, the brand’s all-electric Sports Activity Vehicle, also oozes opulence. Any detail-oriented person worth their salt will have spotted the iDrive Touch Controller meticulously crafted in glass and shaped in a chic reflective hexagonal design. It’s delightfully delicate in appearance, foregoing the usual bulky and nondescript buttons of yesteryear. The leather-clad seating has also been taken to new heights. Tanned using olive leaves, it looks like the soft, supple leather that’s usually expertly sourced for luxury investment handbags. But nothing pleases me more than hidden features and smooth lines – like the car’s frameless doors. Smart and stylish.
Then there’s its use of “shy tech” where functionality is hidden in the design: an invisible audio system, for example. There’s also a modern curved touchscreen and head-up display, which projects key driving information on to the windscreen in your line of vision.
And the pièce de resistance? The panoramic glass roof that opens up to the sky above. Bliss.
The design of the i4 Gran Coupé – with five doors – is smooth. It’s hard not to notice the brand’s extended iconic kidney grille and its upgrade: it converts real-time data through camera tech and radar to inform your journey and enhance your drive. Welcome to 2022.
As with the iX, the leather upholstery is pure luxury, with a cream-coloured interior option – one among many – that never dates. Using hydropower from the River Isar in Germany in its construction, the i4’s flowing roofline adds an understated elegant touch that feels classic. Energy efficiency is considered with such features as regenerative braking, which maximises energy by saving it and sending it back to the battery. Smart.
Back to 2012, the driving examiner who did finally pass me, spoke about his son’s work. In an attempt to ease my mind, relax my breathing and keep both hands on the wheel, he shared with me that his son was working on the design of innovative electric cars. They’ll be better for the environment, he told me. They’ll be sleek and enjoyable to drive, he assured me. I think he knew then that I’d wait to taste my freedom behind such an enviable machine. My time has come: I’d like to be sworn into the electric car gang. I pledge my allegiance.
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