Elle_Australia_Sep_2019

the

GAME

CHANGER

AWA R D

BMW I3

OKAY, SO IT has rear suicide doors,

an interior that makes you go “hmmm”

and it’s shaped like a capybara, but

that is the delight of the i3; it is a unique

and beautiful snowflake! As the

greenest car in our winners’ circle, this

all-electric vehicle is a pioneer in smart

manufacturing and a show of what is

about to become a very exciting

space for BMW, having committed

to offering a pure electric or hybrid

drivetrain of every model in the coming

years. The i3 and its more powerful

sister, the i3s, are built using 100 per

cent renewably sourced energy. For

the interior, petroleum-based plastics

have been replaced by kenaf, a jute-

like super plant that needs little water,

absorbs a massive amount of CO 2

justified? Indeed. The I-Pace’s futuristic

looks (made with 94 per cent aluminium

for weight reduction) are matched with

a driving experience that’s serenely quiet,

supremely comfortable and incredibly

quick (0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds,

whoosh!). It’s also beautifully packaged

and surprisingly practical, with 656 litres

of cargo capacity in its backside.

***

THE

WINNING

EDGE

Showing off its agility through the tree-

lined roads of NSW’s Blue Mountains on

our test drive, the silence and glasshouse-

like design of the I-Pace transformed the

idea of an idyllic road trip, letting in

the bellbird calls and tall tree breaths

and allowing the environment to speak

for itself. An astute moment of emissions-

free beauty worth celebrating.

“IS IT an SUV?

A COMPACT

CROSSOVER?

A SPORTS SEDAN?

That DEPENDS on

WHICH ANGLE

you LOOK AT IT”

184

the

PRIZE

JAGUAR I-PACE

IT’S NOT OFTEN you see big risks taken

in the car industry, but that’s exactly why

we love Jaguar’s dice roll with the I-Pace.

The British company’s debut EV, it is

also the first to arrive from a major brand

and take a swipe at Tesla’s performance

crown. Bold move! Since launch, this

shape-shifting EV (is it an SUV?

A compact crossover? A sports sedan?

That depends on which angle you look

at it...) has been one of the most awarded

cars of the century, taking home more

than 60 trophies worldwide. Is the hype

From $119,000

Two electric motors

294kW/696Nm

From $68,700

Single electric motor

125kW/250Nm

the

ELLE

DRIVE AWARDS

(green edition)