I bought BMW's £45k Press Car | The First i3
Ex-press BMW i3 (2013) deep-dive: launch-spec, carbon-fibre city EV built in Leipzig, Germany. I bought this one—an early press fleet car—for £5,000. New, a press-spec i3 with option packs sat around £40k… so let’s talk history, why the spec matters, and what that depreciation means today.
■ Brief history
BMW launched the i3 in 2013 as a purpose-built EV—not a conversion. It used a CFRP “Life Module” passenger cell bonded to an aluminium drive module, rear-wheel drive, strong one-pedal regen, and a lounge-like interior made from recycled/natural materials. Production ran to 2022, with roughly a quarter-million built and multiple battery updates along the way. The i3 won World Green Car and World Car Design early on—because it really was different.
■ Why this spec matters
This car started life on the BMW UK press fleet—the exact kind of launch car journalists drove and photographed in 2013. That usually means: early VIN, meticulous servicing, and options that tell the brand’s story (Interior “Worlds”, 20" wheels, Tech/Driving Assistant, Parking Assistant, etc.). Mine even has the early i3-icon key fob in the original press key pack—a tiny timestamp from the launch period.
■ Depreciation & today’s reality
From ~£40k new (well-specced launch cars) to £5k paid for this example: that’s the i3’s depreciation curve in a sentence. Condition, battery health, charger compatibility and spec now matter more than mileage alone. If you’re shopping, prioritise: battery state of health, charging hardware, suspension/tyres, service history—and buy on provenance.
Gear/filming: DJI Pocket 3 (wireless mic), GoPro for POV.
Safety: Filmed legally; static/controlled shots; no presenting while driving.
Tell me your i3 stories below—what surprised you most about living with one?
#BMWi3 #EV #PressCar #CarbonFibre #Leipzig #OnePedal #CFRP #BMW
(Optional SEO tags to paste into the tags box)
bmw i3, bmw i3 review, bmw i3 press car, launch spec i3, carbon fibre life module, cfrp, range extender, one pedal driving, used ev, affordable ev, future classic, leipzig, ex press fleet, interior worlds