VIDEO: Motors & Me: Dan Kiely and his BMW i8

Dan Kiely shows off his BMW i8

What are you currently driving?

The new BMW i8

Love at first sight, or just a means to get from A to B?

Absolutely love at first sight, a bit like when I meet my wife Linda 27 years ago. The BMW i8 has an impressive attention to detail and stunning looks. The i8 embodies the power of progress and progress excepts no compromise. Progress explores the limits of possibilities, and always exceeds them.

What’s under the bonnet?

The BMW i8 was purpose designed as a sports car driven by hybrid technology.

The result is a system output of 362hp, 231hp from a three cylinder turbo charged petrol engine and 131hp from the electric motor. This propels the BMW i8 from 0-100km in 4.4 seconds

Petrol head or Sunday driver?

Petrol head, I look forward to getting in to this car every day and I love the way it feels on the road. It is customised with a nod to our Voxpro colours and logo which was risky but has turned out to be a real design success, I think. This car is constructed from lightweight materials such as carbon fibre and weighs just 1485kg and with 362hp and 50/50 weight and all wheel drive, it makes this car a sensation to drive.

What was your first car?

A green Nissan Micra and I absolutely loved it. Buying my first car was a really proud moment, I had to get a part time job to save up the money to pay for it, so I appreciated it all the more when I finally got the keys.

What else do/did you own?

I previously drove a Ford Cougar, that was one of my favourites. It was so innovative in it’s design, sporty and fast. It felt really futuristic at the time. I also previously drove a Jaguar XK Coupe, I loved it so much, I drove it for eight years. I felt like James Bond every time I sat into it!

Dream drive in dream location?

My dream drive would be in my BMW i8 down Route 66 with my beautiful wife, Linda, in the passenger seat.

Passenger you’d most like on a long journey?

Obviously my wife, Linda, but if she was busy I’d fill the whole car with people I most admire. Roger Federer because he’s simply the best tennis player of all time. Palmer Luckey, the founder of Oculus Virtual Reality, because he’s pioneering the most innovative technology that our generation will experience, and Angelina Jolie because of all the incredible humanitarian work she’s done on behalf of the UN.

Passenger you’d least like?

Anyone whose glass is half empty, I like to surround myself with positive people. Positivity breeds positivity.

What’s on your playlist?

I have an eclectic taste in music, at the moment I’m listening to a lot of old U2 tracks, Hozier and Grace Jones. I saw her perform this year at Electric Picnic and it reignited my love of her music.