The i4 M50 is heralded as BMW’s first “battery-electric M car”, which makes it a milestone model. We headed to Gauteng to drive the 400-kW newcomer.
This year (2022), BMW’s M division celebrates its 50th anniversary and there are very exciting things happening over in Munich; the Bavarian marque has unveiled the BMW M4 CSL, will soon start producing a station wagon variant of the M3 and a second flagship product, called the XM, is in the works.
What is the BMW i4 M50?
You’re looking at BMW M’s first performance offering that does not employ an internal combustion engine (the iX M60 is the second). It’s all-electric and, given the reputation that BMW M has, it’s critical that the i4 M50 ticks the same boxes that a typical M customer would look for in a conventional M car.
It’s hard to tell that this is an electric car.
Looks? With its bold grille and black-vaned front bumper, muscular 4 Series Gran Coupe styling, large alloys and M badges fore and aft, the i4 M50 looks purposeful, but not too shouty. The jury’s out on the “exhaust-end cutouts” at the back (because there are no tailpipes on the car), but a bit of artistic licence is okay.
Performance? There’s plenty on offer and the numbers tell a fascinating story.
From a dual electric-motor setup, the i4 M50 produces 400 kW and 795 Nm. BMW’s M division is usually a bit vague with its claims and says it’s good for 0-100 kph in “under 3.9 sec” with a top speed of 225 kph. A range of 510 km (based on the WLTP cycle) is claimed and the vehicle can be charged via AC and DC options. It also supports 200-kW charging, which means, when fast-charging, you can get 140 km of range in 10 minutes.
The curved screen is eye-catching.
So it looks the part and has enough pace to justify its “M car” billing, but what about a provocative soundtrack? After all, no ICE means that the i40 M50 emits no inline-6 howl or percussive gearshifts… and petrolheads consider aural stimulation to be a critical part of a performance car’s driving experience.
BMW is well aware of this and enlisted acclaimed film-score composer Hans Zimmer to come up with electronic “soundscapes” to accompany the car’s performance via its speaker system. The various sound effects match the drive modes and change in pitch and tone based on the level of throttle application.
What features does the BMW i4 M50 have?
The i4 sports one of the most advanced cabins on sale right now.
The i4 M50 is a comprehensively equipped vehicle, as it should be at this price point (R1.6 million). The moment you step inside the Bimmer’s cabin, you’ll notice a massive rectangular curved screen stretching across the dashboard (it was also introduced on the recently revealed facelifted 3 Series sedan); not only is it underpinned by the latest BMW OS8 software – its graphics and layout look gorgeous. Impressively, the car supports over-the-air updates so you don’t need to visit the dealership for software upgrades.
It has all the niceties you’d expect, such as adaptive dampers, a panoramic sunroof, a premium audio system from Harman Kardon, heated front sports seats (leather-trimmed, of course), and a raft of semi-autonomous safety features like active steering, lane keeping assist, auto emergency braking and so on.
The digital instrument cluster offers various display themes and is customisable.
What’s it like to drive?
Detractors will be quick to point out this is no pureblood BMW M vehicle because it doesn’t have a twin-turbocharged petrol engine, plus there’s never been an M model based on the 4 Series Gran Coupe. We suggest you find out for yourself whether the car deserves M badges: Just get in, select the sportiest drive mode and do a full race start.
In case you didn’t already know, the magic of an electric powertrain is that its full torque complement is available immediately. Unlike a conventional engine, which takes a bit of time to “hit its straps”, a battery electric vehicle offers everything it’s got (performance-wise) promptly on demand. And, in a BEV as potent as the i4 M50, full acceleration from a standstill will push your head back firmly into the driver’s seat headrest!
By M-car standards, the i4 M50 is understated, but it’s a lot faster than it looks.
Combined with the deceleration caused by brake regeneration (it’s at its most intense when you shift the transmission lever to B), you could easily experience whiplash and motion sickness at the same time. Okay, we’re exaggerating (a little), but you DO have to adjust your driving style to take into account the i4 M50’s ability to accelerate – and scrub off speed – dramatically; the accelerator’s like an on-off switch.
We were fascinated by the integration of Zimmer’s audio wizardry. In the i4 M50’s sportiest setting, we swear we could hear a sound that was vaguely reminiscent of an induction bark, while brake regeneration has the faintest hint of a downshift; during a standing start, there’s even a launch-control-like sound. If it all gets a bit tiring, you can switch it off. In comfort mode, the effects are a lot more subdued/tolerable.
The 4 Series Gran Coupe shape gives the i4 a practical angle.
The best part of the package is that even if the i4 M50 does not feel like enough of a fully-fledged M car to please performance-car aficionados, it’s an eminently refined, sophisticated business-class sedan that certainly drives like a BMW M-fettled derivative. Despite the battery pack contributing to the 2.3-tonne kerb weight, the apex i4 still manages to retain some feel-good dynamics and nimbleness.
The steering setup is great, with decent levels of feel and weighting. The driver’s seat position is spot on too – it’s low and engaging, but without compromising the view of the road and surroundings.
Then there’s that – dare we say, supple? – ride quality. We’ve driven some rather hefty electric cars and they have all seemed firmly sprung – almost unapologetically so. The BMW i4, however, rides on the proven CLAR platform, which it shares with the current 3- and 4 Series and other large BMW models.
These wheels strike a great blend of performance, grip and a comfortable ride.
This setup is renowned for striking a great balance between sportiness and comfort, and despite the poor state of the roads around Midrand, and rolling on 19-inch rims (on not-too-skinny tyres, thankfully), the i4 M50 rode composedly. You could drive this car on long road trips in its most subdued drive modes and emerge at your destination feeling refreshed; can you say that of its fellow M car – the M3 Competition?
How much does the BMW i4 M50 cost in South Africa?
There’s just one model on offer and it costs R1 600 000. It ships with a 2-year/unlimited km vehicle- and an 8-year/100 000 km battery warranty. A 5-year/100 000 km maintenance plan is also included.
A great alternative to the BMW M3 and it’s 90% as fast as that model…
Summary
Our first taste of BMW M’s foray into electrification was a positive experience. While our test route was short and limited to urban roads (it’s a pity we could not experience the i4 M50 on the open road), we garnered enough experience to tell you that this is a great point-to-point performance model.
A great first attempt at a performance electric vehicle from BMW.
Does it offer the same driving thrills and visceral experiences as the similarly priced BMW M3 Competition? Not quite, no. Rather consider the i4 M50 a great bridge between the competent-but-brisk BMW M340i xDrive and the BMW M3 Competition. It’s fractionally cheaper than the latter and offers 90% of the performance…
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