After the first images unveiled last March, BMW officially presents its i4 which will roll on the beds of the Tesla Model 3. This 100% electric 5-door coupe will be available, initially, in two versions including an M50 from 544 ch. Prices start from € 59,700.
[Mis à jour le 06/09/2021] BMW now has two family 5-door coupé models: in addition to the i4 described below, the catalog recently includes the second generation of the 4 Series Gran Coupé. This model will be 100% thermal (gasoline and diesel). Marketed from € 49,700, it will arrive in concession from November. A few days before the opening of the Munich Motor Show, we were able to take a tour of the owner of the BMW i4.
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The i4 is now official. If you had a feeling of déjà vu with this all-electric BMW model, it’s probably because the German manufacturer had lifted much of the veil on the car in early spring. However, many elements were still missing from this descendant of the i4 Gran Coupé concept unveiled in mid-2020, like the passenger compartment, or technical data. The empty boxes are now filled.
TO READ. BMW Concept i4 Gran Coupé: the Tesla Model 3 in the viewfinder
BMW Model 3
With its production i4, which in the process loses the Gran Coupé designation (it will be retained by the 5-door version of the 4-Series thermal), BMW is directly tackling the Tesla Model 3. The two cars are in the same segment. electric wagons, and they feature dynamic sedan-coupe silhouettes, with, in both cases, frameless windows. The BMW is 4.79 m long, 1.85 m wide and 1.45 m high. It is based on a wheelbase of
2.86 m. These dimensions (apart from the length) are very close to those of the American rival. On the other hand, the style is radically opposed to that of the Tesla: the i4 plays an exuberant card with its gaping grille taken from the Series 4 coupe. We like it or not …
Note that the sulphurous M version displays largely perforated shields as well as a rear diffuser that would not deny its thermal cousin, even if it is completely devoid of any exhaust outlet. To differentiate this electric offer a little more from its conventional range, BMW has installed pallet type door handles on the i4.
Two large screens on the dashboard
If, on the outside, the resemblance to a Series 4 leaves room for doubt, inside the atmosphere is much more different. The cap overhanging the counters disappears, as does the separation with the touch screen. The new set, curved like the new iX, spans almost half of the dashboard. Moreover, its dimension is strictly identical to that of the recent electric SUV: 12.3 inches for the customizable meter screen, 14.9 inches for the infotainment system.
The design of the aerators, placed under the touch screen, has also been modernized, on the other hand, the rest of the furniture of this i4 is similar to that of the thermal coupe: thus, the control to select the forward or reverse gear takes the shape of the automatic gearbox lever. Note that in line with the Gran Coupé from BMW, the i4 has an electric tailgate: it opens into a boot with a volume of 470 l which can climb to 1290 l once the seat backs are folded down.
The i4 M50 more powerful than the M4
Aesthetically very close to the 4 Series, this i4 is also inspired by it mechanically. It is certainly a purely electric vehicle, but its architecture is based on BMW’s CLAR platform. This modular base can be used to integrate 100% thermal engines, rechargeable hybrid modules or only batteries and electromotors. The i4 can have only one machine on the rear axle, as is the case with the eDrive40 version. It thus develops a power of 250 kW (or 340 hp), for an instantaneous torque of 430 Nm.. Enough to allow the car to go from 0 to 100 km / h in 5.7 s and reach a top speed electronically limited to 190 km / h. It is powered by a battery delivering a net capacity of 80.7 kWh capable of offering a range of 590 km.
The other version offered in the i4 catalog is labeled M. It receives a second electric motor placed on the front axle, allowing it to display a cumulative power of 400 kW (or 544 hp), for a torque of 795 Nm. The 0 to 100 km / h is achieved in 3.9 s, and the top speed is raised to 225 km / h. The battery is identical to that of the previous version, which results in a shorter range of around 510 km.
The car’s electrical network can be connected to a terminal delivering up to 210 kW: thus, battery goes from 10 to 80% charge in 31 minutes. BMW announces the possibility of recovering more than 164 km of autonomy in 10 min on the eDrive40, and approximately 140 km on the M50.
A connected car
In the equipment department, the i4 is offered as standard with an electric tailgate (optional hands-free), Bluetooth, tri-zone air conditioning as well as stationary air conditioning which allows the passenger compartment to be brought to the desired temperature. from a distance. Induction charging is optional, as is the towing system for pulling up to 1.6 tonnes, or the head-up display. In addition, compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is extended: thus the mapping offered by its two systems is now available in the instrumentation and the indications appear in the heads-up display. In addition, Apple is preparing for 2022 an evolution of its GPS: if the distance of the course is greater than that of the remaining battery life, a stop to recharge is scheduled.
Ever more adaptive cruise control
The i4 is obviously packed with semi-autonomous driving assistance systems. The adaptive cruise control thus receives new functions:
- It automatically adjusts to the limitations noted either by the camera or by the navigation system
- It adapts the pace according to the road taken
- It slows down when approaching a built-up area (do not simply brake after passing the sign)
- It slows down when it detects a red light (in Germany) …
This is accompanied by the panoply of assistances for braking, active maintenance in the lane, parking with or without a 360 ° camera, etc.
Production of the i4 will begin in November at the BMW plant in Munich, for marketing scheduled for early 2022. The prices of the i4:
- eDrive40: € 59,700
- M50: € 71,650
The novelty will be offered on its 1er walkabout during the Munich Motor Show (September 7 to 12). It will be there along with other new BMW models, such as the 2 Series Coupé.
