BMW Concept i4 – Worthy of becoming the electric M replacement
BMW is moving forward, and in all honestly, so are the majority of the competition. The i4 is sadly not a production car, yet. BMW says that it will enter production in 2021. How close to the concept it will look like, we will have to wait and see.
The i4 stays true to the core values of BMW, while still giving a unique twist that comes with the all-electric power plant. 4 doors, comfortable and usable, but still rapid. It does sound like a BMW. Underneath is a 530 hp electric engine with a range of up to 600 km, a 0-100 km/h in around 4 seconds, and a top speed of over 200 km/h. The car could very well become the first eM, or Me, model.
Interestingly enough, it is not what is underneath that has been to topic of discussion. That has been the exterior, and in some ways for a good reason. With an electric engine, the need for cooling is a little different compared to a petrol engine. Therefore, the need for a huge open grille is not as high with an electric engine. The question everyone has is then; why does the i4 have enormous vertical kidneys in the front grille, since they are closed anyways? The reason is simple. Recognition. Those two kidneys can only belong to one car, and that is a BMW. In all honesty, I think the car looks great. BMW has been able to incorporate the kidneys in the general shape of the grille in a way that goes well together with the rest of the front. The creases that follow up on the hood are one example of this. However, since the grille is so large, the rest of the front has also increased in size. With the protruding diffuser in the rear and large rear overhang, the car feels big. I should also note that the BMW logo is now see through.
The interior is, as typical with concept cars, very forward thinking. White and rose gold throughout and a screen that has replaced almost everything on the center console. You still get the famous BMW wheel to control the infotainment system though. The center console, middle console and screens are the things that I believe will transfer over to the production car.
This is one of THE cars that I will remember from the Geneva motor show. BMW is showing that they are not afraid of producing electric Gran Coupes. The need for something to fill BMWs i lineup has been all too evident, and the concept i4 has shown me that you can get tesla performance with good looks.
