[Mani59]

The 2022 BMW i4 M50 xDrive ($87,035 CAD as specced, ~$71,850 USD as specced) is a fully electrified sedan built on top of BMW’s modular platform - shared by many of their gas powered vehicles. It is capable of near M3 Competition levels of acceleration, while also offering 435 kilometers of range and refreshed interior tech. The i4 M50 xDrive is also smothered in M badges both inside and out to remind you of its performance capabilities. But will it be able to live up to expectations? And how is it to live with on a day to day basis? Thomas and James look to find out!

[spool twice]

"...what's an i4?"


"for seeing..."

[hotrod182]

Somehow feel that they would have liked the 20" wheel pkg better for their type of driving. Also, no acceleration test numbers, or comment on the nice ride, quality of materials vs Tesla, etc.

[spool twice]

Originally Posted by hotrod182

Somehow feel that they would have liked the 20" wheel pkg better for their type of driving. Also, no acceleration test numbers, or comment on the nice ride, quality of materials vs Tesla, etc.

Agreed

It didn't help that their test had winter tires and driven on salt-covered cold roads so they didn't truly get a feel for how the car would perform on summer tires and grippier surfaces

[hotrod182]

Originally Posted by spool twice

Agreed

It didn't help that their test had winter tires and driven on salt-covered cold roads so they didn't truly get a feel for how the car would perform on summer tires and grippier surfaces

Yes, he almost slipped while walking. Not ideal conditions. Just really strange they made no mention of things the i4 is near best in class.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by hotrod182

Somehow feel that they would have liked the 20" wheel pkg better for their type of driving. Also, no acceleration test numbers, or comment on the nice ride, quality of materials vs Tesla, etc.

... or the 19" wheels with performance tires.

Winter tires are the worst to evaluate any handling or steering feel in any car.

[Fast400]

Having driven the i4 M50...I have to wonder about their review. The fact that it wasn't built from a blank piece of paper doesn't make it inferior. In my opinion it actually makes it more amazing that the engineers pulled it off...and trust me they did it well. It was the most solid cabin I've driven in! On rough roads there were no 'break thru' vibration or noises, and the steering was very precise. I guess the reviewers wanted an 80's BMW EV??

[Germanauto]

Wow they ripped it to shreds. Love how Thomas destroyed BMW's useless steering. Another heavy and numb EV. Yawn...

Props to BMW at least for trying to enter the Tesla Model 3 space as none of the other luxury automakers have yet to do so.

[footie]

I do get what he was saying about the lack of torque vectoring for the rear axle but in all honesty who drives on public roads and looks to throw the tail off to do drifts???????

The steering is definitely a thing that’s lacking, but if you stop seeing this as a sports saloon/coupe and see it as a performance cruiser I don’t see it as a problem and after having one over a weekend I found it’s lack of noise promoted a more relaxing driving mindset. In all honesty if you want a EV to get closer to a true M then you really only have the Taycan to chose from but having driven it quite a bit it has a far harsher ride where as the i4M50 is on another level of refinement. I suppose it really depends on what you want from your EV.

No doubt about it BMW have left a lot of room to develop a proper Electric M car and distance it from the current M50.

[Tacoma]

Originally Posted by hotrod182

Somehow feel that they would have liked the 20" wheel pkg better for their type of driving. Also, no acceleration test numbers, or comment on the nice ride, quality of materials vs Tesla, etc.

It was a good review. They said 3.9s to 60 acceleration, but you can find acceleration #'s all over the Internet these days. They commented that but for the dashboard, this was pretty much a BMW 4-series interior, which the car is based on. True. BMW interiors look & feel more alike these days.

They said it's suited to be a cruiser which was fine if this was an Audi, but BMW markets this to be a sportier 'ultimate driving machine' which it's not, and they're right. They said the heavily assisted numb steering feel is par for the course for such a heavy car, about 1000 lbs heavier than a regular 4 series. They said you can feel the mass.

Given everything they said, I rather doubt going from 19" to 20" wheels - measly 1 extra inch of rubber on a 5000 lbs car - is going to make a sufficient difference to allay their concerns & change minds. Overall, I think they nailed it.

[tastes jigga]

Their criticism about the throttle is concerning. I will hold judgment until I get to test drive one.

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by Fast400

Having driven the i4 M50...I have to wonder about their review. The fact that it wasn't built from a blank piece of paper doesn't make it inferior. In my opinion it actually makes it more amazing that the engineers pulled it off...and trust me they did it well. It was the most solid cabin I've driven in! On rough roads there were no 'break thru' vibration or noises, and the steering was very precise. I guess the reviewers wanted an 80's BMW EV??

Agreed. Not judging their criticism but I wonder what they were expecting from this car even if it was built on a dedicated platform.

I just came back from test driving the M50 and the fact that it feels like a G20/G22/G26 but as an EV is a huge plus to me - I'm not looking for an EV to provide some unique driving experience, I want a BMW EV to feel like a BMW and the i4 M50 checks a lot of the boxes. Sure there's a significant weight deficit but you would only feel that if you're chucking it in turns because the weight is non-existent in day-to-day driving.

You can nitpick why it has M badge or this or that, but you take away those things and just look at it for what it provides and at a price tag that aligns with the 4 Series and BMW has built a very nice EV. EVs do nothing for me but if I had to pick an EV today, the i4 would be it because it feels like a BMW except I'm not paying for gas at $2.00/L.

[Fast400]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

Agreed. Not judging their criticism but I wonder what they were expecting from this car even if it was built on a dedicated platform.

I just came back from test driving the M50 and the fact that it feels like a G20/G22/G26 but as an EV is a huge plus to me - I'm not looking for an EV to provide some unique driving experience, I want a BMW EV to feel like a BMW and the i4 M50 checks a lot of the boxes. Sure there's a significant weight deficit but you would only feel that if you're chucking it in turns because the weight is non-existent in day-to-day driving.

You can nitpick why it has M badge or this or that, but you take away those things and just look at it for what it provides and at a price tag that aligns with the 4 Series and BMW has built a very nice EV. EVs do nothing for me but if I had to pick an EV today, the i4 would be it because it feels like a BMW except I'm not paying for gas at $2.00/L.

It's also notable that it's an "M50" not pure "M" which it seems they were expecting. My current X4 M40i doesn't feel as firm as the X4 M...and I'm glad it doesn't because I want to enjoy the drive, not track everywhere.

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by Fast400

It's also notable that it's an "M50" not pure "M" which it seems they were expecting. My current X4 M40i doesn't feel as firm as the X4 M...and I'm glad it doesn't because I want to enjoy the drive, not track everywhere.

It's not even that. The M440i Gran Coupé they reviewed got slightly better praise but that car is no closer to a M4 than then i4 M50 is - the only difference is the M440i has the B58.

[Cosmo_Kramer]

Hmmm.. they mentioned polestar being dedicated EV which isn’t true. Polestar has transmission tunnel also.

[BimmerBahn]

Originally Posted by Cosmo_Kramer

Hmmm.. they mentioned polestar being dedicated EV which isn’t true. Polestar has transmission tunnel also.

neither are transmission tunnels.... in both the i4 and Polestar there are battery packs in that space. While the i4 is a shared platform with the 4er GC, the ICE variant would support the prop shaft, etc... the polestar isn't...it's a dedicated BEV.

[cruzer666]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

Agreed. Not judging their criticism but I wonder what they were expecting from this car even if it was built on a dedicated platform.

I came out of my second m50 test drive, first was with all season tires, second with performance tires, both 19". I have no clue what they're taking about. My m340i x drive was very similar to the way this car handles, and the weight is not as apparent as they're making it to be, on the contrary, it feels very nimble. I'm sure if you put it on a track the weight will show, but regular street driving, like they showed in the video, it doesn't.

The range comment just doesn't hold water, the m50 has been tested in very much less than ideal traffic conditions and not driven conservatively at all including in close to freezing temperatures, and the range drop is nowhere near what they were implying.

And nitpicking words from a press release? Give me a break, two thumbs down on their review.

[techwhiz1]

Originally Posted by TheBingoBalls

Agreed. Not judging their criticism but I wonder what they were expecting from this car even if it was built on a dedicated platform.

What they wanted was an M50 that has the weight of a TM3P and the range with a flat floor and BMW quality. For some reason they think that because it's a shared platform it varies extra weight. They ignore the oXnwhoch is bespoke with CarbonCore and it still weighs more than my 2013 X5


They expected BMW to build a standalone model and still meet their low price point.

This also ignores the fact that the TM3 has no adaptive suspension option, no read dash, no leather options and can barely haul 5 people and still be compliant with load capability.

What they want isn't possible so they will whine no matter what they get.

[4monks]

Originally Posted by BimmerBahn

neither are transmission tunnels.... in both the i4 and Polestar there are battery packs in that space. While the i4 is a shared platform with the 4er GC, the ICE variant would support the prop shaft, etc... the polestar isn't...it's a dedicated BEV.

It isn't dedicated - the Polestar 2 they are referring to uses the Compact Modular Architecture shared with the XC40 ICE and and XC40/C40 BEV (and a whole bunch of other vehicles).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compac...cture_platform

[BimmerBahn]

Originally Posted by 4monks

It isn't dedicated - the Polestar 2 they are referring to uses the Compact Modular Architecture shared with the XC40 ICE and and XC40/C40 BEV (and a whole bunch of other vehicles).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compac...cture_platform

I stand corrected!