The BMW Concept i4 is bringing futuristic visions to life

Concept cars always excite us. They are no holds barred visions of the world’s greatest car designers who just want to give the rest of the world a taste of the future, with their sultry curves, advancements in technology and all-round dedication to breaking every rule about car design in the book.

It is no wonder, then, that the BMW Concept i4 has been on our radar since its reveal earlier this year. Hailing as a new chapter in BMW’s history and a new era in Sheer Driving Pleasure, the Concept i4 is a pure-electric Gran Coupe. The concept car represents a look ahead to the BMW i4 that is slated to enter production in 2021.

It is an exciting time for fans of the marque who are looking to take to the road a little greener. The renowned dynamic excellence of BMW is clearly accounted for, with its partiality to modern, elegant sporty design, but all packaged in the spaciousness and functionality of a four-door Gran Coupe. As a bonus, it generates zero local emissions, and is a virtually silent delivery of power.

The BMW Concept i4 is electrifying in every respect. The Gran Coupe’s exterior proportions of a long wheelbase, fastback-style roofline and short overhangs are attributes of an athletic and elegant profile worthy of the BMW name. Coated in Frozen Light Copper, the colour is a reprise of that displayed by the BMW Vision iNEXT. The warm copper tones are accentuated by the blue elements in the front end, flanks and rear end that also point to the car’s BMW i origins.

The Gran Coupe’s spacious interiors reflect the beauty of the exteriors with its minimalistic and ultra-modern look. In the front, the new Curved Display brings focus to the driver, as does the cockpit with its pared-back styling. Driving home elegance and high-class character are the accent trims in warm gold-bronze blending to chrome and controls luxuriously finished in glass crystal, matching the grandeur of the BMW Concept i4’s exteriors.

The car isn’t just majestic in its aesthetics, it is matched in dynamic athleticism in performance as well. Equipped with fifth generation BMW eDrive technology, the BMW Concept i4 has an electric motor specially designed for the i4 that generates a maximum output of up to 390kW or 530hp. It is the equivalent of achieving the level of a V8 power unit in current BMW models with a combustion engine. Electrification doesn’t mean any shortage of power – the vehicle is able to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 4.0 seconds, with a top speed in excess of 200km/h. The BMW Concept i4 can also go the distance: the efficient drive concept permits a range of up to 600km.

The BMW Concept i4 is also host to the next-generation operating system from 2021. Three different Experience Modes allow an exploration of the various facets of an electric drive system: Core, Sport and Efficient. The Experience Modes span everything from how the driver experiences the display and graphics and to how the interior is presented.

The BMW vision transcends design into its own visionary and unique sound in the Concept i4. Developed under the brand name of BMW IconicSounds Electric by Oscar-winning composer, Hans Zimmer with BMW Sound Designer Renzo Vitale, its sound aims to emotionalise BMW’s electric vehicles and make them audible using individual sound worlds. The sound worlds of the BMW Concept i4 range from the driving sounds in Core, to the more intense and pronounced of Sport. Even the sounds of the car door opening and starting up are taken into consideration in bringing emotion into the vehicle.

Should the BMW Concept i4 be enough to intrigue fans, a short wait until 2021 is all that is needed before getting hands on one. Series production of the new BMW i4 will begin next year at the Group’s main plant in Munich.