2022 marked the 50th anniversary of BMW Motorsport GmbH. To celebrate half a century of all things M, the go-faster division revealed an i4 M50-based prototype with four electric motors for infinitely adjustable torque vectoring at each wheel.
Spied time and again by the carparazzi, the coupe-styled sports sedan is currently undergoing winter testing in Sweden. Gifted with front and rear tracks that would make the i4 M50 blush in awe, the forthcoming i4 M – or whatever it will be called – sits lower to the ground than its dual-motor stablemate.
Equipped with Michelin Pilot Alpin rubber boots measuring 285/40 by 19 inches out back compared to the i4 M50's 255/45 by 18-inch tires, the camouflaged prototype further boasts a pair of black front splitter extensions up front, and M3 CS-like hood, and the M3 CS-specific kidney grille to boot.
Compared to the first iterations of the yet-to-be-named performance battery-electric vehicle, this fellow also differs by means of a redesigned bumper out back and a subtle decklid spoiler. The list continues with an upgraded braking system with larger brake rotors and bright red-painted calipers.
Fitted with mismatched double-spoke wheels fore and aft, the mystery model is even more mysterious under the skin. The rumor mill is split between the i4's CLAR-derived platform and the upcoming Neue Klasse platform, with the latter due to enter series production in July 2025 with the second-generation iX3 at the Debrecen plant in Hungary.
Photo: Baldauf
The zero-emission sibling of the internal combustion-engined X3 will be joined by the i3 sedan and longroof, which will be produced in parallel with the four- and six-cylinder G20 and G21. The NA0 and NA1 are expected to begin series production in November 2026 for MY2027.
Considering that November 2026 is more than three and a half years away from the moment of reporting, the i4 M likely uses CLAR underpinnings. The 5 Series-based BMW Power BEV from 2019 that the German automaker lovingly dubs Lucy develops in excess of 710 horsepower and 848 pound-feet (make that 1,150 Nm in metric) from a three-motor setup, meaning that BMW M could very well squeeze out a cool 1,000 from the i4 M.
Unfortunately, it will also weigh a lot for a D-segment model. For reference, the i4 M50 and the i5 M60 are rated in Europe at 2,215 kilograms (4,883 pounds) and 2,305 kilograms (5,082 pounds), respectively. We also have to remember that BMW's most powerful series-production EV to date is the i7 M70, which belts out 650 horsepower and tips the scales at 2,695 kilos (5,941 pounds).
Regardless of curb weight, platform, and name, this quad-motor thriller is certain to sway a few prospective customers away from the six-cylinder M3 and the likes of the Tesla Model 3 Ludicrous.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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