BMW i4 M50, the “heavy greyhound” way of life

In 2017, BMW debuted the BMW i Vision Dynamics at the Frankfurt Motor Show and hinting at a fully electric mid-sized four-door coupe. Three years later, the BMW concept i4 went to hit the stage at the LA Auto Show and showed the world what the i4 would look like. Finally, the BMW i4 was launched in 2021 with only a few changed parts from that concept i4.

Greyhound

Did you know that the greyhound is one of the fastest dogs out there? With a top speed of 72 km/h and an insane acceleration to that speed, the BMW i4 M50 is the closest thing to a greyhound that you will ever drive. The zero to 100 km/h-time is a neck-breaking 3,9 seconds onto a top speed of 225km/h. The 2 electro-engines -good for 544 hp and 795 Nm), sport-boost modus (full POOOOOOOOWER) and xDrive are to blame for the crazy acceleration even though the i4 M50 weighs in at 2.290 kilograms. Do you now get the “heavy”-part in the title?

2.290 kg, let that sink in! BMW X4 M: 1.945 kg, BMW M4: 1.750 kg, Mercedes-AMG SL 63: 1.895 kg. The Porsche Taycan Turbo S weighs 2.370 kilograms but can hide that belly better than this BMW i4 M50! The corners aren’t the best friend of this i4 M50. The car has great grip but tilts too hard while wearing an M-badge which -in turn- leads to a lack of confidence with fast driving or an attempt to drift that thing! Even the changing firmness of the suspension -between sport, normal and eco- can’t help with this problem! The positive side of this page is the fact the car is pretty comfy for a sporty car and driving 1.000 kilometers will never be a problem (if you forget the range thing).

BMW claims a range of 520 kilometers for the 83,9 kWh lithium-ion battery, but in normal circumstances, 450 kilometers sounds more credible. That’s at an approximately average use of 20,6 kWh. At the fast-charging station, it will take you 31 minutes to get the battery from 10 to 80 percent with a capacity of 200 kW.

Frozen Portimao Blue

A Fiat 500 is like a Pomsky, super cute! A Range Rover is like a Golden retriever, big and friendly. A Ford Mustang Mach 1 is like a bulldog, looks muscular. This BMW i4 M50 is like a greyhound, special and not to everyone’s taste.

When we’re talking about the looks of the BMW i4 M50, we can’t ignore the most bespoke exterior characteristic: the nose! The front reminds me of Cell -first form- from Dragonball Z! Thank me later for that image that will never leave your brain again! The kidneys are just too big and the two different finishes look somewhat strange but you will get used to this new front end, because the lights, the hood and the (other parts of the) aggressive bumper work well!

Moving to the side and things keep getting better! The side view looks so pretty! The combination of the Frozen Portimao Blue, the M-rims, beautifully concealed door handles and simple but impressive lines makes this BMW i4 M50 the car to get above cars like a Tesla Model 3 or Polestar 2. Those 2 cars have got a strange ass, something you can’t say about this i4 M50! That ass is nicely filled like a girl who likes doing her squats! The spoiler is the icing on the cake and if this car would have 2 fat exhausts it would be perfect. It’s a shame, but there’s nothing to do about it.

BMW M IconicSound Electric

The i4 M50 gets the new BMW Curved Display that keeps me with mixed feelings. It’s good that BMW has stepped up the game with the digital dashboard, the old system just couldn’t keep up with the extremely customizable systems Audi and Mercedes are giving. The new one is better equipped to take on the battle and beats the old one in every section! But even though the screen is curved to be “more driver-focused” -that’s a good thing- it loses a lot of “driver focus”! In the BMW iX3, the digital dashboard was for me -the driver- and that gives you the feeling you’re the most important person in the car and not just one of those guys that come along on the trip.

Furthermore, the interior is according to the typical BMW standard. Clean, easy to use, quality and beautifully finished with carbon. A great way cruising around in silence and that’s another thing connecting it to the greyhound. Greyhounds don’t bark a lot! The i4 M50 only “barks” when you want to and you have put it into Sport. Then the strange-sounding “BMW M IconicSound Electric” comes to annoy you.

Conclusion

The BMW i4 M50 isn’t good for what BMW has invented it for! It’s excellent for what BMW has invented it for! The car isn’t a full M-car and you can’t look at him/her like that. You will never hit a track day, but you will hit a school run! The BMW i4 m50 starts at 77.400 euros (BE), but also a typical BMW thing: you can go loco on the options! The color, rims, and interior frame,… all add up to 94.990 euros (BE). Can I justify the price? No. Would I buy the BMW i4 M50 if I was looking for an electric car and could afford it? In an instant! BMW did very well with this one!

Kenny Lelievre

Petrolhead writer

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Mercedes-AMG SL 63 | Quick Spin