The Tour Auto welcomes electric cars for the first time

The Tour Auto caravan welcomes new participants this year. Rest assured, they will not steal the spotlight from the race cars.

Recognized as one of the most prestigious events in historic motorsport, the Tour Auto celebrates its rich heritage this year while looking to the future. Since its inception, it has exclusively hosted vehicles that participated in the Tour de France Automobile between 1951 and 1973. The 2025 edition marks a symbolic milestone by including electric models from BMW. Rest assured, the goal is not to initiate a debate about the future of traditional competitions. The Tour Auto simply adds a touch of unexpected modernity thanks to its loyal automotive partner, which provides the support vehicles for the 15th consecutive year.

From April 7 to 12, French roads will be traveled by nearly 240 vintage cars, from Paris to Nice, via Dijon, Mulhouse, Clermont-Ferrand, and Villeneuve-lès-Avignon. Spectators, accustomed to the roar and growl of engines from the past, might be somewhat surprised when they see an BMW i4 M50 xDrive pass by. With 544 horsepower and a rapid acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, this ultra-high-performance electric sedan is sure to impress… in an almost surreal silence.

Sporting and Peaceful Coexistence

If purists may frown at the idea of electric models sharing the stage with mechanical jewels of the past, it’s hard to deny that this touch of modernity breathes new life into the event. In addition to the i4, the logistical fleet will also include the BMW M5 Touring Hybrid, combining a V8 engine with an electric motor for a total of 727 horsepower, proving that performance and electrification are not mutually exclusive.

Spectators, meanwhile, will need to stay alert. Used to anticipating the arrival of racing cars by the sound of their engines, they might be caught off guard by these BMWs moving with an almost disconcerting discretion. A challenge for roadside photographers, who will not have the usual “audible alert” to quickly grab their cameras.

This 2025 edition of the Tour Auto thus illustrates a beautiful transition: while competing cars celebrate the heritage of motorsport, BMW proves that the future can also be written with style… and in a silence that speaks volumes.

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