BMW M Unveils an i4 Transformed into a High-Performance Prototype

This somewhat special BMW is not intended for commercial sale. It was created to test a four-motor electric architecture.

Motorsport, BMW’s division responsible for the brand’s sports cars, has just unveiled a new fully electric prototype. It features four motors, coordinated by a central control unit. This unit calculates the optimal power level based on several parameters (speed, steering angle, etc.).

Each motor is connected to a specific wheel. According to BMW, this ensures a very fine distribution of torque and thus enhances agility in corners. The German manufacturer even describes it as offering a level of dynamism “impossible to achieve with conventional drivetrain systems”.

A Foundation of the i4 M50

BMW M engineers started with a BMW i4 M50 base to create this prototype. Visually, the car is initially recognizable by its camouflage, but a keen eye will notice other small details, such as the widened wheel arches. Inside, BMW installed measurement devices to collect data and compare it to computer simulations.

BMW M Confident About the Future

The BMW Motorsport division unveils this electric prototype in the year of its 50th anniversary. Through it, they wish to demonstrate that they are approaching the shift to electrification with confidence and ambition. Dirk Häcker, BMW M’s development director, believes that ongoing changes open new prospects for his teams. This enthusiastic stance is also (and mainly?) driven by current constraints. Continuing on a purely combustion engine path would essentially mean signing their death warrant, especially in Europe. Mercedes-AMG, which can be considered BMW M’s most obvious rival, is also pursuing a strategy of electrifying its vehicles.

The next major unveiling from BMW M will not be electric but plug-in hybrid. It will be the large SUV XM, which will deliver 680 hp from its V8 engine combined with an electric motor.

Read also: Mercedes Vision AMG: The Beginning of a New Electric Era for AMG