New BMW i4 adds a spark to the range

General Guides  New Launches 

Performance, precision, balance, comfort. All the things you would expect when you lease a BMW coupe, and all the things BMW says the brand new i4 Gran Coupe has to offer. The only thing you shouldn't expect in the BMW i4 is one of those big, straight-six lumps of petrol-infused power you would expect to find lurking beneath a long, swooping bonnet.

The all-electric BMW i4 offers that optimum balance of immense power, precise handling, relaxing comfort and excellent workmanship in battery form. Its pictured undergoing final testing at BMW's Aschheim proving ground .

BMW has pretty much nailed this sector of the premium market with the 3-Series and 4-Series. In terms of electrically powered vehicles, the new BMW i4 is the first in the range to get the full treatment and provide emission-free motoring with BMW driving dynamics.

Fast off the mark

With a maximum output of up to 530bhp, the electric powertrain in the BMW i4 produces some pretty impressive acceleration.

It'll hit 60mph in just four seconds from standstill, and the traditionally Germanic 155mph speed limiter will probably be required to rein it in at the other end. Even more impressive than its sprint capacity is the driving response BMW has squeezed into the new i4. A special damper setup reduces the dipping movements of the body under braking and acceleration, while the BMW developed traction control system maintains grip and straight-line stability at all times – even on slippery road surfaces. This should make catapulting the new BMW i4 at the horizon an experience that is both exciting and reassuring at the same time.

Other developments include improved reactions to every input, not just the accelerator pedal but also the steering and brakes. The high level of agility and precision from what is undeniably a fairly hefty car are anchored in the engineering underlying the BMW i4. The long wheelbase, wide track widths, large wheels, and the low centre of gravity and even weight distribution are designed to make the car as agile and responsive as possible. In addition to its solid chassis and powerful brakes, the steering in the new BMW i4 is a major contributing factor to the driving experience, offering the driver precise feedback even during intensive acceleration or deceleration.

Lane changes at high speeds are crisp, while relaxed driving over long distances is aided by the speed-related power steering that lets you sit back and waft along in comfort. The design and tuning of the suspension and damping systems consistently ensure optimum road contact, at the same time as ironing out all the lumps and bumps. Add the silence of the electric drive and the BMW i4 should make you feel like you're floating effortlessly down the road, albeit at great speed.

“For the first time, we've developed a BMW with sporty DNA for purely electric driving entirely from scratch,” explains project manager David Alfredo Ferrufino Camacho . “The BMW i4 offers everything BMW stands for – and it's fully electric, too.”

Driving range of 370 miles

The purely electrically powered BMW i4 Gran Coupé is also perfectly suited for day-to-day use. Fitted with a high-voltage storage system featuring the latest battery cell technology that enables a range of up to 370 miles means it's ideal for emission-free commuting as well as long distance journeys.

The new BMW i4 is still in the final stages of calibration and testing at the moment but the Munich factory is already being tooled up ready for production to commence as soon as the last bit of paperwork is signed off.

If 2021 is the year you decide to lease electric and you fancy making an impression with the neighbours then the new BMW i4 might be arriving just in time.

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