BMW i4 eDrive35 M Sport

Following its global debut in 2024 (April), BMW’s first electric Gran Coupe, upgraded and launched in Malaysia, the new i4 eDrive35 M Sport.

A Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), the G26-generation saloon (fastback) underpins the fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology.

The pre-update i4 was offered in eDrive35, eDrive35 M Sport, eDrive40 M Sport and M50 guises. This is the mid-range’s Life-Cycle Impulse (LCI – facelift).

Fully imported (CBU – Germany), the i4 eDrive35 M Sport variant is available via BMW Group Malaysia at MYR 294,800 (two years standard warranty, eight years/160,000 KM EV battery warranty). 

Price (OTR, w/o insurance) with BMW Service Inclusive (BSI – MYR 315,600: five years, unlimited mileage – six years, unlimited mileage service package).

Exterior colours (Cape York Green, Fire Red, Alpine White, Mineral White, Black Sapphire, M Portimao Blue, M Brooklyn Grey). 

The new i4 eDrive35 M Sport has a modern, clean-cut and tiered dashboard design, linked to a low-rising centre console (rotary gear selector).

Soft-/hard-touched (dash, steering wheel, centre console, doors), it sees M Sport PerformTex upholstery in a single-tone (Black) colour scheme with contrast trimmings (Aluminium ‘Rhombicle’ Anthracite M).

Centre-staged is the BMW Curved Display (one-piece – instrument cluster, infotainment), lit air-conditioning vents and an ambient light system (six colours).

Inclusively, the layout is ergonomically arranged with accessibilities within easy reachability (driver-centric, passenger-oriented).

Making up the BMW Curved Display, installed is a 12.3-Inch LCD fully digital driver display (instrument cluster) with a BMW Heads-Up Display (HUD – augmented view).

The setup runs on the latest BMW Operating System 8.5 (BMW OS 8.5) and supports the BMW Live Cockpit Professional (BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant – voice recognition, command, gesture).

Comfortably plush, the interior sees M Sport PerformTex (fabric – eco-friendly) upholstery in a single-tone (Black) colour scheme with contrast M piping (Red, Blue).

The front gets electric-powered (multi-way, backrest width-adjust, driver-memory) M Sport seats. The rear gets a manual-operated (40:20:40 split-fold) bolstered bench.

Included are armrests (front – centre console, rear – centre seat fold-out), a headliner (M Anthracite) and an ambient light system (six colours).

The five-seater offers generous cabin space, providing ample interior mobility for the occupants (front, rear). 

Sufficient head, shoulder and leg rooms.

Mounted is a three-spoke-flat-bottom M Sport steering wheel, wrapped in leather (Black) with contrast trimming (Aluminium) and M emblem (bottom spoke).

Features are multi-function (media, Bluetooth, voice recognition, vehicle settings) and column adjustments (tilt, telescopic). 

Drive is aided by an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system.

Practical storage areas. E.g., Storage Compartment Package (side door/seat back/armrest pockets, partitioned/caverned/under-stowage centre console spaces, glovebox).

Provided are four cup holders (two – front, rear) and four bottle holders (one – side doors).

Equipped are four USB ports (two – front, rear), one 12 V socket (front) and one wireless charger (centre console).

Accessing its electric-powered (contactless – kick sensor, remote/key fob, button) tailgate, opens to 470-Litres (rear seats up) and 1,290-Litres (rear seats down) of load capacities.

Weighing in at 2,075 KG, the new i4 eDrive35 M Sport measures at 4,783 MM long, 2,073 MM wide, 1,448 MM tall and has a wheelbase spanning 2,856 MM.

Sportily aerodynamic, its exterior parades an aggressively-prowling-like stance, emphasised by sharply- and cleanly-cut contours.

The front-end sees a mildly dipped bonnet, angular quarter panels and a highly sculpted bumper (BMW kidney grille – Diamond inlay, lower air intakes – three-part).

Accentuations, body trimmings (Black – side mirror arms, window surrounds), M Sport package (bumper, side sills) and M High-Gloss Shadowline package (Black – grille, air intakes, side intakes/sills).

Athletically tapered, it continues the solidly planted profile, emphasised by angularly smooth and sharply rounded surfaces.

The rear-end sees a fastback roofline, an upright-pointed tailgate (spoiler-deleted, BMW emblem) and a highly sculpted bumper (diffuser, exhaust-deleted).

Accentuations, body trimmings (Black – bumper, window surrounds), M Sport package (bumper, diffuser, side sills) and M High-Gloss Shadowline package (Black – diffuser, side sills).

Sleek and sharp, the headlamps are housed inward-tilted with round-pointed edges. Installed are full adaptive LED units.

Features are automatic On/Off, vertical-L-shaped Daytime Running Lights (DRL – LED), High-Beam Assistant (HBA), BMW Selective Beam technology, cornering/welcome lights and sequential turn signals (LED).

Slim and sharp, the tail lamps are housed angularly rounded and wrapped-around with round-pointed edges. Installed are full LED units.

Features are new light graphics (BMW Laser light technology), automatic On/Off, welcome lights and sequential turn signals (LED).

The side mirrors (dual-tone – Black-body-colour) are electric-powered (auto-fold, adjust) with the Exterior Mirror package (automatic anti-dazzle, automatic dipping), blind-spot indicators (Blind Spot Monitor - BSM) and turn signals (LED).

Fitted are ventilated (front, rear) disc brakes. 

Aiding the setup is an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold system and brake energy recuperation system.

Gripping the tarmac is a set of 19-Inch M Aerodynamic 996 M bicolour light-alloy rims, wrapped in 245/40 R19 (front) and 255/40 R19 (rear) Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres.

The new i4 eDrive35 M Sport features the following sets of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

Under Driving Assistant, grouped are Active Cruise Control with Stop/Go, Lane Departure Warning with Lane Return, Lane Change Warning, Front Collision Warning with Brake Intervention, Rear Crossing Traffic Warning, Rear Collision Prevention, and Speed Limit Info.

Under Parking Assistant Plus, grouped are Park Assist, Active Park Distance Control, Reversing Assistant, Reversing Assist Camera, Lateral Parking Aid, and Surround View system (remote 3D view - 360-degree).

Other systems. Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brake-Force Distribution (EBD), Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Blind Spot Monitor (BSM), and Hill-Start Assist (HSA).

Passive safety includes six airbags (driver-passenger, front sides, front-rear curtains), seat belts (anchors, pretensioners, reminders), ISOFIX (two – outer-rear-seat), adaptive headlamps, High-Beam Assistant (HBA), parking sensors (six – front, rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), automatic anti-dazzle rear-view mirrors (interior/exterior), side mirrors (automatic dipping, BSM), acoustic protection for pedestrians (exterior loudspeaker), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), door ajar warning, automatic-door locks (speed-sensing, central-locking), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent) and anti-theft system (security alarm, immobiliser).

Three drive modes at the driver’s disposal (SPORT, COMFORT, ECO PRO). 

Each mode correlates with the BMW Iconic Sounds Electric, featuring driving sounds composed by Hans Zimmer.

Completing the BMW Curved Display, installed is a 14.9-Inch touchscreen central display (infotainment). 

The setup runs on the latest BMW Operating System 8.5 (BMW OS 8.5) and supports the BMW Live Cockpit Professional (BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant – voice recognition, command, gesture), BMW Connected Package Professional (Apple CarPlay, Android Auto), BMW ConnectedDrive Services (intelligent emergency call, teleservices), Bluetooth and navigation.

Entertainment is channelled via a HiFi loudspeaker system (10 speakers).

The new i4 eDrive35 M Sport underpins a fully electrified powertrain (BEV).

Underpinned is the fifth-generation BMW eDrive technology, featuring a single-electric-motor setup (rear-mounted), generating 210 KW (286 HP) and 400 NM.

Fitted is a single-ratio automatic transmission.

Power is sent to the rear wheels, via a Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) system.

0 to 100 KM/H acceleration is done in 6.0 seconds, and the top speed is 190 KM/H.

Juicing-up the e-motor is a Lithium-Ion (Nickel Manganese Cobalt – NMC) battery (70.3 KWH), enabling a driving range (WLTP) of 500 KM on a full charge.

AC charging (Type-2 – 11 KW) takes 7.0 hours for a 0% to 100% State-of-Charge (SoC). DC charging (CSS2 - 180 KW) takes 32 minutes for a 10% to 80% SoC.

Included is a flexible charger (Mode 2).

The new i4 eDrive35 M Sport features these conveniences.

E.g., Comfort Access system (keyless entry, engine Start/Stop button, powered-tailgate: contactless – kick sensor, remote/key fob, button), adaptive headlamps, High-Beam Assistant (HBA), parking sensors (six – front, rear), parking cameras (reverse, 360-degree), automatic anti-dazzle rear-view mirrors (interior/exterior), side mirrors (automatic dipping, BSM), acoustic protection for pedestrians (exterior loudspeaker), Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), door ajar warning, automatic-door locks (speed-sensing, central-locking), automatic wipers (rain-sensing, intermittent), three-zone automatic climate control (rear-vents, rear-controls), steering wheels (multi-function, column adjustments, EPS), electric-powered (multi-way, backrest width-adjust, driver-memory) M Sport seats, armrests (front – centre console, rear – centre seat fold-out), BMW Live Cockpit Professional (BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant – voice recognition, command, gesture), wireless charger, interior lighting (LED – map, floor, welcome, ambient, boot) and an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) with Auto Brake Hold system.

Installed is a three-zone automatic climate control (rear-vents, rear-controls).

Propping-up the e-platform is a setup of M Sport suspension (MacPherson strut – front, multi-link – rear).

Overall, it is solid and comfortable with a luxurious ride quality, refined and agile handling, and an electrifyingly smooth power delivery.

Good sound insulation, with all the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) aspects of the build accounted for. 

The cabin is able to suppress wind, road and tyre noises well, making them barely noticeable at all speeds.

The new BMW i4 eDrive35 M Sport is an electrifying daily driver, enveloped by a luxuriously sporty appeal that commands a presence like no other.

Harbouring a formidable dynamic powertrain, the fifth-gen BMW eDrive technology, it offers an all-electric driving experience only a BMW is able to.

Athletically striking, its exterior is well designed with the angular proportions and powerful contours, donating to a strong and solid build.

Quality of the materials installed inside and outside, impresses with the upscale, mature design and restrained detailing.

Ultimately, the new i4 eDrive35 M Sport is just a strong character, a great saloon that offers an elegantly edgy outlook, sporty electric performance and practicality all in one.