It was earlier this year that BMW confirmed that an electric M car would emerge in 2021. With enthusiasts still not quite over the shock - keep calm and remember the M3 Touring, people, it'll be ok - BMW has now released its first vid of what the i4 M noise, thanks to BMW IconicSounds Electric, will be like.
We all know this is a big one, because great M cars have always made a great sound - thanks to some sensational combustion engines. Think of how the S85 V10 howled, the S54 straight six barked and the S62 V8 woofled along; they were integral parts of fantastic performance cars. And there's no way that an electric M car would be signed off, leave alone accepted, without an appropriately stirring soundtrack.
Is that possible with an EV? BMW is hoping so. This video features Renzo Vitale, Creative Sound Director at BMW Group, and Hans Zimmer - yes, that Hans Zimmer - discussing what the M EV will sound like. Having worked together on the Vision M NEXT and Concept i4, the pair are said to have taken "numerous learnings from this creative process" into the new project. There's even a sneak peek at what the car will look like, with prominent - though seemingly not preposterous - kidney grilles and a slender pair of headlights either side of them. Oddly, it doesn't look like an i4 at the moment.
BMW says IconicSounds Electric "enriches electric mobility with a fascinating and unmistakable sonic experience", though precious little of the actual noise itself. Hold on to the end for that. We are promised, however, key differentiators between each drive mode. Eco Pro provides nothing beyond EV silence, Comfort confers an "immersive and pleasant atmosphere" to proceedings and Sport is "more dominant and powerful."
With June a matter of weeks away, 2021 is zipping along, and there won't be long to wait now before experiencing the i4 M in real life. BMW says that the new driving sound will be shared between the standard i4 and the M as well as the iX. Expect to hear more (in every sense) very soon...
1 / 7
