BMW presents the Concept i4

MANILA: A new pure-electric Gran Coupe has taken shape at BMW. It boasts of zero emissions and will be the brand’s first all-electric model in the premium midsize class when it enters production in 2021. It’s called the Concept i4.

“The BMW Concept i4 brings electrification to the core of the BMW brand. The design is dynamic, clean and elegant. In short: a perfect BMW that happens to be zero emission,” says Adrian van Hooydonk, senior vice president BMW Group Design.

The Concept i4 is a four-door with a long wheelbase, fastback roofline, short overhangs, and comes painted in Frozen Light Copper. Blue elements in the front end, flanks, and rear indicate it is an i model. The blanked off kidney grille and clear aero lips provide detail examples of sophisticated airflow engineering at work, while the wheels have been designed exclusively for the BMW Concept i4 and blend aerodynamic and lightweight design.

The rear of the BMW Concept i4 sits low over the road and cuts a broad, horizontally emphasized figure highlighted by long, slim L-shaped rear lights. Below the rear lights, the inward-angled surfaces form aerodynamics-enhancing lips and incorporate vertical air outlets. In the place of exhaust tailpipes are diffuser elements in BMW i Blue indicate the presence of a pure-electric drive system and reference the design of the BMW i Vision Dynamics.

Inside, it showcases its self-driving capability while also being driver-focused. The new BMW Curved Display teams up with the steering wheel to reveal a new take on driver orientation and offers a look ahead to the display in the production versions of the BMW iNEXT and BMW i4. The information display and Control Display merge into a single unit inclined towards the driver. This screen grouping optimizes presentation of information and makes the display’s touch operation more intuitive. Advanced display tech with non-reflective glass also removes the need for a shroud to shade the displays and therefore contributes to an extremely uncluttered and airy cockpit. The BMW Curved Display encompasses a large proportion of the section in front of the driver and above the center stack, and gives the front area a very modern appearance. Its slim, borderless form exudes quality and sophistication. Almost all operating functions are integrated into the display as part of an overall approach centered on reducing the number of haptic controls to the minimum. Even the climate control system now works by touch control.

The central control panel replaces a traditional gear lever with a toggle-type shifter. Elements such as the iDrive Controller and seat memory buttons in the doors are finished in a classy crystal glass. The cloth/leather combination for the seats – composed of microfiber with line graphics and natural leather tanned using olive leaf – sets a high-quality and sustainable seal on the interior. The overall result is a clearly structured, bright and airy cabin which brings across the tranquility and authority of electric drive systems.

Three different Experience Modes enable users to explore the various facets of the electric drive system and provide a look ahead – in terms of visuals at least – to the next-generation operating system from 2021. The sometimes emphasized visual differentiation between the three Experience Modes (“Core”, “Sport” and “Efficient”) spans everything from how the user experiences the display and graphics to how the interior is presented. Ambient lighting in the dashboard, doors and (indirectly) below the display indicate the technical adjustments taking place.

The sound of the Concept i4 was developed under the brand name of BMW IconicSounds Electric by world renowned composer Hans Zimmer together with BMW Sound Designer Renzo Vitale. BMW IconicSounds Electric aims to emotionalize BMW's electric vehicles and make them audible using individual sound worlds.

“The design of the BMW Concept i4 shows fantastic proportions, a powerfully expressive character and, of course, a lot of attention to detail. With the BMW Curved Display, we have redefined BMW’s signature driver focus in an extremely elegant way. At the same time, the BMW Concept i4 transports a feeling of sustainable driving pleasure,” adds Domagoj Dukec, head of BMW design.

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