What may appear as uncharacteristically latent for the competitive, engineering-forward luxury brand is, unsurprisingly, a mark of diligence: In addition to refining and enhancing the i4 for design and performance, BMW has been conducting dedicated research at a center in Munich for a new, proprietary battery technology and steadfastly engineering a comprehensive kit of parts that will bolster a whole family of electric vehicles that will begin to hit the market in 2025.
What consumers can expect to find in the i4 is a guarantee on the centenarian company’s long-held values: high design, high performance.
The i4 battery has significantly increased energy density than the current i3 model, with a charge that is promised to replenish from 10 to 80 percent in roughly 30 minutes. The strength and endurance of the i4’s heart are matched by its super-smart brain. Powered by the eighth version of iDrive, BMW’s twenty-year infotainment software, i4’s platform boasts advancements in data processing that promises higher performance in the vehicle’s sensors and driver-assist capabilities, and the ability to support Level 2 and Level 3 autonomous driving systems.
As far as the body goes, the i4’s exterior aesthetic has the classic, sleek BMW proportions, including its iconic front grille—here for cosmetic familiarity only, as it has been rendered inoperative thanks to the introduction of an air flap that cools the drive system, battery, brakes, and air conditioning system. The interior finishes are as luxurious as ever, with subtle yet impactful shifts in spatial arrangement from its petrolic predecessors. Running on EV technology, cabin space is no longer occupied by the intrusion of an engine or a large transmission tunnel, meaning the interior has flat floors and generous space for passengers and cargo.
The new i4 has the same sleek proportions as BMW’s other models with more legroom due to its flat floors.
BMW has long described their vehicles as the “ultimate driving machines,” and the assurance of an ultimate driving experience has been considered through every aspect of the i4, including a unique sound portfolio created by composer and curator Hans Zimmer and Renzo Vitale of the BMW Group. While highly technical, electronic vehicles are less mechanical than combustion engine cars, and thus much quieter. The designers at BMW realized the resulting hush lacked a certain emotional appeal for both drivers and passengers, and orchestrated a three-mode aural range that responds directly to every press of the accelerator: the sounds of COMFORT and SPORT modes intensify with speed and situation, while ECO PRO mode decreases, emulating efficiency.
With the largest BMW inventory in the Rocky Mountain region, Schomp BMW will play a huge part in getting the i4 into the hands of Coloradans. The 86,000 square-foot showroom in Highlands Ranch has been serving Coloradans for 50 years and is now ready to help BMW embrace its electric future. “We are very excited to bring the i4 to Colorado next year,” says Mark Osborne General Manager at Schomp BMW of Highlands Ranch. “BMW’s decades of dedication to design, technology, and the driving experience along with their commitment to EV, will immediately position them as a leader in the future of electric vehicles.”
The reception area of Schomp BMW’s Highlands Ranch showroom reminds guests of BMW’s far-reaching legacy with historic images overhead.
Yes, the wait for BMW to fully enter the electric vehicle arena has been long, but for the company’s stalwart fans, the i4’s comprehensive design and technology is worth it, a thorough match for its competitors at Telsa, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Audi, who have worked through various iterations while their models were on the market. BMW has held back and worked hard to reveal something complete, laying the groundwork for a new legacy of future innovation—in other words, a true 0 to 60.
Schomp BMW of Highlands Ranch has been serving the Rocky Mountain region for 53 years and is a proud sponsor of this year’s Denver Design Week. To learn more about Schomp BMW, visit +schompbmw.com.
