[J78]

I was thinking that most people will trade in a current vehicle for the the i4. Ie few people will buy an i4 as a second or weekend car.

so why not list a top 3 miss and gain from your current ride to the configuration of i4 you chose? Here’s mine from a ‘11 640d f13 coupe that will find a new owner soon.

Top 3 misses:

• Bang & Olufsen sound system. On i4 opted for the HK, which is the higher available. I have the HK system in the x3 g01 which would be somewhat similar to the i4’s and it’s miles away on clarity of sound, specially mids and highs - I love hearing music on good systems to be able to distinguish every instruments. A note that I find these € 5 or 6 k car sound system very very expensive. Volvo for example has excelent reviews on B&W systems on XC90 that cost around €3k.
• soft close doors - This would be something I would add if it was available on the i4. You never worry about the strength to apply (too little and not closing or too much and very loud sound). Not a big deal though, I perfectly adapt when driving the x3 g01, with ocasional retries.
• rear axel steering. This is very handy to maneuver in parking. Much easier to park and reverse on streets than the x3. Don’t go fast enough to take advantage on high speeds.

Top 3 gains:

• 4 doors for me moving from a 2 door coupe is one of the main reasons to change car now, as I have a second son (7 months and older is 6 years) and its just impossible to put a rear facing trolley chair. We end up never using the car on weekends and only go with the x3.
• EV performance. Current has 313hp and its very quick. But the 544 and AWD of the i4 would be another level. I test drove a Tesla m3p and expect to be similar, but with more Bmw engagement. Also curious to understand oversteer behavior on the i4.
• ride comfort. I’ll be departing from 20” wheels that even with complete adaptive drive and adaptive dampers on comfort+ are very hard on city pavements. On i4 I opted for the standard 18” 858, the main reason to get back some ride comfort.

these are my main points. Curious to hear about yours.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

Great idea!

Top 3 misses:

• 700 - 800 km of real life driving range and easy refueling. I am still quite anxious how this EV thing will work out.
• Manual transmission. Yeah like "You will have to pry the gear stick from cold dying hands".
• Red paint. I got each and every of my cars in bright red. Looking over a range of cars in a parking lot and often seeing mine as the only full size sedan with a flamboyant color never failed to put a smile on my face. Where I live most sedans are black, grey, white or blue. But my current Melbourne Red is not available for the i4 and the red offered looks to dark. So I went with Sunset Orange.

Top 3 gains:

• An EV which is something new and exciting for me
• HUD. First time I tried one during the test drives. It felt so right that it could be another level of comfort for me during driving.
• Trailer Hitch. I was really missing that one on my current car(s) lately, mostly for carrying bikes.

 

[Hans]

Top misses:

1. Ease of mind, as there will allways be a petrol station on the horizon.
2. Ease of mind, as it never takes long to fill her up.
3. Some of my favorite holiday destinations may not be reachable.
4. Some of my favorite road trips into the mountains may not be possible.
5. Sound of a petrol engine (not sure if I will miss the sound of the turbo charged engines though).
6. High purchase price.

Top gains:

1. Embracing the future.
2. Totally new (driving) experience (first real change since a long time).
3. Performance level.
4. Low operational costs.
5. Design (compared to my 3 Touring)
6. I get to take the MX-5 on holidays more often.

 

[Inside]

Great idea for a thread! I have already sold my Audi A4 B8 from 2008 and now just waiting for the i4 M50 to arrive.

Top 3 misses:

• Climate leather seats with cooling function. I know this could be chosen for the i4 as well, but it would simply be too expensive for me. So had to leave this one out.
• Ground clearance. My A4 was lowered 30-40mm, and I think the visual appearance of the M50 height will be higher.
• Right now I miss the Audi sound system, but the car was old, and the system was only the 2nd highest you could choose. So once in the BMW, I'm sure that the HK speakers will blow away the old system

Top 3 gains:

• Going from 220 HK to 540 HK and away from ICE will be a true eye opener. I have still never tried to drive a EV, and I still plan that my own M50 should be the first time I try one
• All the new tech stuff that has been added to newer cars. I cant wait to try the 360 degree parking, the HUD, the iDrive 8 etc.
• Being able to park FREE in Copenhagen as this is a EV and not a ICE car. This is true for all EVs, so not a specific gain from chosen the i4. So the 3rd spot will go to the new interior with ambient light. Its going to be awesome when cruising around the late hours of the day and just enjoying the great looks of the new interior.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

Top 3 misses:

• Right now I miss the Audi sound system, but the car was old, and the system was only the 2nd highest you could choose. So once in the BMW, I'm sure that the HK speakers will blow away the old system

I had an Audi A4 2012 with the Audi Sound System. In my book even the normal HiFi speakers in my current BMW are better. I'd say, with the HK speakers, you won't miss the Audi.

 

[mickiii]

Agreed, great idea!

Top 3 cons:

• Easy refuelling for sure. Range anxiety is definitely a thing.
• A bit more presence on the road. Had the old F36 GC and always thought to myself that it is not as “cool” as the F32 coupe, whenever I saw one. I think it will be the same with the G36 vs. G32.
• The sound of a proper engine. I am sure I’ll get used to EV sound, but from the videos I have heard so far, it is quite bad in the I4 IMO. Taycan sounds cool though, so hopefully BMW will update the sound OTA.

Top 3 pros:

• An EV! The gadget factor alone is getting me all exited and I also believe it will be top tier competitor to the likes of even Taycan 4S’s and Etron GT’s, but in a slightly more practical package.
• A BMW with everything crossed on the extra’s list. Car taxes in Denmark are up towards 150% plus VAT 25%, so a M50 with all bells and whistles could easily hit or exceed 1.3 mill DKK @ 200K EUR, but because of government incentives for EV’s, a fully loaded M50 is “only” around 750K DKK @ 100K EUR . I’ve had many BMW’s thoughout the years, currently a G21 330i, and always had to prioritise extras, but this time, I do not have to.
• 544 hp! The fastest car I have ever owned was a E89 Z4 35i which was round 306 hp, but an I4 with more than 500 hp and the instant torque from an EV is, to me at least, out of this world!

 

[Inside]

I had an Audi A4 2012 with the Audi Sound System. In my book even the normal HiFi speakers in my current BMW are better. I'd say, with the HK speakers, you won't miss the Audi.

This makes me really happy to hear! The old system did have a dedicated sub at the trunk, which gave the needed depth. But you could easily hear distortion at higher volumes, even when playing lossless from a iPod through the Audi Music Interface. With the HK system in the i4 also having sub in the trunk, and mid range at the door, I cant wait to experience it myself.

And if you find the Hi-Fi system to be better than the Audi system, well then it sounds very promising!

 

[Vincent]

I'll be switching from a 2014 435i Gran Coupe with an automatic to an i4 M50, so a lot will remain the same. The size and agility of the car, the practicality of a liftback, slightly better HK system.

Still:

Top 3 misses:

1. Engine sound - even my 7-year old keeps repeating he'll miss the sounds of the inline 6.
2. Carbon black - I love that colour, it's special without being too in yer face. I doesn't stand out in a parking lot though. ;-)
3. Range anxiety maybe? I really don't know.

Top 3 gains:

1. EV power - from 306 to 544 hp is super nice!
2. AWD - maybe I won't need to those winter tyres...
3. iDrive 8 - looks really nice and up-to-date. Can't wait to switch from Bluetooth streaming to built-in Spotify support. Should improve the sound quality too.

Other than that I am excited for the EV experience, range anxiety and all. This is the future, better embrace it now than be dragged kicking and screaming into it.

 

[RobertL93]

Coming from a G20 330e there is a not much difference from the i4 M50 exept a fiew things.

Cons:

• Weight. The i4 is around 450kg heavier than the rwd G20 330e. This might be something to be aware about in winter time and sporty driving.
• Design. To me, the G20 is alot more pleasant to look at. The lines, lights and general shape looks better, imo.
• Engine. The B48 is not the best sounding engine, but the way it goes thru the gears is nice to listen to. Its also alot less complicated to refill it.

Pros:

• xDrive. This system will make driving on snow alot easier. Also, no wheelspin during acceleration is nice.
• Inside space. The trunk in the g20 is way too small for me, because of the battery placement. The g26 has a perfect shape and is usable for most stuff.
• Electic powertrain. With about 250hp and almost 400nm more, the i4 will be the faster car. It will also be cheaper to drive. Not only with fuel prices, but also maintenance.

 

[Sportfinn]

• soft close doors - This would be something I would add if it was available on the i4. You never worry about the strength to apply (too little and not closing or too much and very loud sound). Not a big deal though, I perfectly adapt when driving the x3 g01, with ocasional retries.

Didn’t realise that I4 is missing this. I have had this now in all my BMWs for last 14 years, and I have liked it a lot..

 

[Inception]

Good thread!
For me;

Pros

• Great performance
• Great design, doesn't look like an EV.
• Great high-quality interior
• Seats with actual side support in an EV, no more getting shoved into the window if you're trying to be sporty
• xDrive and very good traction control
• No taxes (at least 35% cheaper than a comparable ICE)
• Fair price
• Getting robbed less by the city, driving through toll stations and parking
• Gonna save me so much money on diesel

Cons

• The whole design of the car makes it impossible to work on yourself, and also for independent garages. Everything is electronic, for good and for bad.
• Sounds like ----
• ICE cars have been perfected over the years, EVs still are in development, so it might be worth a lot less, or something a lot better will come in a couple of years.
• It's extremely heavy, I like light cars..
• Really would have wanted a premium sound system, as I'm an audiophile. The B&W system in the X5M was soo good.
• +1 on the rear axle steering. It might not have as long wheel base as many other premium EVs, but turning circle is maybe the weakest point of my 5-series today. Assume it will be more of the same with this.

Edit Mod: Bad language

 

[poterico2]

I'll be switching from a 2014 435i Gran Coupe with an automatic to an i4 M50, so a lot will remain the same. The size and agility of the car, the practicality of a liftback, slightly better HK system.

Still:

Top 3 misses:

1. Engine sound - even my 7-year old keeps repeating he'll miss the sounds of the inline 6.
2. Carbon black - I love that colour, it's special without being too in yer face. I doesn't stand out in a parking lot though. ;-)
3. Range anxiety maybe? I really don't know.

Top 3 gains:

1. EV power - from 306 to 544 hp is super nice!
2. AWD - maybe I won't need to those winter tyres...
3. iDrive 8 - looks really nice and up-to-date. Can't wait to switch from Bluetooth streaming to built-in Spotify support. Should improve the sound quality too.

Other than that I am excited for the EV experience, range anxiety and all. This is the future, better embrace it now than be dragged kicking and screaming into it.

For the M50 (which I will be getting), there will be engine noise created by Hans Zimmer. I don't know if it will compensate for real engine noise, and I expect will only be heard inside the cabin. Here's a YouTube video of a launch control to max speed run you can watch..

 

[J78]

This makes me really happy to hear! The old system did have a dedicated sub at the trunk, which gave the needed depth. But you could easily hear distortion at higher volumes, even when playing lossless from a iPod through the Audi Music Interface. With the HK system in the i4 also having sub in the trunk, and mid range at the door, I cant wait to experience it myself.

And if you find the Hi-Fi system to be better than the Audi system, well then it sounds very promising!

I may add that I had a ‘17 a4 avant with bang&olufsen 3D sound system and I find the x3 g01 HK sound system better overall than Audi’s B&O. More clear sound.

I also test drove recently Audi Etron with Audi Sound System and it’s far away from x3 HK. Audi SS lack clarity and also lack bass, clearly a couple of notches down compared with X3 HK.

so my assumption would be for the i4 HK to easily beat the Audi SS at all levels.

the 6 series B&O is on another level. Like current B&W but it’s in €5~6k price range so not very comparable.

 

[J78]

Didn’t realise that I4 is missing this. I have had this now in all my BMWs for last 14 years, and I have liked it a lot..

Most probably you’ve been on 5 series or better. Soft close in F and G series is available on 5 series and x5 series and upper models. Much like the premium B&O/B&W sound systems, electrical adjustment steering column, rear axel steering, night vision and comfort / massage seats ( maybe some others alike)

 

[Hansn]

What i will miss the most going from a G30 530e.

-Comfort seats
-Electric steering column with memory.
-Ventilated seats (use it alot, but im not sure if i need it. It felt to expensive as a single feature on the i4 compared to what i paid for it with the comfort seats in the G30.)
-Being able to refuel quickly.. (We have a very good charging network in my country, but somethimes especially after ordering a full EV i came to think about it every time i'm driving home from long work trips etc, how little time and effort i actually spend fueling when i just want to get home. It will be a change, i will still be driving a diesel company car so thats no problem. But im not confident about driving from Norway to Germany without it being a very different experience.. 😄 I am still considering if i should go on a trip to the alps when the car arrives or not due to the charging "unknowns".. )


Good things about going for an i4

-It will be cheaper to run, will save somewhere between 50 and 100€ /month from toll roads. And probably more in fuel costs.
-More power, will be interesting comming from a long line of 2l cars, only my most recent car the 530e had more power due to the electric motor. Higher power ice cars has been taxed out of reach in my country forever.
-Finally a GREEN non individual color from BMW, i wanted to buy a green car for 7-8 years but havent been able to spec it the last 2 times due to lack of options.. Comming from a Bluestone Metallic. Really looking forward to seeing it in person soon..
-Driving assistant pro. Did not spec this on the G30 and regretted it, looking forward to try it out. Got my hopes up for the queue / slow traffic assistant system working well.


Going from a Bmw to a different Bmw this is what i can come up with from the top of my head. Will be interesting to see how idrive8 works aswell. But mostly i got the same options on the I4 that i currently have on the G30.

-

 

[lnaukkar]

Coming from a 530e

i4 Pros

• Electric powertrain without delays. I mean 530e is sort of ok as long as you keep it in sport mode, but it's never great. And when not in sport mode all that "let me fire up the gas engine" and I'm waiting for something to happen.
• More power, always nice to have more.
• Hopefully better and more engaging handling.
• Looks way better.
• Cheap to buy, cheap to run .. due to local taxes.
• For day-to-day driving, always full battery, never any hassle with gas stations.
• More practical trunk

i4 Cons

• Weight. I mean 530e drives a slug in the corners, although it is a comfortable slug. Too much body roll and slow to change direction. Yet, i4 is 400 kg more.
• No electric steering column adjustment, this sucks.
• Will lose comfort seats .. well, they suit that car, but for i4 I dont mind something that keeps you better in place, if you know what I mean.
• Long trips, the hassle with charging.
• Less backseat space

 

[seemebreakthis]

ride comfort. I’ll be departing from 20” wheels that even with complete adaptive drive and adaptive dampers on comfort+ are very hard on city pavements. On i4 I opted for the standard 18” 858, the main reason to get back some ride comfort.

My current car is a E90 BMW 325i. Since placing my deposit on the M50, I have been taking advantage of my position as a "to-be new BMW owner" and they happily let me test drive a couple of new models (a 235 and a 340 if I remember correctly). What I found a bit surprising is that while the 235 has retained the "fun factor" of my E90 in terms of handling, the 340 feels more "luxurious" to drive at a cost of being less nimble. Much less in fact.

And I have been thinking of the wheels to get for my M50. I am opting for the 20" wheels to see if I can get more of that cornering performance like I have with my E90. Also videos like this

seem to show there shouldn't be too big of a hit in terms of comfort...?

And I believe the 20" tires will be wider so it offers more grip? No idea how that translates into comfort though.

Last but not least, 20" looks more aesthetically pleasing to me ... haven't made my final decision yet, so please if anyone can give me some advice I'd really appreciate it. I basically want good handling without sacrificing too much comfort.

 

[J78]

What i will miss the most going from a G30 530e.

-Comfort seats
-Electric steering column with memory.
-Ventilated seats (use it alot, but im not sure if i need it. It felt to expensive as a single feature on the i4 compared to what i paid for it with the comfort seats in the G30.)
-Being able to refuel quickly.. (We have a very good charging network in my country, but somethimes especially after ordering a full EV i came to think about it every time i'm driving home from long work trips etc, how little time and effort i actually spend fueling when i just want to get home. It will be a change, i will still be driving a diesel company car so thats no problem. But im not confident about driving from Norway to Germany without it being a very different experience.. 😄 I am still considering if i should go on a trip to the alps when the car arrives or not due to the charging "unknowns".. )


Good things about going for an i4

-It will be cheaper to run, will save somewhere between 50 and 100€ /month from toll roads. And probably more in fuel costs.
-More power, will be interesting comming from a long line of 2l cars, only my most recent car the 530e had more power due to the electric motor. Higher power ice cars has been taxed out of reach in my country forever.
-Finally a GREEN non individual color from BMW, i wanted to buy a green car for 7-8 years but havent been able to spec it the last 2 times due to lack of options.. Comming from a Bluestone Metallic. Really looking forward to seeing it in person soon..
-Driving assistant pro. Did not spec this on the G30 and regretted it, looking forward to try it out. Got my hopes up for the queue / slow traffic assistant system working well.


Going from a Bmw to a different Bmw this is what i can come up with from the top of my head. Will be interesting to see how idrive8 works aswell. But mostly i got the same options on the I4 that i currently have on the G30.

-

Totally agree that seat options are not comfort oriented on the i4.

This is a general problem with 3/4 series and up to x3/x4 and only available on 5 series/x5 upwards.

Also the electric steering column would be nice specially the automatic upward position when turning off to easy of the entry/ exit.

I opted for the m sport seats (coming from 6 series f13 sport seats and x3 g01 sport seats), let’s see how they turn out.

It’s a pity they don’t offer ventilation option and you have to opt for the basic non sport seats if you want to have it.

 

[J78]

Coming from a 530e

i4 Pros

• Electric powertrain without delays. I mean 530e is sort of ok as long as you keep it in sport mode, but it's never great. And when not in sport mode all that "let me fire up the gas engine" and I'm waiting for something to happen.
• More power, always nice to have more.
• Hopefully better and more engaging handling.
• Looks way better.
• Cheap to buy, cheap to run .. due to local taxes.
• For day-to-day driving, always full battery, never any hassle with gas stations.
• More practical trunk

i4 Cons

• Weight. I mean 530e drives a slug in the corners, although it is a comfortable slug. Too much body roll and slow to change direction. Yet, i4 is 400 kg more.
• No electric steering column adjustment, this sucks.
• Will lose comfort seats .. well, they suit that car, but for i4 I dont mind something that keeps you better in place, if you know what I mean.
• Long trips, the hassle with charging.
• Less backseat space

agree with all, specially the limitation of options of seats in i4.

i was also considering a 530e last year before i4 came up. Glad I waited a little more (and still have to wait a bit more…)

 

[J78]

My current car is a E90 BMW 325i. Since placing my deposit on the M50, I have been taking advantage of my position as a "to-be new BMW owner" and they happily let me test drive a couple of new models (a 235 and a 340 if I remember correctly). What I found a bit surprising is that while the 235 has retained the "fun factor" of my E90 in terms of handling, the 340 feels more "luxurious" to drive at a cost of being less nimble. Much less in fact.

And I have been thinking of the wheels to get for my M50. I am opting for the 20" wheels to see if I can get more of that cornering performance like I have with my E90. Also videos like this

seem to show there shouldn't be too big of a hit in terms of comfort...?

And I believe the 20" tires will be wider so it offers more grip? No idea how that translates into comfort though.

Last but not least, 20" looks more aesthetically pleasing to me ... haven't made my final decision yet, so please if anyone can give me some advice I'd really appreciate it. I basically want good handling without sacrificing too much comfort.

Totally understand your point, the 20” are the best looking wheels, specially the 868 with wide 255/285 tyres that come with extended body arches in the rear (there are also the 20” 862 with 245/255 tyres without the extended body arches).

Range figures drop quite sharply though and higher replacement costs should be consider.

it should also be the most grippy to handle corners.

I have 20” 245/275 on my f13 and I find the city ride quite hard, even with the adaptive dampers on comfort+.

I spec the i4 with standard 18” 858 mostly to get some comfort back.