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      07-17-2022, 07:32 PM   #1
MichaelJohn
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Test drove an i4 M50 today

It was quicker than I thought it would be. I have test driven a couple of Taycan Turbos and this car was comparable. I got it out on the freeway and happened to see a Tesla Model 3 Performance a couple of lanes over. I got behind him and I think he sped up a bit and changed lanes to get out of my way. I pulled up next to him and looked over at him try to get his attention just for fun. Then I stomped on the accelerator and the Tesla just flat disappeared. Now, he wasn’t racing me, but I was shocked at how quickly I left him him behind. I was probably going 75 or 80 and the car just got up and flew. I’m afraid it would destroy my i8 by any performance metric. It’s an impressive vehicle - very smooth ride, great features, overall a very nice car, however… It does not have the presence or the charisma of an i8. It goes like hell but it’s just not special enough. I may order one anyway and keep the i8. The i4 is a hoot to drive. When you floor it the front end lifts as if it’s going to do a wheelie. It’s very practical and certainly flies under the radar a lot more than the i8. And, after shopping the Porsche, this thing seems like an absolute bargain. Still not sure how I feel about that grill though…
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      07-18-2022, 08:38 AM   #2
YWGT3
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Test drove the i4 M50 offered by a local dealership, which sold us several BMWs over the years, including our 2015 i8. The i4 M50 test car's portimao blue exterior paint was strikingly beautiful. Also, the car proved surprisingly agile and offers a comparable ride to my Porsche Taycan Turbo, though it feels slightly taller in stance behind the wheel. The sales representative wanted to impress us with how quickly the car sprints. So we performed several runs on a private road (both from launch control and rolling start) between the 2020 Taycan Turbo and the i4 M50, which lagged noticeably behind the Porsche. Perhaps the lag was due in part to this particular test car. The other issue for me as well as my wife was the huge grills that the i4 sports. On the plus side, BMW's PCM and software are significantly better than Porsche. Overall, I think the i4 M5 is a great all-around performance EV in contrast to what's currently available. As for me, the front grills may require some getting used to. However, it's a non-starter for my wife, the one who's looking to purchase another vehicle.
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      07-18-2022, 08:01 PM   #3
MichaelJohn
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Quote:
Originally Posted by YWGT3 View Post
Test drove the i4 M50 offered by a local dealership, which sold us several BMWs over the years, including our 2015 i8. The i4 M50 test car's portimao blue exterior paint was strikingly beautiful. Also, the car proved surprisingly agile and offers a comparable ride to my Porsche Taycan Turbo, though it feels slightly taller in stance behind the wheel. The sales representative wanted to impress us with how quickly the car sprints. So we performed several runs on a private road (both from launch control and rolling start) between the 2020 Taycan Turbo and the i4 M50, which lagged noticeably behind the Porsche. Perhaps the lag was due in part to this particular test car. The other issue for me as well as my wife was the huge grills that the i4 sports. On the plus side, BMW's PCM and software are significantly better than Porsche. Overall, I think the i4 M5 is a great all-around performance EV in contrast to what's currently available. As for me, the front grills may require some getting used to. However, it's a non-starter for my wife, the one who's looking to purchase another vehicle.
You are right about the Taycan Turbo being quicker, which is no surprise. Car and Driver tested them both (it was a Turbo S, but aside from when using launch control, I think the Turbo has the same hp). With launch a non-factor, the Taycan did a rolling 5-60 mph in 2.9 seconds, the i4 did 3.5. (For reference, a ‘15 i8 did 4.6) I like that metric better than 0-60 because I will never use launch control on the street. I have owned 4 cars with that feature and have never used it once. As for 0-60, Car and Driver got 3.3 seconds for the i4 which is a very good time. I’m sure your Taycan is under 3 seconds. I don’t think my stomach can handle much more acceleration than that. When I test-drove a Taycan Turbo I did launch it twice, and frankly, it made me a little queasy. The i4 is quick enough for me and its size suits me better, in fact, I put my order in today. As for the grill, well…I’m hoping it grows on me.

Last edited by MichaelJohn; 07-18-2022 at 08:21 PM..
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      07-18-2022, 10:17 PM   #4
YWGT3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelJohn View Post
You are right about the Taycan Turbo being quicker, which is no surprise. Car and Driver tested them both (it was a Turbo S, but aside from when using launch control, I think the Turbo has the same hp). With launch a non-factor, the Taycan did a rolling 5-60 mph in 2.9 seconds, the i4 did 3.5. (For reference, a ‘15 i8 did 4.6) I like that metric better than 0-60 because I will never use launch control on the street. I have owned 4 cars with that feature and have never used it once. As for 0-60, Car and Driver got 3.3 seconds for the i4 which is a very good time. I’m sure your Taycan is under 3 seconds. I don’t think my stomach can handle much more acceleration than that. When I test-drove a Taycan Turbo I did launch it twice, and frankly, it made me a little queasy. The i4 is quick enough for me and its size suits me better, in fact, I put my order in today. As for the grill, well…I’m hoping it grows on me.
I agree with you. The Taycan turbo's acceleration can easily make one experience g-force sickness by aggressively flooring it. Two things I've learned in order to avoid getting queasy with the Turbo model. Perhaps it applies to the i4-M50 as well. First, take a deep breath before launching. Second, ease into the acceleration when coming out of the turn, otherwise, the g-force from flooring it through the curve can easily trigger motion sickness. Yes, the i4-M50 is quick enough for me as well. More important, it will outhandle most EVs on the road today. I found it to be more engaging, taut, and precise in handling than even the Audi RS e-tron GT we test-drove. When it comes to your order, I hope Portimao blue is one of the colors you're considering, I was really taken by the test car's exterior color with blacked-out wheels.
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      09-12-2022, 10:51 AM   #5
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Not sure current BMW styling trends are following the "freude am fahren" tradition. What is the function of the big grills?
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      09-29-2022, 07:04 AM   #6
Kev.k
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stressdoc View Post
Not sure current BMW styling trends are following the "freude am fahren" tradition. What is the function of the big grills?
The Chinese love them.

Worrying BMW no longer care about western tastes/preferences.

Then again I’d rather Chiba be world superpower. They don’t start wars in Europe.
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