BMW has announced that it is working on creation of suitable synthetic sounds for its forthcoming electric models with film music creator and Academy Award winner Hans Zimmer, a collaboration that will extend to electrified BMW M models.
BMW i4M?
BMW has all but confirmed that the regular i4, effectively a 4 Series Gran Coupe with electric power, will soon be joined by an M version. Speculation is rife, but it's expected to be called the i4M, making it the first ever all-electric BMW M car.
The standard BMW i4 range will include a version with up to 530hp and a 0-100km/h time of just four seconds, which begs the question, how much more power will an M version get?
BMW IconicSounds Electric
Zimmer has already worked on sound creation for BMW, in conjunction with Renzo Vitale, Creative Director Sound at the BMW Group, resulting in unique sounds for the stunning 2019 BMW Vision M Next and indeed the concept version of the forthcoming BMW i4.
The production-ready version is tagged BMW IconicSounds Electric, and it is expected to be released in 2022. It will be standard on the new BMW iX SUV, an option on the non-M i4 and it will be possible for owners of existing examples of those cars to download it via the Remote Software Upgrade feature, presumably for a fee.
Variable sounds, depending on the driver
The sound varies depending on how you drive, but also by driving mode. In the Eco Pro setting, it is disabled. There are differences between the Comfort and Sport modes, though the sound is said to deepen as load and speed increase in both. There's even a specific sound for when energy is being recuperated.
M cars will get a unique sound profile. "When you press the pedal of an M car, you suddenly get goosebumps all over your body," says sound designer Renzo Vitale. "We translated this feeling into a drive sound that expresses a fusion of superior power and flowing energy."
The video below includes a sample of the BMW M electric sound.