BMW appears to be the sole manufacturer bucking the declining demand for EVs, with the Munich firm having recently announced the manufacture of its one-millionth battery-powered vehicle. For reference, there are still less than one million BEV’s on the entirety of the UKs roads.
Perhaps that’s why BMW has chosen to keep the facelifted version of its best-selling EV - the i4 - on the subtle side. The 2024 i4 LCI - meaning life cycle impulse (internal BMW parlance for a facelift) - brings with it a raft of spot-the-difference styling cues, new alloy wheel designs and updated in-car technology.
Powertrain options will remain as before across the i4 EV models and respective petrol-powered 4-series Gran Coupes, with M440i remaining the headline combustion-engine car with its 369 bhp turbocharged straight six (complete with X drive all-wheel-drive, priced at £59,545), and the M division tweaked i4 M50 packing a 537 bhp punch courtesy of its dual-motor powertrain.
Capable of 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds, the M50 will cost £69,995 OTR. That’s Porsche Taycan 4S power and go with £30,000 change, but carries a £10,000 premium on the recently revised Tesla Model 3 Performance, which boasts 460 bhp, a 328-mile range and 0-60 mph in a claimed 2.9 seconds. In comparison, the 81 kWh capacity battery in the i4 M50 is capable of transporting you 324 miles.
At the other end of the spectrum sits the entry-level, single-motor i4 eDrive35 which locks horns with the Polestar 2, the recently introduced VW ID.7 and the Tesla Model 3 Long Range. Offering 282 bhp and a 311-mile range from its 67 kWh capacity battery - up by 12 miles - the i4 eDrive35 comes with a list price starting from £50,365 before options. In the middle sits the £58,460 eDrive40, capable of 373 miles thanks to its larger battery that it shares with the M50.
The petrol-engined 4-series Gran Coupe starts from £43,830 with the 420i, which is powered by a 2.0 litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that makes 181 bhp. The M440i now gains a 48v mild hybrid system which can add an extra 10 bhp to the drivetrain. This promises to enhance efficiency as well as performance and responsiveness. Both the 4-Series and i4 benefit from BMW’s latest iDrive based on BMW Operating System 8.5 with a new, curved split screen display. The rest of the interior has received a lift too, with new steering wheel designs, fresh trim elements and updated upholstery for the seats.
As mentioned, the external changes are minimal with a tweaked Kidney grill finished in matte, new LED highlights and optional Laser rear tail lights, derived from the M4 CSL. The biggest tell-tale clue is in the new 19 and 20-inch alloy wheel designs, plus the addition of two new metallic paint colours – Cape York Green and Fire Red.
Built at BMW's Munich plant, the first deliveries of the facelifted BMW i4 and 4-series Gran Coupe are expected to land in the UK in July.
Facelifted BMW 4-series Gran Coupe M440i Gallery
BMW i4 M50 facelift gallery
Facelifted BMW i4 eDrive40 gallery
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