Entry-level new i4 eDrive 35 M Sport sports less power, but comes with more than a R350 000 credit over the M50. Image: BMW.
Having only debuted the all-electric i4 in South Africa less than a year ago, BMW has quietly added a second more affordable derivative to the local line-up in the shape of i4 eDrive 35 M Sport.
Taking up station below the M50 M boss Frank van Meel confirmed last year, had been the best-selling M model of 2022, eDrive 35 M Sport is also modelled on the 4 Series Gran Coupe, but while it looks almost identical aesthetically, the battery pack has been made smaller and, therefore, with reduced shock.
Mounted on 18-inch M alloy wheels and outfitted with the M Sport front and rear bumpers and door sills, the smaller 67-kWh lithium-ion battery pack delivers 210kW/400Nm, which allows for a top speed of 190 km/h and 0-100 km/h in six seconds.
Citing information from duaporta.com, cars.co.za reports that the eDrive 35 M Sport will complete 483 km on a single charge, 18 km more than what the M50 will reportedly manage.
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Besides its power and torque deficit of 140kW/329Nm, the i4 eDrive 35 M Sport also lacks the front mounted electric motor of M50, meaning is routed to the rear wheels only versus all four.
It does, however, come with the charging setup as its sibling and can, therefore, be charged from a fast charging station up 200 kW, or from the 11 kW outlet.
Inside, Vernasca leather seats, tri-zone climate control, Auto High Beam Assist LED headlights and a Head-Up Display are included in the final asking price, along with the new Curved Display, tyre pressure monitor, electric bootlid and Park Assist.
Optional though is the uprated Harman Kardon sound system, 20-inch M light alloy wheels, a panoramic glass roof, the M Adaptive suspension, electric and heated front seats, Adaptive Cruise Control, a heated steering, Lane Keep Assist and the M Sport Pro as well as the M Carbon exterior packages.
Priced from R1 293 300, a credit of R352 900, over the M50, the i4 eDrive 35 M Sport’s sticker additionally includes a five-year/100 000 km maintenance plan as well as a eight-year/100 000 km battery warranty.
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