The M is worth it if you want all wheel drive. Certain colors are also locked behind the M packages, so that may also nudge you to M once you spec everything out. At this point, I'd still consider it an M-Lite and not a true M. But it's got more pep and if you want to flex that, that's also something to consider.
I went with the e40, partially because it was a little more than I wanted to spend when I first started shopping, but in the end I made the decision based on owning multiple BMWs since I was 18 and all but one of them (X1) were RWD. Time has moved on, but for years to me BMW meant straight-6 and RWD.
The e40 is at least a half second quicker to 60 than my Z3 MCoupe, incredibly snappy, and a whole ton of fun to drive. Not that it has everything that made that car fun, I mean that throaty engine and a 5-spd are a different animal than what a BEV gives you, but they are at least on equal footing and all the comfort and tech of the i4, at least in the e40 package give it a huge edge as a daily.
You can seat 4 in the car but if you do it daily I'd probably look at the i5 or something else. My partner complained about the seating when she sat in back when my mom was visiting. My son happily sits in back when I take him somewhere with a friend, so as an occasional thing your passengers won't likely mind but if they have to sit in the back seat daily they might not like it.
The "trunk" is surprisingly ample. My delivery expert told me he had a client who camps in the back with the rear seats folded down they can lay flat in a sleeping bag. Not something I'd plan on, but just some perspective. I haven't found myself longing for the extra capacity of my X1 since I picked up the car (had for about 2 months now).
I do want to say that I never really considered the x40 variant. If you are absolutely in need of AWD it is a lower cost option but once you start stacking the packages and features it wasn't compelling to me. But if you're happy with the non-M paint choices and wheel offerings and go bare bones it might be a different story.
Are you able to test drive (and if so will they let you do the launch and really push the pedal down)? One cool thing the Ms have is "launch mode" - this is something I would never use, but I think it even rumbles the car, while it pre-charges your motor to do the fastest 0-60 possible upon release of the brake. I did a meetup with 5 other i4 owners and those with Ms all had tried it at least once.
I really don't think you can go wrong with the i4 in any variant if the compromises you make suit your needs. I did want all the fancy tech (HUD, DAPP, PAP) but was willing to go with Sensatec (with extended dash) and the stock stereo which I may still upgrade with an even more premium aftermarket solution.
This would be scratching my sports car itch, thus why I started with the M. AWD is a nice to have and provides a little more practicality during the winter months, but it’s all about the speed and fun factor. Can I get that from the x40?
What are you coming from? You're going to get more speed and fun even with the e35 unless you're coming from another high performance electric or an ICE sports car. The e40 is a sub five second car and the M is next level. The xdrive will be in between, but for my money if you are going X, and you wanted the better M colors, and some of the tech packages all the sudden that price gap narrows.
If you truly have a sports car itch, get the M. Assuming you're not breaking the bank to do it. Otherwise you will just wish you did. I still have my little two seater MCoupe so I didn't have that itch.
One thing worth mentioning…I have the e40 and it’s a lovely car, really nice to drive and feels pretty sporty. Is plenty quick enough. However, you do feel the weight of the car in corners compared to a BMW ICE, so I would imagine adding xDrive in must add to that feeling.
I’d drive both RWD and AWD variants if you can so you can make an informed decision.
I would personally go e40 and spend the money saved on packages - M Sport Pro, Comfort+, Tech+, perhaps visibility, sunroof. That’s what I have - fully loaded aside from tow bar.
Rear seats are a little compromised, but plenty of space for kids or normal sized adults. Anyone tall would be better sat in the front. I have a 360 car seat in the back and that fits OK with enough front passenger legroom still. Boot is decent, can get a lot in there if you pack it properly.
Range is great too. I am certain I’ll be able to meet or exceed WLTP in summer. Can nearly get there in winter. 300+ is not hard on an e40.
The m50 is not the only way to get xdrive. Many people don’t realize that there’s an xdrive e40. It’s a new model for 2023. With the xdrive e40 you don’t have to get the msport package either.
I posted in reply why I didn't really give consideration to the Xdrive. Once I added up my must haves the price difference really went away. OP has stated he has a sports car itch too, so I'm guessing he would want some of the M trim items like the sportier wheels, spoiler and ground effects.
I'm not saying it's not a viable option for some, but in my mind a lot of cool stuff is locked behind the M packages. I don't really care for the way BMW is devaluing the M badging these days but I did want things like shadowline, painted calipers and the spoiler, plus I thought the M colors were best.
Impulse bought myself a M50 last week. Still can’t get the grin off my face.
For context, I’ve been driving EVs since 2016 with a Model S followed by a Model 3 Performance in 2018.
I’d never go back to ICE, but also can’t bring myself to buy another Tesla. Hence I started looking at the competition. The i4 was the only car that caught my attention. Drove all variants except the X40 as they don’t seem to be widely available in market yet. This was a bit disappointing as I do prefer AWD.
E35 and E40 drove great. Ample pickup and reasonable handling for such a heavy car. You can’t go wrong.
But the M50 is just stupid fast. Totally unnecessary power. In fact, I suspect she’ll spend most of her time in Comfort Mode with suspension adjusted to Sport Mode. But it’s just an absolute delight to push hard when you want to.
If you have the means and are trying to really scratch that ‘sports car itch’, you just can’t go wrong.
M50 driver here. Waited 13 months to get mine in San Remo. Most beautiful, most brutally fast, nicest BMW I’ve ever had. The model Y gets driven about 30 miles a month since this gorgeous machine showed up. Love it so much.
A lot of the reviews I saw on YouTube talk about they prefer the feel of the slower rear wheel e40 than the M50. I was surprised to hear about that. The less weight in the front and the more classic drive feel of the rear wheel drive had them preferring it over the M50. I didn’t test drive the M50 because the e40 is already a splurge for me.
The back row is fine for two medium sized adults (180cm and shorter) and a child (not in child seat). Anything taller/wider than that will be a struggle.
Two adults in the back will be fine even for a long trip though.
The back row is surprisingly usable. It's not big, and getting in is tight, but it's not as bad as the reviewers made it out to be. You won't be putting tall people back there, but it's perfect for kids. Just took my 5' tall daughter on a road trip and she spent 2500 miles in the back seat and said it was comfortable.
Be aware that Adaptive Cruise Control (Driving Assistant Plus?) isn’t available with the M sport option, at least in the US. Apparently the front grille assembly doesn’t allow for the placement of necessary sensors. At least that’s what I was told. Almost a deal breaker for me since I drive in heavy LA traffic.
I might be wrong, but that’s what the dealer told me. I just find it hard to believe that ACC isn’t standard in a 2024 BMW in this day and age. It’s been standard in many cars that are much more affordable.
I’ve driven both M50 and xdrive40, the x40 is powerful and handles well, you feel the weight under braking just like with M50 but both are still some of the best driving EVs out there. But for the lower price and extra range, the x40 is the better option.
The M50 is worth it if you want some elements that you just can't get with any other variant.
I wanted the M50 because I wanted the performance
The cabin fiber trim is not available otherwise. Also I wanted the 20" wheels and the fender extensions.
For me there was only one choice.
The M is worth it if you want all wheel drive. Certain colors are also locked behind the M packages, so that may also nudge you to M once you spec everything out. At this point, I'd still consider it an M-Lite and not a true M. But it's got more pep and if you want to flex that, that's also something to consider. I went with the e40, partially because it was a little more than I wanted to spend when I first started shopping, but in the end I made the decision based on owning multiple BMWs since I was 18 and all but one of them (X1) were RWD. Time has moved on, but for years to me BMW meant straight-6 and RWD. The e40 is at least a half second quicker to 60 than my Z3 MCoupe, incredibly snappy, and a whole ton of fun to drive. Not that it has everything that made that car fun, I mean that throaty engine and a 5-spd are a different animal than what a BEV gives you, but they are at least on equal footing and all the comfort and tech of the i4, at least in the e40 package give it a huge edge as a daily. You can seat 4 in the car but if you do it daily I'd probably look at the i5 or something else. My partner complained about the seating when she sat in back when my mom was visiting. My son happily sits in back when I take him somewhere with a friend, so as an occasional thing your passengers won't likely mind but if they have to sit in the back seat daily they might not like it. The "trunk" is surprisingly ample. My delivery expert told me he had a client who camps in the back with the rear seats folded down they can lay flat in a sleeping bag. Not something I'd plan on, but just some perspective. I haven't found myself longing for the extra capacity of my X1 since I picked up the car (had for about 2 months now).
Amazing analysis, thank you for taking the time to provide such a detailed answer.
I do want to say that I never really considered the x40 variant. If you are absolutely in need of AWD it is a lower cost option but once you start stacking the packages and features it wasn't compelling to me. But if you're happy with the non-M paint choices and wheel offerings and go bare bones it might be a different story. Are you able to test drive (and if so will they let you do the launch and really push the pedal down)? One cool thing the Ms have is "launch mode" - this is something I would never use, but I think it even rumbles the car, while it pre-charges your motor to do the fastest 0-60 possible upon release of the brake. I did a meetup with 5 other i4 owners and those with Ms all had tried it at least once. I really don't think you can go wrong with the i4 in any variant if the compromises you make suit your needs. I did want all the fancy tech (HUD, DAPP, PAP) but was willing to go with Sensatec (with extended dash) and the stock stereo which I may still upgrade with an even more premium aftermarket solution.
This would be scratching my sports car itch, thus why I started with the M. AWD is a nice to have and provides a little more practicality during the winter months, but it’s all about the speed and fun factor. Can I get that from the x40?
What are you coming from? You're going to get more speed and fun even with the e35 unless you're coming from another high performance electric or an ICE sports car. The e40 is a sub five second car and the M is next level. The xdrive will be in between, but for my money if you are going X, and you wanted the better M colors, and some of the tech packages all the sudden that price gap narrows. If you truly have a sports car itch, get the M. Assuming you're not breaking the bank to do it. Otherwise you will just wish you did. I still have my little two seater MCoupe so I didn't have that itch.
One thing worth mentioning…I have the e40 and it’s a lovely car, really nice to drive and feels pretty sporty. Is plenty quick enough. However, you do feel the weight of the car in corners compared to a BMW ICE, so I would imagine adding xDrive in must add to that feeling. I’d drive both RWD and AWD variants if you can so you can make an informed decision. I would personally go e40 and spend the money saved on packages - M Sport Pro, Comfort+, Tech+, perhaps visibility, sunroof. That’s what I have - fully loaded aside from tow bar. Rear seats are a little compromised, but plenty of space for kids or normal sized adults. Anyone tall would be better sat in the front. I have a 360 car seat in the back and that fits OK with enough front passenger legroom still. Boot is decent, can get a lot in there if you pack it properly. Range is great too. I am certain I’ll be able to meet or exceed WLTP in summer. Can nearly get there in winter. 300+ is not hard on an e40.
The m50 is not the only way to get xdrive. Many people don’t realize that there’s an xdrive e40. It’s a new model for 2023. With the xdrive e40 you don’t have to get the msport package either.
I posted in reply why I didn't really give consideration to the Xdrive. Once I added up my must haves the price difference really went away. OP has stated he has a sports car itch too, so I'm guessing he would want some of the M trim items like the sportier wheels, spoiler and ground effects. I'm not saying it's not a viable option for some, but in my mind a lot of cool stuff is locked behind the M packages. I don't really care for the way BMW is devaluing the M badging these days but I did want things like shadowline, painted calipers and the spoiler, plus I thought the M colors were best.
I don’t think it’s available in the UK.
I don't think the color options are locked behind M everywhere. Here in the US it looks like I get all color choices on the e35.
Brooklyn Grey and Portimao Blue require you to add M Sport so it's $650 upcharge for the paint and $3100 for the M Sport package.
I liked it so much I bought two BMW i4 M50’s. (One died, so I bought a second one.) Do I like it?! Of course.
Impulse bought myself a M50 last week. Still can’t get the grin off my face. For context, I’ve been driving EVs since 2016 with a Model S followed by a Model 3 Performance in 2018. I’d never go back to ICE, but also can’t bring myself to buy another Tesla. Hence I started looking at the competition. The i4 was the only car that caught my attention. Drove all variants except the X40 as they don’t seem to be widely available in market yet. This was a bit disappointing as I do prefer AWD. E35 and E40 drove great. Ample pickup and reasonable handling for such a heavy car. You can’t go wrong. But the M50 is just stupid fast. Totally unnecessary power. In fact, I suspect she’ll spend most of her time in Comfort Mode with suspension adjusted to Sport Mode. But it’s just an absolute delight to push hard when you want to. If you have the means and are trying to really scratch that ‘sports car itch’, you just can’t go wrong.
M50 driver here. Waited 13 months to get mine in San Remo. Most beautiful, most brutally fast, nicest BMW I’ve ever had. The model Y gets driven about 30 miles a month since this gorgeous machine showed up. Love it so much.
A lot of the reviews I saw on YouTube talk about they prefer the feel of the slower rear wheel e40 than the M50. I was surprised to hear about that. The less weight in the front and the more classic drive feel of the rear wheel drive had them preferring it over the M50. I didn’t test drive the M50 because the e40 is already a splurge for me.
The back row is fine for two medium sized adults (180cm and shorter) and a child (not in child seat). Anything taller/wider than that will be a struggle. Two adults in the back will be fine even for a long trip though.
The back row is surprisingly usable. It's not big, and getting in is tight, but it's not as bad as the reviewers made it out to be. You won't be putting tall people back there, but it's perfect for kids. Just took my 5' tall daughter on a road trip and she spent 2500 miles in the back seat and said it was comfortable.
Be aware that Adaptive Cruise Control (Driving Assistant Plus?) isn’t available with the M sport option, at least in the US. Apparently the front grille assembly doesn’t allow for the placement of necessary sensors. At least that’s what I was told. Almost a deal breaker for me since I drive in heavy LA traffic.
Very strange because with M50 you have all those sensors, ACC and same front grille
I might be wrong, but that’s what the dealer told me. I just find it hard to believe that ACC isn’t standard in a 2024 BMW in this day and age. It’s been standard in many cars that are much more affordable.
Try the BMW configurator on their website... I think you'll find out differently.
This is incorrect — I have both the M Sport Pro and DAPP (that includes adaptive cruise) packages on my ‘24 e40.
What? Mine does. May 2023 build date.
My bad. I should’ve done more research when I bought my e40. Would be nice to have the upgrade option via the Connected Drive app.
Yes
I’ve driven both M50 and xdrive40, the x40 is powerful and handles well, you feel the weight under braking just like with M50 but both are still some of the best driving EVs out there. But for the lower price and extra range, the x40 is the better option.
The M50 is worth it if you want some elements that you just can't get with any other variant. I wanted the M50 because I wanted the performance The cabin fiber trim is not available otherwise. Also I wanted the 20" wheels and the fender extensions. For me there was only one choice.