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The second-generation X2 is BMW’s highlight at the 2023 Japan Mobility Show in Japan where the electric iX2 is being exhibited alongside the sporty M35i. There is one car that combines zero emissions with performance – this i4 M50. It’s not your run-of-the-mill M Performance version of the 4 Series Gran Coupe-based i4 since it has an assortment of carbon fiber upgrades.
BMWBLOG is attending the show held at the Big Sight exhibition center in the Land of the Rising Sun and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to revisit the i4 M50. It’s painted in Frozen Pure Grey, a pricey matte color from the Individual catalog, which has been combined here with blacked-out rear badges. The sporty five-door liftback has a large tailgate spoiler that’ll cost you extra, as will the diffuser and carbon fiber accents in the corners of the rear bumper.
Those M Performance wheels are a sight to behold what with their unusual black and gold look contrasted by the red brake calipers. While the side mirror caps in carbon fiber are no surprise, even the antenna is made from the same material. To drive the point home, BMW glued an “M Performance” decal that runs along the bottom of the front doors like it’s 1985 again. There’s more carbon to be found at the front for the air intakes and the newly added spoiler lip.
If you’re feeling the i4 is beginning to look stale, not to worry as BMW is working on a Life Cycle Impulse. At the beginning of August, we spotted a prototype featuring redesigned LED headlights flanking the familiarly shaped kidney grille that seemed to have a fresh pattern. The German luxury brand needs to be careful with the changes because the M50 was the best-selling product from the M division in 2022 as well as in the first half of 2023.
Of course, the i4 LCI will coincide with a mid-cycle update for the whole 4 Series lineup. These revised models are scheduled to arrive in 2024 and based on our talk with a product manager responsible for user interfaces, iDrive 8.5 is not planned initially. However, it might happen later in the life cycle. Meanwhile, we’ve been told the M4 models will transition to a new software code based on Android Automotive but without the revised UI of the iDrive 8.5.
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