BMW M is busy testing a new version of the i4 coupe equipped with four electric motors and a new all-wheel-drive system.
Every motor drives one wheel, resulting in a 4WD arrangement with the opportunity for precise torque vectoring. According to the manufacturer, the M xDrive system rises to a whole new level of performance with such a design approach, as evidenced by the video where a camouflaged car makes a standing turn. Of course, it is a stunt and not a real ‘tank turn’ at this moment, but it shows what the car will be capable of once complete.
The innovative AWD system calculates the needed torque on a per-wheel basis depending on how hard you floor the pedal, whether you are rotating the steering wheel, how fast the wheels are already rotating, and many other factors. Processing all this data in real time guarantees that each wheel gets the optimum amount of torque at any given time for performance and stability.