Made popular in the car industry by the Rivian R1T, a tank turn is a vehicle’s ability to perform a 180-degree spin on the spot in the same vein as a – you guessed it – tank. Mercedes previewed a similar feature earlier this year for its upcoming EQG (an electric G-Class). Lest we forget GMC has a Crab Walk mode that also incorporates a highly advanced rear-wheel steering system.
While these systems might come in handy for an off-roader, why is BMW M showing its modified i4 M50 also has this party trick? Our best guess is to highlight the coupe’s four-motor setup as each electric motor powers an individual wheel. Officially labeled as the “Ultimate Electric Driving Machine,” this two-door coupe stars in a new video to complement BMW M’s announcement about starting high-performance EV testing.
The quad-motor EV is joined on camera by a regular i4 M50 with two fewer motors and two extra doors. BMW M’s experimental vehicle has an interesting license plate that reads “M HP 4E,” which is obviously a reference to the M division, horsepower, and four electric motors. As for the other car, it too has a license plate that alludes to its nature: “M EV 544E.” While the letters are pretty much self-explanatory, the numbers are a reference to its 544 PS output.
Compared to the standard i4 M50, the new EV beast has wider fenders as you would expect from a full-fat M car. It also uses the front bumper and grille design of the gasoline-fueled M4, along with the colorful Motorsport anniversary emblems. BMW refrains from disclosing technical specifications, but you can rest assured this i4 Coupe is a lot more powerful than the M Performance model. The latter already has 795 Nm (586 lb-ft) available instantly, so with two extra motors, the torque delivery should be downright amazing.
Source: BMW M / YouTube
