One of the most attractive aspects of an electric car to most drivers is the fact that the engine is silent.
However, for a high-performance car, what is most interesting is the evocative engine sound.
With electric cars set to become the norm, high-performance car manufacturers have had to adapt to find ways of restoring some of this allure.
One such manufacturer is BMW. Most of its sales come from flagship models, but Division M has a worldwide reputation for making some of the most desirable fan cars on the market.
To solve the sound problem with the upcoming EV, the German company hired the legendary composer Hans Zimmer. The 63-year-old German is best known for producing some of the most famous film soundtracks in recent memory, including Inception, Interstellar, and Dunkirk.
His first Academy Award nomination came in 1988 for Best Original Score in Rain Man, while his first win for the same award came in 1994 for Disney’s The Lion King. He knows his purpose when it comes to sound.
In new footage released by BMW, Zimmer is seen in the studio discussing how to create a soundtrack to suit Renzo Vitale, Creative Director of Sound at the BMW Group.
“When you step on the M pedal, you suddenly feel chills all over your body. The thing that has an attractive effect on you is the thing that covers your head and is pure emotion, ”says Vitali.
While discussing their work on the project, Zimmer explained, “There is a new world that we have created. We let go of a few monsters, but at the same time it’s also subtle. ”
“How can we provide a more experience than ever with their petrol engine, and make driving more exciting and enjoyable?
“So I still think we can carry on with these voices because of the sporty character, the whole philosophy behind the M car, and I think, behind the driver, they are a little more willing to try – to get something new. Amazing. “
The final few seconds of the video give us the first chance to hear their work, which contains clear sci-fi inspiration, like the otherworldly push method of a cinematic vehicle.
BMW says that sound will be used in the M-spec version of its new i4 electric car. When driving quietly in Comfort mode, the car will be quiet, but switching to Sport mode brings the clearest sound to the experience.
Called IconicSounds, this will be a standard feature on the iX SUV, and an optional feature on the i4. It will be offered “throughout 2022”, but customers whose cars were delivered before being offered can retrofit it at a later time.
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