BMW Abandons Fake Engine Sounds and Shifts

No Fake Manual for BMW EVs Coming Soon

Toyota is jumping headlong into imitation manual transmissions for forthcoming EVs, while a host of auto producers are applying artificial engine sounds for their vehicles; however, BMW’s lead of R&D, Frank Weber, has openly declared his contention against these technologies, implying that they are gimmicky and not in concurrence with the manner in which BMW fits out its cars.

When InsideEVs had the chance to speak with Weber at a recent roundtable chat, they asked him if BMW would be taking a page from Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Toyota EV prototypes with their simulated transmissions. Weber chuckled at the thought and replied, “Yeah, we can maybe emulate a stick also, a digital stick,” in a humorous tone.

Yet, he didn’t neglect the offer altogether, stressing that it wouldn’t be at the top of BMW’s agenda for growth, although if they decide to take on such an effort, they would have the potential to do so fast and effortlessly.

“To imitate the feeling of having fixed-gear bikes and changing gears, we could probably do that this afternoon after we’re done with everything else,” he joked.

That’s due to it being primarily a software-based platform; and, as CarBuzz reported in April, BMW has designed an extensive software package for electric vehicles that allows users to modify their EVs to correspond to their preferred characteristics, even giving them the feeling of having a regular combustion engine torque capacity.

“You will be astonished to discover how different cars drive when you experience the next generation,” said Weber, implying that BMW has been able to make electric vehicles feel more exciting than what we are used to.

The notion of mock-ups in an Electric Vehicle (EV) is an intelligent one, as van Meel had prior shed light on the trouble with piloting an EV on a track, being that you are without signals like determining what gear you are in and the effect of an engine to direct your speed rather than glancing at the speedometer – a measure not attainable in racing when you have to maintain full concentration.

Weber entertained conceivably considering a fake communication as an alternative, however not a need, something already insinuated by BMW M director Frank van Meel, yet there was one innovation which he appeared emphatically contrary to: utilizing outside speakers to make BMW electric vehicles noisier.

Dodge has the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, which can make an electric vehicle (EV) sound louder than a V8 muscle car. The first-ever electric Abarth even has speakers with futuristic soundtracks played externally. Mercedes-AMG has also incorporated external speakers on the hybrid C63 to make up for its four-cylinder song. However, according to Weber, “I think it would not be in line with what BMW is known for.”

BMW is on the cusp of introducing a plethora of EVs founded on its Neue Klasse base, first with the fresh 3 Series and X3 models in 2025. Subsequently, the inaugural electric M vehicle – allegedly branded the BMW iM3, being an electrified version of the venerated M3 – will be made available featuring a four-motor setup yielding as much as 1,340 horsepower.

The full action of BMW’s planned electric automobile development is forecasted to Brisbane, with various differentials aimed at bettering performance as well as excitement while software engineering oversees what happens. According to van Meel’s words, this probable has a representation of some kind of transmission, however now it is understandable that the probability of it producing false sounds hugely improbable.