BMW is expanding the 4 Series lineup with a 4-door Gran Coupé. There’ll be five variants at launch: 420i Gran Coupé, 430i Gran Coupé, M440i xDrive Gran Coupé, 420d Gran Coupé and 420d xDrive Gran Coupé. A performance version from the M division is expected to join the lineup in November 2021.
The new 4 Series Gran Coupé has grown in dimensions compared to its predecessor. It measures 4,783 mm long (+143 mm), 1,852 mm wide (+27 mm) and 1,442 mm tall (+53 mm). The wheelbase has grown by 46 mm to 2,856 mm. The front and rear tracks are wider by 50 mm and 29 mm, respectively. BMW claims a perfectly balanced 50:50 weight distribution.
A shear panel increases the front-end torsional stiffness, while the stiffness in the rear axle area is taken care of by underfloor bracing elements. Lift-related dampers are fitted as standard on the new 4 Series Gran Coupé. Depending on the spring travel, these are said to offer extra damping to control body movement when driving over large bumps, as well as preventing excessive dive. However, buyers can go for the optional Adaptive M suspension or M Sport suspension.
The new 4 Series Gran Coupé rides on 17-inch light-alloy wheels as standard, while up to 20-inch variants can be found on the options list. The M440i xDrive gets M Sport brakes as standard, featuring 4-piston fixed calipers at the front and single-piston floating calipers at the rear. An M Sport differential is also standard on the M440i xDrive but can be had in the 430i as well if the aforementioned optional suspension is specified.
Full LED headlights come standard, while there’s an option for Adaptive LEDs with Laserlight. Also, notice that unlike the pull-type door handles in the other 4 Series models, the Gran Coupé features the old-school flap-type — a trend that is slowly catching up across the industry. Thanks to an active air flap control system, air curtains and an almost completely sealed underbody, the 420d Gran Coupé, for example, boasts a drag coefficient of 0.26 Cd — shaving 0.02 off its predecessor.
The cabin carries over all the technology and creature comforts we read about in the other 4 Series models. The standard BMW Live Cockpit Plus comprises an 8.8-inch central display and a 5.1-inch color MID. The optional Live Cockpit Professional gets you a 12.3-inch driver display and a 10.25-inch central display. Sport seats come standard, while the M440i xDrive buyers can go for M Sport seats with integral head restraints. Download the 26-page full information sheet here.
Moving on to the juicy bits of the story, for starters, there’s a 420i powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that develops 135 kW (184 metric hp) and 300 Nm (221 lb-ft) of torque. Next up there’s the 430i, where the 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine pumps out 180 kW (245 metric hp) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque.
For those who like the diesel grunt, there’s the 420d, powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder turbocharged unit that develops 140 kW (190 metric hp) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque.
For those looking for some fun, there’s of course, the M440i, powered by a 3.0L in-line 6-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that pumps out 275 kW (374 metric hp) and 500 Nm (369 lb-ft) of torque. A 0-100 km/h (62 mph) sprint is claimed to take 4.7 seconds, while the top speed is limited to 250 km/h (155 mph).
The M440i and the diesel variant are coupled with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that offers an extra 8 kW (11 metric hp) boost for short periods. All three engines are coupled with an 8-speed Steptronic transmission as standard; the M440i gets a sporty tuning.
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