BMW 4 SERIES IN DETAIL

LOOK BEYOND THE 4 SERIES’ TOOTHY SMILE, AND THERE’S PLENTY TO GET EXCITED ABOUT

Everything you need to know about Munich’s next-gen coupe. But what do you make of that enormous grille?

YES, IT IS real. No, we can’t stop staring either. Welcome, dear readers, to our first official look at the polarising G22 4 Series which, quite obviously, has a gargantuan grille. But let’s put a pin in that for now because there are more important things at play here than how this car looks.

BMW is pitching this second-gen4er as its mid-sizer for drivers and has given it new engine tech, a stiffer chassis, and subtle dimension changes. Think of it as the 3 Series’ hunkered down, sportier sibling and you’re most of the way there. And if you squint, and imagine a tougher stance and bodywork, you’re looking at the next M4.

Compared to the 3 Series, this coupe is 23mm wider and 57mm lower, which helps drop the centre of gravity. Tracks have grown front and rear, too, and the front axle has more negative camber. Body rigidity is up courtesy of additional chassis bracing.

Engines mimic the 3 Series, with turbocharged four- and six-cylinder units, but the big change is the addition of a mild-hybrid system for the M440i xDrive.

This will be the quickest non-M 4 Series, with 275kW/500Nm sent to all four-wheels thanks to its turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine. A 48-volt starter motor is fitted which can act like a small electrical drive unit and adds an extra 8kW to the 440i’s total output.

If rear-drive purity is more your thing, you’ll need to forego sixcylinder grunt for a turbo four-pot.

All 4 Series variants use an eightspeed automatic, so there are no manuals, at least until the M4 arrives sometime next year.

However M-Sport variants are

equipped with a new ‘sprint’ function for the transmission. It’s similar to Porsche’s ‘Sport Response’ system, which primes the engine and gearbox for the fastest possible turn of speed. In the BMW, you activate it by holding down the left-hand gear-shift paddle.

BMW’s engineers have focused on making the 4 Series a sportier and more dynamic alternative to its sedan sibling. That’s encouraging given the 3 Series is already one of the most dynamically pleasing sedans on the market and easily the driver’s pick compared to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4.

Expect a firmer ride than the 3 Series, though, as BMW has fitted stiffer springs, beefed up the antiroll bars and dropped the ride-height by 10mm. Like the 3 Series, the 4 utilises BMW’s lift-related damper system. These progressively increase the damping pressure inside the shocks as forces rise for a greater comfort/control trade-off. BMW also claims a perfect 50:50 weight distribution has been achieved.

Built at BMW’s Dingolfing plant, the new G22 4 Series should arrive in Australia by October. Expect to pay a $10K premium over 3 Series variants.

Despite the best efforts of the engineers, however, the biggest 4 Series talking point will be that grille. BMW has clearly gone all in. The question is: can you abide?

If you squint, and imagine a tougher stance and bodywork, you’re looking at the next M4