Getting grilled
BMW set social media on fire with the unveiling of the new 4 Series and while everyone had opinions on the styling, the changes go deeper than skin
LET’S TAKE IT FROM THE TOP. OR rather, the front. Because that’s the bit that has been getting everyone’s knickers in a knot. Unlike the car it replaces, the new 4 Series’ design is a huge departure from the 3 Series it is based on. The big talking points are obviously the grille — BMW has been subtly stretching and elongating the iconic kidney grille across models but it looks like the designers hit the F**k It button and went allout for the new 4. BMW is linking it to historic models like the pre-war 328s and the 3.0 CSi Coupe from the ‘70s but you’ve got to be a bat (Batmobile reference, geddit?) to take them seriously. This may not be the first time BMW is doing elongated grilles, but it certainly is pushing the boundaries of modern car design. The new 4’s face is unique, shouty and it did exactly what BMW wants people to do about its cars — talk about them.
The side is a big departure from the
3 too, with the crisp lines on the sedan being replaced by more rounded-off edges, reminiscent of the 8 Series. From the A-pillar, the roofline rises ever so slightly before diving down to the boot and finishing itself off with a bootlip spoiler. The 4 Series is larger than the car it replaces — 127mm longer, 28mm wider and 6mm taller while still managing to be 57mm lower than the current-gen saloon and getting a 23mm wider rear track. There’s more lightweight construction — the bonnet, front panels and doors are all aluminium now. Meanwhile, the suspension has been tweaked to improve dynamics over the 3 Series — the mounts are now stiffer and there is additional bracing to improve stiffness on the rear axle. The trick lift-related dampers that we first saw on the 3 are set up specifically for the 4 Series and allow it to ride 10mm lower in the standard setting. There is an optional M Sport suspension that is tuned specifically
for handling, and Adaptive M Suspension that you can tweak by changing the car’s settings. All of this should make the 4 a more dynamic package than the 3 Series.
There are a number of engines under the hood — a four-cylinder petrol in two states of tune (181bhp on the 420i, 254bhp on the 430i), there’s a four-cylinder diesel with mild-hybrid tech (187bhp on the 420d and 420d xDrive) and a six-cylinder petrol with mild-hybrid (369bhp on the M440i xDrive). There will be six-cylinder diesel engines too but they will only be available for sale from next year. The M440i will be king till the M4 comes around, and gets a 48V mild hybrid system that recovers more energy from the brakes to increase efficiency, providing a boost of 11bhp when required.
While all variants get an 8-speed transmission, the M440i gets the Steptronic Sport transmission that has quicker shifts and a Sprint function. What’s a Sprint function? Well, when the driver pulls on the left paddle for a second, the car goes into attack mode with more aggressive throttle inputs, shifts and an enhanced engine note. For the first time ever, BMW is also offering an M Sport
Pro package, with a rear spoiler, Sport transmission, 19-inch lightweight M wheels and a better audio system for audophiles.
The standard 4 Series coupe is but the first of many iterations we are going to see. Already in the pipeline is the M4, Cabriolet, and Gran Coupe. There will also be an electric version — the i4, but that is still a while away. Till then, revel in the grilles and find comfort in the fact that the design might grow on you in time.
THE DESIGNERS HIT THE F**K IT BUTTON AND WENT ALL-OUT FOR THE NEW 4 SERIES