THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
A first run in Munich’s revamped coupe reveals enhanced dynamic performance and refinement at speed
Having just driven a prototype of BMW’s new 4 Series Coupe at 280kph along a German autobahn and then on some magnificently smooth back roads, I was eager to hear firsthand what the man responsible for its development had to say about its clearly more engaging properties.
Jos van As, BMW’s head of driving dynamics, has singled out the variable electromechanical steering as the biggest benefactor among a whole series of changes that have been made to the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class rival.
“We’ve concentrated on making it more direct and responsive than in the recent past,” he says. “There’s greater clarity an da dde d linearity, too.
We’ve incorporated measures to make the body structure a lot stiffer than before. It’s a better basis than with the four-door.”
So that’s the message: the new 4 Series Coupe, codenamed G32, is intended to be not only a more sporting car than any of its predecessors but also more comfortable and, crucially, further differentiated from the 3 Series upon which it’s heavily based.
The new 4 Series is based around the same CLAR (Cluster Architecture) as all other recent BMWs that have a longitudinally mounted engine, giving it a wheelbase 42mm longer than in its predecessor. The new car is also 57mm lower than the 3 Series sedan.
The Coupe will once again head a family of 4 Series models, with successors to the existing Cabriolet and Gran Coupe to follow in 2021. The latter fourdoor also forms the basis of the new i4 electric sedan, due out next year. With more than six months still to go before the model heads into showrooms, BMW has confirmed just two variants so far: 430i and M440i. However, I’m told the line-up will extend to include replacements for the 420i, 430d and 435d as well. The two-door will also, of course, form the basis of a secondgeneration M4.
The M440i xDrive is the obvious highlight of the lineup at launch, offering junior M4 qualities and the added security and all-season capability of BMW’s latest four-wheel drive system. Its turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line sixcylinder engine is combined with a 48V electrical architecture in a development that introduces mild hybrid properties, including off-throttle coasting.
Making 374hp and 500Nm, it’s smooth, punchy and nothing less than determined on a loaded throttle. By engaging the left-hand shift paddle for longer than a second, you can call up Sprint mode, in which the alternator provides an additional 11hp and a good dollop of torque. At the same time, the car delivers wonderful relaxed and effortless cruising qualities on more measured throttle openings in taller gears.
Still, it’s a final layer of polish to the ride and handling that BMW is focusing its development on as it prepares to launch the new 4 Series. With five different settings (Adaptive, Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus), the new 4 Series offers an even broader range of driving characteristics than before.
There’s precision and assurance in the latest incarnation of BMW’s