Surprisingly, this 4 Series doesn’t look half bad with the massive kidney grille.
The 4 Series Gran Coupe is a rather unique proposition by BMW, combining the flashy looks of a traditional coupe with the practicality of a five-door hatchback. Now in its second generation, the 4GC brings with it more tech, improved handling performance and of course, the much talked-about grille.
Evidently, the 4GC’s exterior design is not much different from the fully-electric i4 that was revealed a week ago, save for some model-specific bits here and there. The slim headlights are full-LED units but they can be upgraded to Adaptive LED ones with BMW Laserlight and Selective Beam.
In terms of measurement, the second generation model is 143 mm longer, 27 mm wider and 53 mm taller than its predecessor, while the track widths have also grown by 50 mm at the front and 29 m at the rear. The 2,856-mm wheelbase is 46 mm longer than the first-generation 4GC and 5 mm more than the figure for the 3 Series.
As expected, the interior is very much a carbon copy of its two-door sibling, with an 8.8-inch control display and a 5.1-inch colour display in the instrument cluster forming the standard-fitted BMW Live Cockpit Plus. Opt for the optional BMW Live Cockpit Professional and you’ll get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch control display. Both run on BMW Operating System 7 with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Remote Software Upgrades.
The 4GC will be offered in five flavours as follows:
- M440i xDrive Gran Coupe – 48V mild-hybrid 3.0-litre inline six with 374 hp/500 Nm
- 430i Gran Coupe – 2.0-litre inline four with 245 hp/400 Nm
- 420i Gran Coupe – 2.0-litre inline four with 184 hp/300 Nm
- 420d Gran Coupe – 48V mild-hybrid 2.0-litre inline four with 190 hp/400 Nm
- 420d xDrive Gran Coupe – 48V mild-hybrid 2.0-litre inline four with 190 hp/400 Nm
All the engines team up with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission as standard except for the M440i, which gets an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission that has sharper shift dynamics and paddle shifters with Sprint function.
As for the chassis, BMW says model-specific geometry, mounting and tuning enhance the dynamic characteristic of the 4GC, while lift-related dampers improve both sports performance and ride comfort. M Sport suspension with electronically controlled dampers are available as an option alongside variable sport steering.
17-inch light-alloy wheels are fitted as standard on the 420i, 430i, and 420d, while the M440i is equipped with 18-inch M light-alloy wheels and an M Sport differential with electronically controlled, fully variable locking function in the rear differential.
In the driver assistance department, there are up to 40 functions including Active Cruise Control with automatic Speed Limit Assist, route monitoring and traffic light recognition (in Germany), plus Steering and Lane Control Assistant.
Additionally, front collision warning, Speed Limit Info, Lane Departure Warning, Park Distance Control, the Reversing Assist Camera and Parking Assistant with Reversing Assistant are fitted as standard. Parking Assistant Plus with Surround View and Remote 3D View can also be ordered as an option.
