Now that the BMW 4 Series Coupe, Convertible and M4 Coupe have been revealed, one of the only models left is the 4 Series Gran Coupe (rendered above). The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe will be the four-door variant of the 4 Series family and likely the most highly anticipated variant of them all. The previous-gen 4er GC was a fan-favorite, so it’s no surprise that enthusiasts are excited about the new model. Those same fans might be excited to know that some new spy photos of the next-gen car have just released surfaced. (We don’t own them but they can be seen here)
In these photos, we see what is likely to be a BMW M440i Gran Coupe, judging by its regular mirrors and trapezoidal exhausts. The former of which suggests its a standard 4 Series and nothing sportier or more interesting and the latter suggests that it has a six-cylinder engine, which would make it an M Performance model. If that’s the case, it will almost certainly be powered by a 382 horsepower version of BMW’s B58 engine, a 3.0 liter turbocharged I6.
From these spy photos, we can pretty much guess exactly what the car is going to look like, sans camo. We’ve already seen all variants of the 4 Series, so we know its design language and these photos show off the Gran Coupe’s silhouette. So put those two thing together in your mind and you’ve got the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe.
These photos also prove that it’s going to mostly be a handsome car. Its profile and overall shape are quite nice, actually, and will make for a very seductive looking car from almost all angles. The issue is going to be its front end, which is still incredibly divisive. That new front grille design not only looks too big but it also lacks cohesion with the rest of the design. It looks like a tacked on afterthought, rather than something that was carefully massaged into the rest of the car’s design language. Which is a shame because the rest of it is quite pretty.
Another unfortunate aspect of the new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe will be its trunk. The previous-gen car had a wonderful lift-back tailgate, upping its practicality factor considerably. In fact, many customers bought the 4 Series GC over the 3 Series simply for its more practical trunk, which added real substance to its new style. This new car, though, ditches that tailgate for a conventional trunk, just like the 3 Series, as you can see from these photos. The trunk lid shut lines lie only on the deck of the trunk and don’t extend into the C-pillars, as they would with a tailgate.
So if you’re a current BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe customer and you were looking forward to the next-generation, there’s going to be some new variables to factor into your decision. Do you like the new grille design and can you go back to a normal trunk? If the answer to both of those questions is yes, then you’re going to love this new car. If the answer to one or both is no, then you might want to stick with a 3 Series.
[Source: Motor1]
