The new BMW 4 Series got some really interesting reviews in the last few months. Some reviewers made it pretty clear that they hated the design and couldn’t care less about anything other than that. It’s a shame though, because the new 4 Series, especially in M440i guise, has a lot going for it. That’s what the guys from Lovecars found out recently, during their review of the M Performance model.
Since they are based in the UK, still part of the EU, the model tested here comes with an Otto particulate filter which means the sound of the B58 engine under the hood has been tampered with. The differences between EU and US models is becoming more and more obvious these days, not just in the sound department, but also in terms of performance. While on the Eastern side of the Atlantic the M440i is rated for 374 HP, on the other side of the pond we are looking at 382 HP.
Nevertheless, since it’s only 8 HP, there’s little chance of actually noticing the differences between the two cars. Looking at the video below, one could easily say that even the European model’s 374 HP would be enough. As they point out, the car is quicker than claimed, even with these ‘toned down specs’. As we showed you earlier this month, the M440i can deliver a o-60 mph sprint that’s half a second faster than the claims made by BMW.
By the end of the clip, Paul also goes over the grilles, as it was expected, of course. But unlike many others, he’s not necessarily off-put by them. As a matter of fact, I think he actually is defending them, quoting other cars in the business, which have even bigger grilles to begin with, like the Audi A8 for example. The big issue with the BMW grilles relies in the adamant reluctance to change old-school fans of the brand have deep inside their DNA. And that’s definitely going to cause some headaches for the design department moving on.
