Road test - BMW 4 series coupe 435i (a)

[Carmour]

Four The Win

The 4 Series promises all the traditional traits of the 3 Series with an added dollop of strength and style.

How much of a difference does a name or number make? BMW has recently decided that all its sporty models should have an even number in their title, just like the 6 Series and the upcoming 2 Series, hence the arrival of the new 4.

So two-door BMW cars - both coupes and convertibles - begin with even numbers, while odd numbers are reserved for more family-friendly sedans and wagons.

The 4 Series is effectively the next generation of the 3 Series Coupe but BMW wants it to be a standalone model

The car you see here is the new BMW 4 Series, a brand new model number in the BMW range that waves goodbye to the outgoing 3 Series Coupe - in a similar way to Audi with the A5 range, which changed the game in this segment and proved to be a smash hit.

Exterior

Compare the exterior looks of the 4 Series to the last iteration of the 3 Series coupe and the newcomer is indeed a sexy evolution in two-door design, paying respects to past generations while flirting with some details from the bigger 6 Series.

In fact, the 4 Series is a bit wider and longer than the 3 Series Coupe, giving it a more hunkered down look that will catch the attention of onlookers.

Besides that, there are two new vertical airflow zones on the sides of the apron (called Air Curtains) that improve airflow around the front wheels. And together with new vents in the front wings (called Air Breathers), which reduce drag around the front wheels, they help to boost fuel efficiency.

Hofmeister kink on the F32 4 Series - a standard BMW design feature, which consists of a low forward bend at the C or D-pillar

Still it's no surprise to see plenty of styling similarities between the 4 Series and the 3 Series. The 4er has the same aggressive front end and angular Xenon headlights, while the trademark BMW twin rings look menacing, especially in the rear view mirror of the car in front.

At the rear, the 4 Series sports beefy haunches and a rump that looks like its keeping those rear-drive tyres pinned to the asphalt. L-shaped tail lights act as a seamless continuation of the swage line along the side of the car, complemented by twin exhaust pipes that round up the whole sporty look.

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Edited January 27, 2015 by HyperTonic

[Viceroymenthol]

Already seen a few of these beauties on the roads. Really nice! The shark fin looks more stylo now. The only thing is that the entry-level models only have left sided exhaust pipe, I mean how difficult is it to design the underbody to accomodate exhaust mufflers on both sides? Or at least share one transversely-mounted muffler with symmetrical tailpipes on both sides?

 

Looks like it is goin to be a best seller. The re-designation of the coupe/cabrio as a separate series is very good marketing fodder. It is what they should have done years ago. Lots of potential customers (in Asia at least, where face and status are important) were psychologically prevented from buying the coupe/cabrio because it shared the same series nomenclature as the entry-level 3 series BMW sedan.

[Throttle2]

Swee.....like a tighter 6er.

 

Wonder if there is room for the 8series?

[inlinesix]

Swee.....like a tighter 6er.

 

Wonder if there is room for the 8series?

 

From Marketing, it is very hard to differentiate both 6 & 8. The only way to do it to produce 3 model only, 650 (V8 Turbo), 660 (v12 Turbo) and 660 csi (maybe).