BMW officially launches all-new 4 Series Coupe
The BMW 3 Series coupe is dead. Long live the 4 Series.
Looking to delineate the 3 Series sedan and its more upmarket two-door brethren, BMW officially unveiled the 4 Series coupe on Friday. It’s the first time the German automaker has sold the coupe under the 4 Series name.
By separating the two, BMW’s move is similar to what the automaker did with its 6 Series coupe. That car is a more luxurious and sporty model based on the 5 Series sedan, and has spawned a convertible and four-door coupe variant. Expect a 4 Series convertible and possibly four-door coupe version in the coming years.
PHOTOS: BMW announces all-new 4 Series Coupe
Audi has taken a similar approach with its A5 coupe and convertible, which are based on the less expensive A4 sedan.
Mechanically, the 4 Series coupe is identical to the 3 Series, and most of the dimensions are the same. The wheelbase and length are identical, while the coupe is almost three inches lower and half an inch wider.
Under the hood, the new 428i coupe will come with a same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that’s in the 328i sedan. It makes 240 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque. Power is pushed to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic.
BMW says the car share its 5.7-second zero-60 mph acceleration time with the sedan. The 428i will start at $41,425, which is a $3,650 premium over the base 328i sedan.
The more premium 435i will mirror its 3 Series sibling with a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine that makes 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. This model is a hair faster than the sedan. A 435i with a manual will do zero-60 in 5.3 seconds, while the automatic can do it in 5 seconds -- each is 0.1 second faster than the sedan.
The 435i starts at $46,925, a $2,850 premium over the sedan. All-wheel-drive will be a $2,000 option on both 4 Series models, though buyers must choose the automatic gearbox.
In addition to these base models, the 4 Series coupe will come in several trim levels: Sport, Luxury, and M Sport, each with various 18 or 19-inch alloy wheels and differing interior trim.
Inside, the coupe’s cabin is largely the same as the sedan’s. BMW said all coupes will come with a rear seat divided into three segments (40:20:40), which fold to accomidate cargo passed through the trunk.
Optional equipment on the 4 Series’ includes items like automatic parallel parking, LED headlights, birds-eye camera view, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, pre-collision braking.
BMW said the 4-Series will go on sale later this summer.
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