The new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe adds a fresh dimension to one of the company’s newest model ranges. It combines the sleek look and sporty character of the 4 Series Coupe with the functionality provided by four-doors and a spacious, flexible luggage compartment. The 2015 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe arrives in the US in early summer of 2014 with two engine choices. The 428i Gran Coupe will feature BMW’s award-winning 240hp TwinPower Turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder while the 435i Gran Coupe will be powered by the much-lauded 300hp TwinPower Turbo 3.0-liter inline six. The 428i xDrive Gran Coupe will also be available at launch with BMW’s intelligent all-wheel drive system. All versions will be offered in the US with an 8-speed sport automatic transmission. The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe will make its world debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2014 and makes its US debut at the New York International Auto Show in April 2014.
Prices in the US will start at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $41,225 (including $925 destination & handling) for the 428i Gran Coupe. The 428i xDrive Gran Coupe will have an MSRP of $43,225, including destination & handling while the top-of-the-line 435i Gran Coupe will have an MSRP of $46,725, again, including destination & handling.
While this model shares the same length, width, wheelbase and track with the extremely dynamic two-door version, the roofline of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe is 4.4 inches (112 mm) longer and slopes gently to the rear of the vehicle. What’s more, the silhouette is half an inch (12 mm) higher to offer more headroom and comfort for rear-seat passengers. This contributes to increased headroom at all seats and the overall feeling of interior spaciousness. At the same time, the short front and rear overhangs, the long wheelbase relative to the vehicle length, and the set-back passenger compartment are typical BMW touches that add to the perfect balance of the body design and the sleek appearance of this car, which is derived conceptually from the elegant BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe.
Like the two-door version, the sporty dimensions of the 4 Series Gran Coupe are a reflection of its dynamic handling characteristics. The stretched roofline, four frameless doors and a wide, electrically operated tailgate provide the functionality of a sedan within the silhouette of a coupe. The volume of the trunk is 17 cu-ft (480 liters), based on EU measurements. The back of the rear seat can be folded down in a 40:20:40 configuration as desired to increase the load capacity to 45.9 cu-ft (1,300 liters). The flat floor and a two-part loading strip made of stainless steel are practical convenience elements, combined with premium materials. The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe can easily transport a baby stroller, two golf bags or weekend luggage for four without using the folding function.
The interior of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe presents a stylish fusion of sporty allure and luxury. An approach known as layering – the intelligent utilization of space through the structuring of lines and surfaces into layers – expresses the hallmark BMW driver orientation without compromising the passenger experience. The stylish and functional elegance of the interior is highlighted by prominent round instruments with a black panel look and the free- standing flat-screen iDrive monitor. The cockpit and rear passenger compartment are visually joined by trim strips originating in the instrument panel and extending along the upper sections of the door panels into the rear, and embellished by dual-color window sills. The B-pillar blends into the side panel design and includes flowing graphic effects across the entire surface. The side supports and slender head restraints in the rear seat are contoured for a modern, seemingly molded one-piece look that adds to the sporty character of the 4+1 seater.
The new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe offers a choice of two powerful, and efficient engines in the US featuring the latest BMW TwinPower Turbo technology. The range includes the 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine in the BMW 435i Gran Coupe ? as well as the light and powerful 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the BMW 428i Gran Coupe.
The power from the engines is delivered to the rear wheels via the standard eight-speed sport Steptronic transmission. All BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe feature the Auto Start Stop function.
At model launch, the BMW 428i Gran Coupe can be optionally equipped with BMW xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive technology.
The large-displacement, inline six-cylinder in the new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé delivers power with high-revving characteristics and extraordinary smoothness. The 3.0-liter power plant delivers 300 hp between 5,800 rpm and 6,000 rpm, thus contributing to the sovereign dynamics of the new Gran Coupe. Peak torque of 300 lb-ft is generated as low down as 1,300 rpm and remains on tap up to 5,000 rpm. The new BMW 435i Gran Coupé sprints from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. While official US EPA numbers are not yet available for the 435i Gran Coupe, they are expected to be in line with the 435i Coupe, which is rated at 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway/25 mpg combined.
MW ConnectedDrive offers high-performance interface technology and provides top-of- the-range infotainment and entertainment capability that enables the driver and passengers to make extensive use of external mobile phones and music players. Through the optional ConnectedDrive Services, the world of apps can be integrated into the vehicle. Browser- based BMW online applications are loaded directly into the vehicle via an embedded onboard SIM card. These applications put at the driver’s disposal online services such as weather, news or office functions. Smartphone apps allow in-car use of innovative services like Stitcher, Audible, Amazon Cloud Player, Twitter or Facebook.
The latest-generation Navigation System features a full speech recognition function and an optimized voice control system to complete the portfolio of office functions offered by BMW ConnectedDrive. The full speech recognition system enables drivers to dictate text freely and compose short text-based messages by voice. In addition, Internet-based services, as well as calendar entries and text-based messages, can still be viewed in the Control Display of the iDrive operating system and read out via the Text to Speech function.
The all-new 2015 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe arrives in US showrooms in early summer.
