Munich, Germany - BMW is putting the finishing touches on its new 4 Series Coupe ahead of its debut later this year, with the car now embarking on its final dynamic testing phase on roads surrounding its Bavarian home town.
To tide us over until the covers come off, BMW has released a few new details about its upcoming two-door. As before, it will be hunkered lower to the ground than its four-door sibling, with BMW confirming that the 2021 4 Series Coupe will be 57mm lower than the 3 Series, while the overall centre of gravity will be 21mm closer to the road. It also undercuts the sedan’s drag coefficient by 0.015.
There are some interesting new details on the powertrain front too, with the new M440i xDrive Coupe variant gaining mild-hybrid technology. BMW mentions an output of 275kW for the M440i’s straight-six turbopetrol engine, which is 10kW less than what the M340i offers, but the 48V mild hybrid system does add an additional 8kW of electric boost, which will certainly come in handy off the mark. There will of course also be a new M4, but BMW hasn't released any of those details as yet.
Underpinning the fact that the 4 Series is not just a 3 Series with two less doors, the new Coupe will boast an even more distinctive exterior design than before, and this is where things get controversial as the production model looks set to receive a gigantic vertical grille similar to the one we saw on the
last year. You don’t see it in the disguised prototypes shown in the gallery above, but other spy shots doing their rounds on the web show that the new 4 will indeed have a giant nose, whether you like it or not.
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— BMWBLOG (@bmwblog)
The 4 Series will also enjoy some distinction on the chassis front, with an increased negative camber at the front wheels and a 23mm-wider rear track working to sharpen its handling characteristics.
The 4 Series Coupe also takes a model-specific approach to incorporating the chassis technology and connecting the suspension to the body.
“The double-joint spring strut front axle and five-link rear axle configuration means the dialling up of dynamic performance doesn’t come at the expense of excellent comfort on everyday drives and long journeys,” BMW said.
Lift-related dampers – which made their debut in the new BMW 3 Series Sedan and offer continuously variable, progressive damping control as a function of spring travel – have been tuned for an even sportier drive.
“Custom-made tower-to-front end struts and an additional shear panel on the bulkhead optimise steering precision and response, while bracing elements have been added around the rear axle to increase stiffness for improved straight line stability and lateral acceleration.”
Watch this space for more information on the 2021 BMW 4 Series Coupe as it becomes available.