Friday, December 31, 2021

BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe (G26) and i4

The controversially-styled, second-generation BMW 4-Series is now available in Gran Coupe form, giving Bimmers what is like when today's 3-Series looks like this. If that wasn't enough, it even spawn its electric equivalent, the i4. It's investigation time, kids.



The new 4-Series Gran Coupe, priced at 45,800 Euros plus additional costs, and its i4 equivalent, priced at 58,300 Euros, are stark reminders of what happens when today's 3-Series wear the controversial front its coupe equivalent donned from the very start.

BMW is now living in an era of big grilles speedo boys call it nonsense and this Gran Coupe is no exception. The 4-Series Gran Coupe bears the same burden as its two-door equivalent but with two extra doors added, it adds some beauty to its controversial looks, meaning it's not half bad to look at it. The same goes for the i4 because while it strives to mimic the concept car's roots, there's no hiding the fact that's basically a 4-Series Gran Coupe with an electric powertrain.

Like the two-door equivalent, the interior still works like every BMW does and it packs gadgets to toy with especially the annoying voice control that your camera-toting mate will find it too much to bear. Thanks to two additional doors, it's roomier than the two-door version and easy to get in and out from the back.

Under the hood, you have a choice of either a 2.0L petrol, a 2.0L diesel (the one to avoid since this is Europe today), and then this; the 374PS 3.0L 6-cylinder turbocharged engine from the range-topper M440i xDrive variant. All variants are mated to an 8-speed Steptronic as standard as well as the micro-hybrid nonsense as well. As for the dynamics, the new 4 Gran Coupe drives better than the old one because of its low center of gravity, improved dynamics, sport-tuned chassis, and suspension setup, and others. In its normal rear-wheel-drive guise, it still works like a real BMW most speedo boys adorned, but with xDrive on the M440i, expect punchlines that will get you hooked for more.

The i4, meanwhile, bears a similar story. The normal variants are rear-wheel-drive only but the M50 variant is all-wheel-drive and because being all-wheel-drive with an extra electric motor in it, the power output is a total 544PS of power, more than today's M4 Competition, 795Nm of torque, a 0-100kph time of 3.9 seconds, and a top speed of 225kph. As for range, it's good for 512km based on WLTP standards.

Even with two extra doors and with the addition of the i4, it still has the case of "bad plus good equals better for everyone", just like the entire 4-Series range.

Photo: BMW AG

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