Now that we have finally seen the next-generation BMW 3 Series, it's time to focus on the coupe version of the model, AKA the 4 Series Coupe->ke3834. First details on the new 4 Series Coupe have just been released and the production will start in July 2013.

When thinking about the new 4 Series Coupe, think of it as a small 6 Series->ke320 with design elements inspired by the 3 Series sedan. When compared to the model it replaces, the 4 Series Coupe is larger in width and wheelbase and sits considerably lower to the road.

Everything else on the new 4 Series Coupe is clearly inspired by the 3 Series sedan, including the double-kidney grille, headlights and engine lineup.

The 4 Series Coupe will be followed by a convertible->ke144 model shortly.

Update 06/14/2013: This review has been updated with the official details, images and specs.

Update 07/01/2013: BMW has dropped a first product film video for the new 4-Series Coupe, showing the car in action in some engaging surroundings. Enjoy!

Update 07/09/2013: BMW U.S.A. dropped the official configurator for the new 4 Series Coupe. You can go online and play, and also create the sports coupe of your dreams. You can also click past the jump and learn prices for the packages and options.

Click past the jump to read more about the new BMW 4 Series Coupe.

2014 BMW 4 Series Coupe

Specifications

• Make: Array
• Model: 2014 BMW 4 Series Coupe
• Engine/Motor: inline-4
• Horsepower: 240 @ 5000
• Torque: 255 @ 1250
• Transmission: Eight-Speed Automatic
• [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Pros

Cons

Exterior

When compared to the model it replaces - the 3 Series Coupe - the new 4 Series Coupe is larger in width and wheelbase, making it more aerodynamic and dropping it lower to the road.

Most of the exterior is borrowed from the 3 Series sedan, including the double-kidney grille, twin circular headlights and the large air intake in the front apron. Still, for the 4 Series Coupe BMW opted for a sportier appearance and added air breathers, positioned behind of the front wheel arches, to reduce aerodynamic drag.

The side profile of the 4 Series Coupe does hark back to the 6 Series. If you were to put the 4 Series and 6 Series side by side with serious backlighting, it would be pretty difficult to differentiate between the two silhouettes. This 6 Series-like look, adds a level of elegance to the 4 Series that makes it an upgrade over the outgoing 3 Series Coupe.

On the rear end, the taillights will feature the customary BMW L-shaped design and a newly designed rear spoiler. The rear is where we sort of lose our excitement of the 4 Series, as it is way too much like the 3 Series rump.

Sport Line Exterior Additions:

-High-gloss black B-pillars

-Black wrap-around window strip

-Molded high-gloss black kidney grille slats

-Chrome-colored grille surround

-Black air intakes in the front apron

-Black Air Breathers

-18-inch or light-alloy wheels in twin-spoke design

-Black trim strip level with the rear apron

-Black exhaust tips

Luxury Line Exterior Additions:

-11 kidney grille slats with chromed fronts and matte black sides

-Two high-gloss double bridges in the front apron’s outer air intakes

-Chromed Air Breathers

-Chrome window surround

-Special 18-inch light-alloy wheels

-High-gloss chrome strip in the rear apron

-Chrome exhaust tips

M Sport Exterior Additions

-M Sport front apron with large air intakes

-M Sport rear bumper with diffuser

-M Sport side skirts

-High-gloss Shadow Line trim

-Exclusive Estoril Blue Metallic paint

-18-inch light-alloy wheels in M design

Exterior Specifications:

Interior

The interior continues with the same sporting allure and exclusivity. As a coupe should be, the 4 Series’ interior is very driver-centric. All the controls are arranged ergonomically around the driver, allowing him to access them with ease.

For the rear, BMW offers up a bench seat that is molded into two separate seats with recessed head restraints and broad, continuously molded side supports. This allows two additional occupants in the rear, driving the total passenger capacity to four adults. The rear seats also fold in 40:20:40 ratios, allowing for additional storage without eating up the entire back seat.

Standard features and options are not fully outlined as of yet, but the 4 Series is sure to be chock-full of premium features. New features and options include: iDrive version 4.2 with Advanced Real Time Traffic Information, connectivity, Internet access, voice control and entertainment; BMW Navigation; and a high-resolution heads-up display.

Sport Line Interior Additions

-Red-trimmed instrument dials

-Red-stitched sport steering wheel

-Anthracite-colored headliner

-Coral Red interior w/ Coral Red leather sport seats, red door panel trim and a red lower section for the instrument panel (optional)

Luxury Line Interior Additions

-Chrome surround for the audio and air conditioning system

-High-gloss wood strips

-Leather seats with stitching

-Two upholstery variants in four colors

-Ash Grain anthracite fine wood trim surfaces

-Pearl Gloss Chrome metal inlay

M Sport Interior Additions

-M door sill finishers

-M leather steering wheel

-M driver’s footrest

Drivetrain, Suspension and Brakes

For the U.S. market, the 4 Series Coupe comes in two versions: 428i and 435i. The 428i will come with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers a total of 240 horsepower between 5,000 and 6,500 rpm and 255 pound-feet of torque between 1,250 and 4,800 rpm. This powerplant links up to a standard eight-speed automatic transmission and allows it to hit 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds. Top speed of the 428i is limited to 155 mph. For those that like to row their own gears, you can opt for a six-speed manual transmission on the 428i at no cost.

The base setup of the 428i is a rear-drive configuration, but you can opt for xDrive all-wheel drive for added traction. The 428i xDrive is only available with the eight-speed automatic.

For those looking for a little more pep, there is the top-line 435i. This model receives a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter in-line-six engine with 300 horsepower between 5,800 and 6,000 rpm, and 300 pound-feet of torque from 1,200 to 5,000 rpm. The 435i hits 60 mph in just 5 seconds with the standard eight-speed automatic and 5.3 seconds with the six-speed manual. Top speed is limited to 155 mph. Like the 428i, the 435i is also available with xDrive all-wheel drive.

To help handle all of this power, Bimmer installed a double-wishbone suspension with aluminum torque struts, wishbones and swivel bearings. All of this aluminum helps reduce the 4 Series’ unsprung weight, thereby enhancing its handling characteristics. Helping reduce roll on the front end is an anti-roll bar, while standard Servotronic speed-sensitive steering makes sure the front wheels react in lightning-fast speeds.

On the backside, the 4 Series Coupes receives a sport-tuned five-link suspension system.

Bringing this new midsize coupe to a halt is a four-wheel disc brake system that features aluminum front calipers to help further reduce unsprung weight. Standard brake wear sensors and a Brake Drying system help avoid in the process.

When a buyer opts for the M Sport or Sport Line package, he gets the M Sport suspension system with stiffer shocks and struts, anti-roll bar, and revised bushings and bearings. M Sport brakes add in aluminum fixed calipers all the way around with four-piston units up front and two-piston calipers out back.

Tying all of this together is the available Driving Experience Control switch that allows you to choose between ECO PRO, COMFORT, SPORT or SPORT+. These settings all adjust the drivetrain and suspension to suit your driving needs. For example, SPORT improves steering response and alters shifts in the automatic transmission. SPORT+ raises the Dynamic Stability Control tolerances, to allow for freer driving, and tuned the limited-slip system for better out-of-corner acceleration. There is no word on whether this is a standard or optional feature, but we hope for the former.

Sport Package Additions

- M Sport Suspension

M Sport Additions

-M Sport suspension (rear-wheel drive models only)

-M Sport Brakes with calipers painted blue

Safety

As with any Bimmer, safety is a top priority. The 4 Series features a rear-view-mirror-mounted camera to detect obstructions from the rear, automatic braking, and Lane Departure Warning. Full details on the 4 Series’ safety will roll out as we get close to its release date.

Prices

The new 4 Series Coupe will go on sale later this summer. Prices will be as follow:

Packages:

Options:

Competitors

2013 Audi A5 Coupe

There is no doubting that one of the top luxury coupes on the market is the Audi A5. It is the first choice of many luxury car buyers with a lower budget and it is one of our top choices. Sure, the exterior is a little “blah,” but it still features premium luxury, good performance and a great price.

U.S. customers can choose between three different trim levels: Premium, Premium Plus and Prestige. All of them are offered with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that delivers a total of 211 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque.

The 2013 A5 is available now from $37,850 and we expect to only see a minimal price hike when the 2014 model rolls out. As usual, this will put it slightly lower than the 4 Series.

2014 Cadillac CTS Coupe

The all-new CTS is a serious threat to German luxury cars, but Caddy has yet to discuss the production future for the 2014 CTS Coupe. We can only assume that this popular body style will return and will carry a base price near the Sedan’s $46,025 mark.

Additionally, if it gets a Vsport version, which includes a 420-horsepower, turbocharged V-6 engine, BMW had better start working on an M4, stat!

Conclusion

As we were expecting, the 4 Series Coupe is little more than a renamed 3 Series Coupe. Sure, it is a little bigger and its roofline is awesome, but everything else has 3er DNA all over it. We were hoping of a better mix of 3 and 6 Series models, but we didn’t get our wish.

On that note, we still love the 4 Series and are will to bet that it sell like crazy.

Spy Shots

The 4 Series certainly was not a shy bugger about getting its picture taken, as we caught it in various formats multiple times throughout the year. It started life as nothing more than a swirly camo-wearing coupe.

We then caught it almost undisguised being loaded onto a truck, but those images didn’t offer up too much, as it looked like nothing more than a 3er Coupe with all of the goody-hiding camo on it.

Finally, the inevitable happened, as our photographers managed to pick up this all-new coupe wearing just scant amounts of clothing. This is when reality set in that we were dealing more with badge engineering than an all-new model, though the eventual production model does have some differences from the 3 Series Coupe.

History

Does that car above look a little familiar to you? Well it should, because this is basically what the 4 Series is: a 335is with a facelift, a mild stretch and a new name. Ah, badge engineering at its finest. There is a reason for this, however, as Audi has made a killing in the past with its A5 Coupe and the 3 Series Coupe was just a little smaller and not quite as desirable, hence the minor lengthening.

Despite its modern recognition as primarily a sedan, the 3 Series actually started its life back in 1975 as a coupe. Yup, the first-generation 3er (1975-1983) was a compact coupe that really shares little but a name with the 3 Series of today.

The second-gen 3 Series (1984-1991) was the first to offer a sedan and station wagon variant along with the coupe.

The third-generation 3 Series (1992 – 1998) was really where the model blossomed, as a full line of sedans and wagons joined the coupe, instead of the sporadically place models between the line of coupes offered during the second generation.

The fourth-generation 3ers (1999 - 2005) were the flabbiest 3 Series models to date, with their big hips and rounded edges. The coupe trekked on, though slowly fading into the background of the sedan model. This model putted around town with the M10 1.8-liter four-cylinder that was good for 98 horsepower. In 1977, the M20 six-cylinder arrived. Oddly enough, the coupe model was absent for a year and returned in 2000 with the “Ci” suffix.

The fifth-generation 3 Series Coupe (2006 – 2013) are the most controversial; as they are the Bangle-era Bimmers whose fat asses made the lard-filled fourth-generation models seem svelte. Like the previous generation, the coupe model remained in the previous-generation format for a year before the coupe joined the sedan in the Bangle-era style. While the sedan underwent a full revision in 2012, the Coupe remained in its fifth-generation skin through the 2013 model year.

Was this remaining in aging skin a way to sicken the 3 Series coupe fans of the model and make the 4 Series release more exciting? Nah, no automaker would ever do that, right??

2014 435i Ordering Guide

2014 428i Ordering Guide

Exterior Color and Interior Trim Guide

Interior Upholstery Guide

Wheel Ordering Guide