We have known for quite some time that Bimmer’s->ke178 naming system is slowly morphing to cover nearly every number from 1 through 10. It began with the 1 Series and 2 Series, and now moved into the 4 Series.

Here’s the low down on all of that. The 1 Series->ke313, once everything is said and done, will only feature sedans. The 1 Series coupe and convertible are now the 2 Series->ke2065. Finally, the 3 Series now features only sedans, and the 4 Series->ke3834 takes over the midsize coupe and convertible markets to replace the 3 Series coupe and convertible.

Well, now there is a new wrinkle in the whole 4 Series lineup that will likely make your head spin, and that is the 4 Series Gran Coupè. Sure, it has four-doors and many of us automatically figure that is a sedan, but BMW, Mercedes and Audi like to call sleek sedans on sporty platform coupès and who are we to argue with them?

Updated 02/03/2014: BMW released the first details on the new 4 Series Gran Coupe before the car's world debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show and North American debut at the 2014 New York International Auto Show. On the U.S. market the new 4 Series Gran Coupe will be priced from $41,225 for the 428i version.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 4-Seires Gran Coupe.

2015 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupè

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupè
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 240 @ 5000
  • Torque: 255 @ 1250
  • Transmission: eight-speed sport Steptronic
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Impact

In recent years, we have seen some four-door coupes – as strange as that sounds – hit the U.S. market, but they are all full-size luxury cruisers. With this influx a vacancy formed in the compact realm, as there are really no compact four-door coupes in the U.S. yet. So, BMW looks to blaze the trail that everyone else has left overgrown by releasing this model and hopefully gaining a few younger buyers with families in the process.

This experiment will either be a huge success or a tragic failure. We’ll see.

Rendering Versus Reality

It was not very difficult to imagine how the 4 Series Gran Coupe will look like, especially if you have seen the coupe version. The only difference was at the car's side look, and this is why our rendering was pretty accurate.

All we had to do was take a coupe model, add some rear door, modify the B pillars a bit and add some larger rear windows.

Exterior

Just as you would expect from any BMW Gran Coupè, the 4 Series variant will look like a coupe with the back end extended just enough to fit a rear door. The rest of the car – its profile, roofline, window line, etc. – all retain the same look as the coupe.

Up front the model will feature the iconic kidney grille and dual round headlight clusters and with LED dual headlights being offered as an alternative. As on the coupe, the front apron is divided in three parts, with large air intakes, while the left and right apron corners featuring vertical air channels for the Air Curtains.

Only when viewed from the side you will notice that you are looking at something different than a coupe. The roofline is gently sloped, while the side windows have a taut and smooth appearance. The B-pillar is finished in high-gloss black, so is nearly invisible and creates a homogeneous profile. At the rear, just like on the coupe, the taillights are positioned at the outer edges to receive the swage lines and to offer the 4 Series a unique character.

2015 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe - Exterior Dimensions

Length

182.6" (4,638 mm)

Width

71.9" (1,825mm)

Wheelbase

110.6" (2,810mm)

Front track

60.8" (1,545mm)

Rear track

62.8" (1,594mm)


BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe Sport Line - Standard Exterior Features

- The subtle B pillar and the nine slats in the chrome-colored kidney grille are painted in high-gloss black

- The side window elements are finished in matte black

-The air intakes in the front spoiler and the Air Breathers are in high-gloss black

-18-inch or 19-inch light-alloy wheels with a dynamic double-spoke design.

-At the rear it adds a black trim strip and a tailpipe embellisher finished in black chrome

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe Luxury Line - Standard Exterior Features

- 11 grille slats feature chrome-colored fronts

- Chrome dual crossbar in the front apron’s air intakes

- Air Breathers and window details are in high-gloss chrome

- 18-inch or 19-inch light-alloy wheels in multi-spoke design

- Tailpipe and horizontal trim strip in the rear apron finished in high-gloss chrome

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe M Sport - Standard Exterior Features

- Large air intake up front

- Diffuser insert in the rear bumper

- Rocker panel trim matching the color of the vehicle

- 18-inch and 19-inch light-alloy wheels

- Exclusive exterior colors: Carbon Black Metallic (which is available for the first time on any 4 Series) and Estoril Blue Metallic.

Interior

The interior will also look familiar, and will resemble with the coupe version, but it offers increased space for 4+1 passengers. Just like on the coupe the model gets prominent round instruments with a black panel look, a free-standing flat-screen iDrive monitor, plus a cockpit visually joined with the rear passenger compartment by trim strips.

The rear seats can be folded in 40:20:40 configurations to create more luggage and storage space and, when not folded down, the middle section of the rear seats provides space for two cup holders.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe Sport Line - Standard Interior Features

-The inner rings of the dash instruments and contrast stitching on the steering wheel are red

-Coral Red Dakota leather interior with red lower dashboard.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe Luxury Line - Standard Interior Features

- Chromed enclosure surrounding the audio system and air conditioning controls

- Chromed circular rings highlighting the instrumentation

- Premium leather, finely crafted with precise stitching available in Saddle Brown or Ivory White

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe M Sport - Standard Interior Features

- M door sill finishers

- M leather steering wheel

- M driver’s footrest

- Sport seats upholstered in either SensaTec or supple Dakota Leather.

Drivetrain

U.S. customers will have the possibility to choose between two different models: 428i and 435i, both offered in standard or combined with the BMW's intelligent all-wheel drive system.

The base model, 428i gets a 2.0 liter four-cylinder engine equipped with TwinPower Turbo technology and delivering a total of 240 horsepower available between 5,000 and 6,500 rpm and a peak torque of 255 pound-feet generated between 1,250 rpm and 4,800 rpm. This combination ensures a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of 5.7 seconds and a fuel consumption of 23 mpg city/35 mpg highway/27 mpg combined.

The top version on the other hand gets a 3.0 liter inline six-cylinder engine with an output of 300 horsepower delivered 5,800 rpm and 6,000 rpm and a peak torque of 300 pound-feet generated delivered between 1,300 rpm and 5,000 rpm. The 435i is a little bit faster and goes from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds, while fuel economy goes down to 22 mpg city/32 mpg highway/25 mpg combined.

Both models can be combined with BMW's xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive technology that helps reducing understeer and oversteer in curves and thus contributes to agile and precision handling.

Both engines will be mated to a standard eight-speed sport Steptronic transmission that can be used in both automatic or manual version, just by using the shift paddles on the steering wheel. It comes with two driving modes: Drive and Sport which can be selected by using the Driving Dynamics Control on the center console.

BMW 428i

BMW 435i

Engine

2.0 liter four-cylinder

3.0 liter inline six-cylinder

Horsepower

240 HP @ 5,000 - 6,500 rpm

300 @ 5,800 - 6,000 rpm

Torque

255 lbs-ft @ 1,250 rpm - 4,800 rpm

300 lbs-ft @ 1,300 rpm - 5,000 rpm

Fuel consumption

23 mpg city/35 mpg highway/27 mpg combined

22 mpg city/32 mpg highway/25 mpg combined


Suspension and Brakes

Just like the coupe version, the new 4 Series Gran Coupe will be offered with aluminum double-pivot spring-strut suspension up front, while at the rear it gets a five-arm suspension. Also, as standard feature the model offers Servotronic power steering which ensures speed-sensitive power assistance for a sharper steering feel and feedback.

The 18 or 19-inch wheels will be combined with a high-performance brake system that includes swing-caliper or fixed-caliper brakes and large, inner-vented brake discs.

The optional M Sport package will add a M Sport suspension with a firmer spring/damper set-up and more robust front and rear anti-roll bars.

Prices

Model

Price

BMW 428i Gran Coupe

$41,225

BMW 428i xDrive Gran Coupe

$43,225

BMW 435i Gran Coupe

$46,725


Competition

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

In the U.S., there are not many competitors for the 4 Series Gran Coupè. However, we can put the 4 Series Gran Coupè up against the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. Unfortunately, it is not as powerful as the 4 Series Gran Coupè at its base level, as the CLA250 has just 208 horsepower coming from its 2.0-liter engine.

Mercedes CLA is priced from $29,900 - a huge disadvantage in price for the 4 Series.

Audi A3 sedan

Is no surprise to see that the three German makers are creating models that will attack each other. Of course, there's no doubt that the CLA is enjoying a great success on the market, but the A3 is also a pretty strong competitor for the 4 Series.

Just like the Mercedes competitor, the Audi A3 sedan is offered with a 1.8-liter TFSI gasoline engine that delivers a total of 180 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque.

The A3 sedan is priced from $29,900.

Conclusion

There's no doubt that BMW wanted to enter the market with a powerful, good-looking four-door coupe, but the problem is that both Audi and Mercedes managed to do the same, but with a considerable lower price. So unless BMW will not offer some serious equipment line, will be hard for it to steal customers from its competitors.