While the group is preparing to restart production in its European factories on May 11, BMW engineers are refining, in the backyard of their test tracks, the development of the next models. One of the first of the new wave will be the 4 Series. Although derived from the last 3 Series sedan, the coupe will stand out with lines that confirm an evolution of formal language within BMW design.
Concept 4 of the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. BMW
Since last year's Frankfurt Motor Show, has BMW mitigated the stylistic excesses of concept 4? The massive grille reconnecting with the double vertical bean of pre-war models had been the subject of controversy. In fact, it is unlikely that the future 4 Series will give up its grille which is part of an overall process of renewal of the house style. The camouflage visible in the photos sent by the manufacturer would thus be a decoy. The concept of last year foreshadows 90% of the series coupe marketed in the last quarter of 2020. While the sides are very worked and alternate concave and convex surfaces, the rear part is largely inspired by the 8 Series, not only in level of the fall of the pavilion as of the treatment of the lights and the shield.
BMW
Not content to distance itself from the Series 3 in terms of style, in terms of road performance, the Series 4 is much more than a Series 3. Wanted more dynamic and more agile than the sedan, the coupe benefits from a body lowered by 57 mm to claim a center of gravity reduced by 21 mm. At the same time, the ground connections benefit from new settings. The front wheels are negative camber and the rear track widened by 23 mm. If we find the diagram of previous models, McPherson type front suspension and multi-link rear axle, the 4 Series will adopt, like the 3 Series, hydraulic shock absorbers in its entry-level versions. The most powerful engines will be entitled to controlled damping. This is the case of the M440i xDrive which will oversee the range, pending the next M4. Its six-cylinder 3-liter turbo has a power of 374 hp. This block benefits from a light 48 V hybridization system allowing a few drops of gasoline to be collected. The transmission is entrusted to an 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission. As for the M4, its power should exceed 500 hp. With or without water injection? Response soon.
The camouflaged interior of a 4 Series test prototype. BMW
