New 2020 BMW 4 Series Coupe storms in with dramatic styling overhaul

• New 4 Series Coupe will go on sale in October starting from £39,870
• All diesel models and flagship six-cylinder petrol engine get mild-hybrid assistance
• New flagship M440i petrol and M440d xDrive models added to new 4 Series line-up

The all-new BMW 4 Series Coupe has finally been revealed. The new model will renew its rivalry with the Mercedes C-Class coupe and the Audi A5 when it arrives in showrooms this November. Prices start at £39,870.

Best sports cars you can buy in 2020

The 4 Series has undergone a radical styling departure, with a prominent pair of kidney grilles dominating the nose of the new model. BMW has given the second-generation 4 Series a distinctive design to distinguish it from the 3 Series on which it's based.

The new model also gets an array of new engines, with several featuring mild-hybrid assistance and updated technology. Two new flagship M440i and M440d xDrive models have been introduced.

2020 BMW 4 Series Coupe: design, dimensions and practicality

7

The new 4 Series has undergone a radical redesign, with a divisive looking front featuring a large pair of vertical kidney grilles. Whereas the old 4 Series was clearly a coupe derived from the 3 Series, the new one now has its own distinct look.

At the front, the car features slim LED headlights with LED daytime running lights and LED fog lights. In the centre of the nose, the huge kidney grilles stretch across the depth of the front bumper, with a u-shaped lower air intake flanked by a pair of oversized side air intakes either side.

The side of the car boasts slightly flared wheel arches, with a sweeping roofline leading to a ‘ducktail’ style rear spoiler similar to that seen on the BMW 8 Series. The rear of the car features narrow LED tail lights finished in a smoked red and black colour scheme. Beneath is a new angular rear bumper, featuring a pair of vertical air outlets and a pair of large exhaust pipes either side of a rear diffuser.

Measuring in at 4.768mm long, the new 4 Series is 128mm longer than the old car, and 27mm wider at 1,852mm, with a wheelbase (the distance between the front and rear wheels) of 2,851mm representing an increase of 41mm. The car’s track has also been widened by a total of 28mm at the front axle and 18mm at the rear.

The new 4 Series features a 40:20:20 split-folding rear seat, an array of storage cubbies dotted around the interior and 440 litres of boot space.

Engines and performance

7

The new 4 Series is underpinned by the same chassis as the 3 Series but features a number of revisions, including improvements to make it stiffer and more rigid to improve handling. The rear end has been strengthened, and the car’s suspension is also distinct from the 3 Series, with a far stiffer setup.

BMW will not offer the new 4 Series with a manual gearbox, with all models getting an eight-speed Steptronic automatic gearbox fitted as standard. BMW claims this gearbox is sharper and offers better refinement than the previous generation. Launch control is also included in all models, along with steering wheel mounted shift paddles.

Mild-hybrid assistance has also been added to the 4 Series for the first time and is available on all diesel engines and the six-cylinder petrol M440i xDrive flagship model. It uses a 48-volt starter-generator and a battery pack to store energy recovered from braking, which is then used to assist the engine when accelerating. The generator can also provide an 11bhp power boost to help acceleration and overtaking.

From launch, the petrol 420i acts as the entry point into the 4 Series line-up. It features a turbocharged 2.0-litre engine producing 181bhp and is capable of 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds with a top speed of 149mph. The 420d features a turbocharged 2.0-litre diesel engine producing 187bhp. In rear-wheel drive form, it covers 0-62mph in 7.1 seconds, with the four-wheel-drive version taking 7.4 seconds.

The 430i also features a turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. It produces 254bhp and can cover 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds. The flagship petrol M440i xDrive is powered by a turbocharged straight-six engine producing 369bhp, making it the most powerful engine in the 4 Series line-up until the new M4 arrives. It’s the fastest model in the range as well, covering 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds with a top speed of 155mph.

In March 2021, a pair of new 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engines will be added to the 4 Series line-up. The 430d will boast 282bhp, and xDrive four-wheel-drive giving it a 0-62mph time of 5.2 seconds. The flagship M440d xDrive produces a power output of 335bhp, making it the fastest diesel in the range with 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 155mph.

Trim level specifications and options

At launch, the new 4 Series will only be available in M Sport trim, a change from the previous generation, which was also available in entry-level Sport form.

Every M Sport car is well-equipped as standard with 18-inch alloy wheels and a full body kit with gloss black detailing. Inside, sports seats are fitted as standard along with a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel. Five leather trim colour options are available, with options including extended leather trim and heated seats.

The flagship M440i and M440d models get 19-inch alloy wheels as standard, with grey exhaust tips and additional gloss black trim. Buyers can also choose a carbon fibre exterior styling package as an option, which adds carbon finished mirror caps, front air intakes, a rear diffuser and a rear spoiler. Electrically adjustable front seats are also standard on these range-topping models.

Buyers can buy a new ‘M Sport Pro’ package for the 4 Series too, which adds a number of additional features including black 19-inch alloy wheels and M Sport spec brakes. It also adds three exclusive paint colours, along with a rear spoiler and mirror caps finished in gloss black.

Interior and technology

7

The interior of the new 4 Series is effectively the same as the one found in the 3 Series, with a near-identical dashboard and centre console. Front sports seats are standard, along with leather trim throughout.

All models of the 4 Series get BMW’s latest Live Cockpit plus system as standard, which runs the latest version of BMW’s iDrive operating system, with an 8.8-inch infotainment touchscreen and a 5.1-inch colour display housed in the instrument panel. This latest operating system also adds Android Auto smartphone connectivity for the first time, alongside Apple CarPlay.

Buyers can spec the optional Live Cockpit Professional setup, which adds a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a larger 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen. A head-up-display with 3D mapping capability is also available on the options list.

The new 4 Series boasts an array of connectivity features, including remote software updates, allowing owners to download updates via a built-in SIM card or smartphone. This setup also allows access to the standard digital services, including real time traffic information, a concierge service and emergency calling.

Standard fit safety features include front collision detection and city braking, which is capable of bringing the car to stop automatically if a hazard is detected. Lane departure warning, speed limits, a no-overtaking warning and cruise control are also standard.

Active cruise control with stop & go functionality is available as part of the optional Driving Assistant Professional package, which includes Steering and Lane Assist Control. This system reads road markings via a front camera and radar, automatically keeping the car in lane by correcting the steering.

The standard parking assistance has been improved, and is capable of reversing the car into a parking space automatically for a distance of up to 50 metres. The optional Parking Assistant Plus suite features several in-built cameras dotted around the bodywork recording and storing up to 40 seconds of footage. In the event of an accident, the system automatically saves the 20 seconds of footage prior to impact and the 20 seconds after it.

Read all about the 2020 BMW 4 Series Convertible and 2020 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe here.