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Michael Taylor6 Dec 2012
NEWS

BMW bares all-new 4 Series Coupe

BMW has killed off its popular 3 Series Coupe range, but it's not all bad news

Long considered the most beautifully proportioned model in the entire BMW range, the 3 Series Coupe won’t be renewed in the wake of last year’s all-new 3 Series sedan.

The move to kill the nameplate will leave plenty of upset up-and-coming professionals around the world, because of its combination of style, comfort and four-seat comfort.

Fortunately, though, the Bavarian car-maker has a solution – it’s simply introducing a new badge and moving the 3 Series Coupe up one digit to become the 4 Series.

This is officially the 4 Series Concept Coupe, but expect it to be on sale here by the third quarter next year following its European release by mid-2013.

Longer, wider and lower than the car it replaces, the 4 Series Concept Coupe has taken the proportions of its predecessor and built on them to create the fourth generation of the mid-sized BMW two-door.

It has changed to the name to fill the gaps in the corporate naming structure, moving the coupes onto even-numbered designations (like the 6 and 8 Series) and keeping the multi-door machines on odd numbers.

It also means the current 1 Series Coupe will inevitably be replaced by the 2 Series. Of course, both the 2 and 4 Series coupes will also spawn convertible versions to replace the existing 1 and 3 Series Convertibles respectively.

While BMW has been shy about revealing too many details of the powertrain, we can reveal plenty about its size.

At 4641mm, it has grown 29mm longer than the outgoing car and its wheelbase is a significant 50mm longer, at 2819mm.

The two numbers mean the 4 Series Concept Coupe actually has shorter overhangs than the 3 Series Coupe, which enhances its long-bonnet proportions.

That’s an impression also helped by an enormous stretch in the car’s width, out by 80mm to 1862mm, and a roofline that is actually 33mm lower than the one on the 3 Series Coupe.

The lower, wider, longer stance gives the 4 Series Concept Coupe a far sleeker stance than its predecessor and its profile reflects the stance of the bigger 6 Series.

The visuals alone promise sharper handling and that’s an attitude backed up by far wider track widths at both ends and unique 20-inch wheels and tyres.

Front-end bite will be enhanced by moving the middle of the front tyres out to 1545mm apart (up from 1500mm) and the rear wheel track has been stretched by a massive 80mm to 1593mm.

BMW has assured us that production versions of the 4 Series Coupe will weigh no more than the outgoing cars, but refuses to divulge the weight of the new model.

The production version will run the same powerplants as BMW fits to the strongest of its 3 Series sedans, including the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine from the 328i and the twin-turbo 3.0-litre six from the 335i.

That will equate to around 180kW of power and 350Nm of torque, and 225kW and 400Nm from the 335i version.

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Written byMichael Taylor
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