BMW 4 Series 2014 Review

Now BMW is performing the same trick by replacing the 3 Series Coupe with the 4 Series Coupe – which not only sounds more upmarket but suggests it’s now a model in its own right, as distinct from the 3 Series upon which it’s based.

Just as the E-Class Coupe is underpinned by the C-Class sedan, BMW’s 3 Series sedan forms the basis of the 4 Series, which comes with almost the same engines and interior but offers just four seats – all wrapped in a sleek two-door body with rear wheel-arches forming the widest part of the car, for the first time in any BMW.

Although its driver’s seat is slighter lower, the 4 Series doesn’t feel significantly different to drive than the 3 Series, but that’s no bad thing since it remains a benchmark in the premium mid-size sedan segment.

But is a new nameplate, sleek new styling and more standard equipment across the board enough to justify higher pricetags across the board?

The 420d costs $71,800 -- $1400 less than the price announced by BMW Australia in early August and pricing for the 428i has been reduced by an even bigger amount, its $80,500 pricetag being $6000 less than originally announced.

The range-topping 435i (until the M4 super-coupe arrives next year) remains unchanged at $108,500 – almost $9000 more than the 335i.

Unlike the 3 Series Coupe, an eight-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters will be standard across the 4 Series line-up, with a six-speed manual available by special request for the same price.

Including the auto and other additional standard equipment, both 420 models are claimed by BMW to offer about $7000 of extra value over the 320d, while the 428i represents $8000 better value than the outgoing six-cylinder. The 435i brings $6000 of added value over the previous 335i, says BMW.

Apart from their engines, the entry-level 420i and 420d come with the same standard equipment, including 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate-control, automatically adjusting bi-xenon headlights, rain-sensing wipers, a self-dimming rear-view mirror, fully electric front sports seats with memory functions, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity, satellite-navigation, six-speaker audio and Dakota leather upholstery.

In addition, the mid-range 428i offers 19-inch alloys, power-adjustable front lumbar support, a nine-speaker stereo, auto-dimming exterior mirrors and Professional navigation with larger 8.8-inch infotainment screen, DVD drive and 20GB hard disc.

To this, the top-shelf 435i adds an M Sport package as standard, including 19-inch 'M' double-spoke alloy wheels, variable sport steering, M adaptive suspension, beefed-up four-piston M Sport front brake calipers, an M leather steering wheel, Comfort Access, a 600-Watt 16-speaker harman/kardon surround sound system and an M Sport body kit.

Sport Line or Luxury Line trim packages can be requested at no extra cost, the Sport pack adding gloss black exterior highlights, a black chromes exhaust tip, chromed pearl grey interior highlights, a sport leather steering wheel and two leather colour options.

The Luxury pack comprises chrome exterior trim and a choice of Saddle brown, Veneto beige or black leather upholstery, while different alloy wheel designs are also included. Interior designs are similar to the 3 Series sedan but with a body colour-matched trim strip across the dash and doors.

The extensive options list is led by adaptive LED headlights with automatic high-beam, adding further aggression to the 4 Series Coupe’s armoury and costing between $2539 and $3300, depending on whether the total vehicle cost exceeds the $75,000 luxury car tax threshold.

Adaptive suspension damping ($1692-$2200) and Sport steering ($400-$520) can also be optioned in the 420i and 420d, while the 435i’s M Sport kit – including adaptive suspension – costs $3231-$4200 on the 420i and 420d, and $1538-$2000 on the 428i.

Available across the range is a sunroof ($2246-$2920), driving assistant (including lane departure warning – $692-$900), active cruise control ($1231-$1600), surround view camera ($1000-$1300), automatic parking ($519-$675), head-up display ($1308-$1700), a digital radio tuner ($385-$500) and metallic paint ($1840). Model pricing is as follows:

420i -- $69,500
420d -- $71,800
428i – $80,500
435i -- $108,500

That makes the rear wheel-arches the widest part of the 4 Series and although it retains its sleek, long-bonnet, narrow-glasshouse design, it’s 26mm longer than the 3 Series Coupe at 4638mm, as well as 43mm wider at 1825mm and 16mm lower at 1362mm.

BMW says most aero work has occurred underneath the 4 Series, resulting in an aerodynamic drag factor of 0.28Cd and reducing lift levels to that of the outgoing M3 Coupe, while the centre of gravity is also lower at less than 500mm.

Front and rear overhangs are also a respective 13 and 11mm shorter, giving BMW’s fourth-generation mid-size coupe even sportier proportions, while LED tail-lights and a trademark Hoffmeister kink blend modernity with classic BMW coupe cues.

Naturally, 50/50 front/rear weight distribution continues, while the front axle is positioned 10mm further forward for greater stability and torsional body rigidity is improved by no less than 60 per cent.

Apart from the wider wheel tracks, there are new springs, dampers and suspension kinematics, plus extra front subframe struts and electric power steering.

Adaptive M suspension is standard in the 428i and 435i, lowering the car's ride height by 10mm and including switchable and adaptive damping.

Along with the eight-speed auto, fuel-saving measures include EfficientDynamics technologies including on-demand ancillary systems, an automatic idle-stop system, brake energy regeneration and an EcoPRO driving mode that’s said to reduce fuel consumption by up to 25 per cent by retarding the engine, suspension and steering systems and decoupling drive during coasting at speeds between 50 and 160km/h.

BMW says the result is class-leading efficiency.

Engine options mirror those of the 3 Series sedan range. The 420i is powered by a 135kW270Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. It can hit 100km/h in a claimed 7.3 seconds and consumes 6.3L/100km.

The 420d comes with a 135kW/380Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel. Claimed 0-100km/h acceleration is the same 7.3 seconds and fuel consumption is just 4.6L/100km.

The 428i offers a 180kW/350Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, accelerating it to 100km/h in a claimed 5.8 seconds and consuming 6.4L/100km, while the 435i’s 225kW/400Nm 3.0-litre inline turbo six consumes 7.4L/100km and accelerates the car to 100km/h in 5.1 seconds.

The driver sits 10mm lower than in the virtually identical 3 Series sedan cabin and boot space is a sizeable 440 litres. Augmenting it with a 40/20/40-split folding rear seatback to provide through-load capability costs an extra $500.

Standard safety technologies across the range include six airbags, a host of dynamic stability controls, anti-skid brakes, reversing camera, tyre pressure monitor, dynamic brake lights and front/rear parking sensors. New (but optional) safety technologies include adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning. Also on the options list are a surround-view camera and head-up display.

In diesel terms, the 420d ($71,800) is $3100 more expensive than the A5 2.0 TDI ($68,700), while at $71,900 the C 250 CDI is just $100 pricier and the E 250 CDI is some $27,100 costlier at $98,900.

The $80,500 428i, meantime, is about $10,000 more expensive than the C 250 ($70,400) but $400 more affordable than the A5 2.0 TFSI quattro ($80,900), while the 435i ($108,500) is $8200 upstream of the A5 3.0 TFSI quattro ($100,300) and almost $9000 steeper than the C 350 ($99,545) – but considerably cheaper than the $128,545 E 400 Coupe.

But if style counts for much, and it does in the premium mid-size coupe segment, the muscular new proportions of the all-new 4 Series give it a serious leg-up in its showroom battle against good-lookers like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe and Audi A5 Coupe.

Although it stays true to the classic long-bonnet, narrow-glasshouse designs of BMW’s previous three 3 Series Coupe generations, the 4 Series adds a man-size dose of aggression via a more upright ‘shark nose’ grille, prominent ‘air curtain’ inlets on the front bumper and ‘air breather’ front quarter vents, both designed to draw air in and over the front wheels.

But the longer, lower 4 Series Coupe’s trump card is its 80mm wider rear track, which makes its rear wheel-arches the widest part of the car – a BMW first. The German brand claims the interior is bigger in all key dimensions but, while the front seats are slightly lower, occupants of the twin rear bucket seats score adequate headroom at the expense of outward vision.

There’s no escaping the 3 Series sedan as the source of the 4 Series dashboard either and, although its cleverly designed and impeccably finished, it lacks the interior beauty of its two most direct German competitors, which also offer bigger door pockets and a roomier driver’s footwell – and $500 extra for a through-loading rear seat is just rude. We prefer a conventional handbrake, but the mechanical lever in the 4 Series doesn’t bring the bragging rights of an electric one and takes up valuable space in the centre console.

But get behind the wheel of the 4 for an extended mountain blast – as we did during the local launch, along the Great Alpine Road between Wangaratta and Bairnsdale – and those practical foibles become a distant memory as the 4 Series’ stiffer new body, more focussed chassis and bigger footprint remind you precisely why people buy cars like these.

We didn’t drive the yet-to-arrive 420i, but even in punchy entry-level 2.0-litre four-cylinder 420d turbo-diesel guise the 4 Series is an engaging sports car, although ride quality (even on smaller 18-inch alloys) was slightly lumpier than in the 428i and top-shelf 435i, which along with bigger 19-inch alloys come standard with adaptive M dampers. Why anyone would want a diesel-powered German coupe is beyond us.

As you’d expect, the 435i is an exhilarating drive, with BMW’s cracking inline turbo-six providing effortless performance at all engine and road speeds, but it would be even better with BMW’s seven-speed dual-clutch transmission instead of the eight-speed auto that’s now standard across the range.

That’s right, in a sign of our automatic-everything times, a six-speed manual is now a no-cost, special-order option, which is just one of the many new standard equipment additions that help justify price hikes across the range. In eight-speed auto form, using the steering wheel paddle shifters is the only way to ensure satisfyingly quick downshifts.

That leaves the perky 428i turbo-four, which is much smoother than the 420d diesel, sounds even better than the 435i six and always delivers plenty of poke, even if the Goodyear Eagles fitted to it (and the 420d we drove) didn’t feel quite as grippy as the Bridgestone Potenzas on the 435i.

As in the 435i, the steering, suspension, transmission and throttle systems quicken up significantly in sport mode and, although it offers good response and feedback, the electric steering isn’t as communicative as the hydraulic system it replaces.

Our 428i slugged down 10.5L/100km on the winding leg over Mt Hotham, making it thirstier than the 435i we drove on straighter roads (9.8L/100km). But its lusty, sweet-revving 2.0-litre twin-scroll turbo engine not only accelerates the car to 100km/h in a respectable 5.8 seconds (just seven-tenths more than the 435i), but allows you to more deeply explore the talents of the 4 Series chassis.

It might cost $11,000 more than the lower-output 420i ($69,500), but at a full $28K less than the 435i ($108,500), the 428i is one of the finest German coupes $80,000 can buy.

Now bring on the M4.

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