BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe from $70K

Pitched as a stylish but practical four-door 'coupe' to rival the likes of the Audi A5 Sportback, the new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé will be available in Australia from June 2014 priced from $70,000.

After its global launch in late April, the style-conscious Beemer will become available here in four model grades, starting with the 420i Gran Coupé, powered by a 135kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine.

At a neat $70,000 plus on-road costs, the entry-level model costs $500 more than the new two-door 4 Series Coupe, but a whopping $10,000 more than the equivalent 3 Series model.

Despite the hefty pricetag, BMW asserts that equipment levels have improved significantly, matching the more luxurious 4 Series Coupe and thereby adding more value for customers.

"In line with BMW’s strategic product direction, the additional functionality will not come at a premium," insists Phil Horton, the managing director of BMW Group Australia.

"The 4 Series Gran Coupé will be similarly equipped and identically priced to the equivalent two-door Coupé models,” he said.

That means 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate-control, automatic xenon headlights, auto wipers and self-dimming mirrors are standard across the range, not to mention electrically adjustable front sports seats with memory function, satellite-navigation and Dakota leather.

The second design-driven Gran Coupé model after the 6 Series sedan is also the first BMW in Australia to be offered with its own SIM card, enabling a full array of BMW ConnectedDrive features.

The online functionality allows users to install apps on their car, such as a concierge to book hotels or restaurants and real-time traffic information. Owners can also operate some car functions remotely via their smartphone, including the climate-control.

Two other features new to the 4 Series Gran Coupé are an automatic push-button operated electric tailgate and split/folding (40:20:40) rear seats, which Horton says "adds more functionality to the BMW 4 Series without compromising any of the aesthetics or driving enjoyment of the vehicle".

The five-seat BMW offers an extra 35 litres of baggage space over the two-door 4 Series Coupé, for a total of 480 litres. It rises to 1300 litres with the rear seats folded flat.

Four models will be offered in total -- three turbo-petrol, one turbo-diesel, all of them rear-drive and paired to eight-speed automatic transmissions.

At the top of the 4 Series Gran Coupé family tree is the 435i, powered by a storming 225kW 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol that hammers to 100km/h in just 5.2 seconds. It's pegged at $109,000 -- $500 more than the 4 Series Coupe and $15,600 more than the 335i sedan.

Underneath that is the 428i Gran Coupé, which gets a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine pumping out 180kW, is good for 0-100km/h sprinting in six seconds and costs $81,000.

The sole diesel is the $72,300 420d Gran Coupé, powered by a four-cylinder 135kW oiler that goes from 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds but claims fuel efficiency of just 4.6L/100km.

All models are equipped with EfficientDynamics functions to reduce CO2 output, including automatic engine idle-stop, on-demand ancillaries such as electric power steering, and brake energy regeneration.

The new models ride on the same platform as the 4 Series Coupé and have similar exterior dimensions, measuring 4638mm long and 1825mm wide. The roofline is the major difference, which is 12mm higher and extends an extra 112mm aft.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé pricing (plus ORCs):

BMW 420i Gran Coupé -- $70,000
BMW 420d Gran Coupé -- $72,300
BMW 428i Gran Coupé -- $81,000
BMW 435i Gran Coupé -- $109,000