BMW 430i Gran Coupe 2016 Review

2016 BMW 430i Gran Coupe
Launch Review
Mount Macedon, Vic

Some updates are all encompassing, some little more than a new model-year designation. This one for BMW’s sporting 4 Series family falls somewhere in between. At its heart are new turbo-petrol engines for the Coupe, Convertible and Gran Coupe body styles. On top of that BMW Australia has also negotiated extra equipment and a lower manufacturer listed price for the cars. All that adds up to make this a more tempting proposition, which is handy considering the amount of competition the 4 has to contend with now and in the near future.

If there’s one thing the German luxury carmakers like to do it’s gazump one another. This specced-up, priced-down update of the BMW family of 4 Series coupe, convertible and four-door Gran Coupe is just the latest example in this never-ending game.

It arrives as Mercedes-Benz rolls out a new generation of its C-Class coupe and convertible. Meanwhile, Audi will have the second generation A5 family on-sale here from early next year.

So it’s game on… Although the game actually never stops being played between these three.

The 4 Series has only been around since late 2013 when it was first seen as a coupe, then came the hard-top convertible early in 2014 and the Gran Coupe later that year. It is a new naming convention because previous coupe and convertible generations were part of the 3 Series family. But they have been broken apart in the same way as Audi splits the A4 and A5 line-up.

As we reported in early May, the updated 4 Series has price cuts of up to $10,100 and significant equipment increases. Rather than go through all that again, the rundown is here.

On top of that there are important updates in the engine bay that are more important than what they may suggest at first glance. That’s because all petrol models are moving to new generation of modular turbocharged engines. The 4 is the latest series to go through the upgrade, which started with the 3 Series last January.

The easiest way to explain this is by the numbers. Each of the 4 Series families come in three petrol-engined variants (discounting the M cars).

The 420i and 428i were powered by the same N20 2.0-litre turbocharged engine in different states of tune. With this update the B48 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine in two tunes takes over and the 428i becomes the 430i.

The 435i was powered by the N55 3.0-litre inline. It is now powered by the B58, also a 3.0-litre petrol-turbo six, and becomes the 440i.

Fuel economy is improved for all 420i models but power and torque is unchanged at 135kW and 270Nm. The 430i gets extra power as well as fuel economy and therefore emissions improvements. Power goes from 180 to 185kW, torque stays put at a meaty 350Nm.

The 440i gets the biggest boost in terms of outputs, climbing 15kW to 240 and from 400Nm to 450.

Fuel economy also improves for all models, but varies from body to body (as it does for the other engines).

The 140kW/400Nm 2.0-litre B47 turbo-diesel engine is carry-over.

All engines mate with an eight-speed ZF auto and drive the rear wheels only (of course). A six-speed manual is a no-cost option.

But after driving the 430i Gran Coupe (as well as a brief sampling of the 420i and 440i coupes) at this week’s local launch, it’s difficult to make a case for anything other than the eight-speeder. As has been well documented previously, it is a terrific transmission and really allows the new engines to be shown at their best.

Both the four-cylinders are smooth, quiet (perhaps too quiet for sporting cars like these) and more than happy to rev out to 7000rpm. Changing from Eco through Comfort to Sport mode via the Driving Experience Controller delivers sharper throttle response, but no real change in ultimate performance.

In that regard the 430i, unsurprisingly, has the edge in sheer oomph, accelerating very solidly from rest to 100km/h in 5.8sec and 5.9sec respectively in the coupe and Gran Coupe . The heavier convertible takes 6.3secs. That’s compared to a range from 7.5 to 8.4 secs for the 420i.

On the flipside the 420i does return better fuel economy. Officially, the coupe claims a combined average of 5.8L/100km, although our trip computer read-out came in at 8.5L/100km in wet conditions that encouraged conservative driving. Surprisingly, the 430i also claims the same 5.8L/100km figure, but we ended up at 9.8L.100km.

The six is a fiercer ballgame. With its claimed 0-100km/h sprint in 5.0, 5.1 or 5.4 secs it’s getting into really fast territory and feels like it. Flatten the throttle from rest and there’s an initial scrabbling from the rear tyres before hooking up and hurling forward. This is really outstanding speed, backed up by enjoyable flexibility.

But the powertrains are where the 4 Series is at its finest. Rolling on 19-inch run-flats, the 430i and 440i ride too stiffly on their M Adaptive suspension even in comfort mode, especially at low speeds. There was also a tendency for tram tracking on rougher surfaces.

Electric-assist steering (variable sport in the case of the 440i) proved best balanced in comfort mode, tending to clagginess off-centre.

These factors – along with the weather – discouraged any sense of adventure.

Indeed, it was the 420i which prove the neatest, easiest drive. Also now offering adaptive suspension standard, but rolling on 18-inch run-flats it offered more tyre sidewall and therefore a better ride. It simply felt the most cohesive and balanced car out of the three to drive.

Inside, the Gran Coupe is certainly the most sensible. That’s simply because it has more doors, more space and more luggage room.

An adult can actually sit in the back of the Gran Coupe comfortably, unlike the coupe or the convertible. In fact, an adult can hardly sit at all in the back of the coupe such is the paucity of knee and headroom. At least in the convertible you can straighten your neck when the roof comes off.

One thing universal across the interior of the 4s was the high quality and presentation of the interior, an area on which BMW has obviously spent significant time working in recent times.

You can get your 4 Series done out in either Sport Line or Luxury Line. Of the two Sport was the more modern, although it is trumped by the M Sport package that costs up to $3380 with the 20i and standard with the 30i and 440i, although the latter also gets a leather instrument panel trim.

Many things remain familiar; big and well supported front seats, chunky steering wheels that are just the right diameter, the centre stack with the rectangular sat-nav and the long strip of favourites button and the big iDrive controller sitting on the centre console.

And familiarity is where we ultimately end up with the 4 Series. Rather than being a game changer, this combination of new tech, more equipment and better pricing simply keeps it competitive in an ever-more competitive game.

BMW 430i Gran Coupe
Price: $79,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder
Outputs: 185kW/350Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel: 5.8L/100km
CO2: 136g/km
Safety Rating: N/A

BMW 420i Coupe
Price: $68,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder
Outputs: 135kW/270Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel: 5.8L/100km
CO2: 134g/km
Safety Rating: N/A

BMW 440i Gran Coupe
Price: $99,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre turbo-petrol six-cylinder
Outputs: 240kW/450Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel: 6.8L/100km
CO2: 158g/km
Safety Rating: N/A

Also consider:
Audi A5 (from $68,200)
Lexus RC (from $64,000)
Mercedes-Benz C-class coupe (from $65,900)