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Gautam Sharma17 Jan 2013
NEWS

SPY PICS: BMW 4 Series Coupe

Bavarian carmaker hones its next-gen compact coupe as concept version makes Detroit motor show debut
BMW’s upcoming 3 Series Coupe replacement – now confirmed as the 4 Series – may have been unveiled in concept form at the Detroit motor show, but these spy shots by Carparazzi provide an indication of how the production reality will shape up.
Due to go on sale next year, the 4 Series will feature a greater level of differentiation from its 3 Series sedan sibling than was the case with its forerunners. 
Consequently, the standalone model gains steeper raked front and rear screens and a broad-shouldered stance that befits its sporting orientation.
Although much of the design language of the concept will translate through to the showroom reality, these spy pics provide clues that the radical front and rear bumpers and spoilers will be toned down appreciably.
BMW revealed the key dimensions of the concept at the Detroit show, and these are likely to be carried through to the production car more or less unchanged. 
Measuring 4641mm from bumper to bumper, 1826mm across the bows and 1326mm tall, the 4 Series Concept is 17mm longer than the sedan and 15mm wider, but a massive 67mm lower, endowing it with a significantly squatter and sportier stance.
And although the coupe shares its 2810mm wheelbase with the 3 Series sedan, the two-door has wider tracks – 1545mm (+3mm) at the front and 1593mm (+10mm) at the rear – giving it a beefier footprint on the road.
The camouflage on this prototype conceals much of the car’s details and surfacing, but expect the production-ready 4 Series to retain the concept’s characterful swage line that runs through the door handles and across the flanks. 
As per the latest F30 3 Series sedan, the 4 Series Coupe gains headlights that connect to the trademark twin-kidney grille, which protrudes more discernibly from the surrounding panels.
Going on these images, it’s not clear whether the stylised vents behind the concept’s front wheelarches will survive the transition to showroom reality. What is clear is that conventional round tailpipes replace the trapezoidal exhaust outlets on the concept.
BMW hasn’t as yet revealed any details pertaining to the 4 Series’ engine line-up, but it’s likely to be largely as per the 3 Series sedan’s powertrain range. That said, the coupe is tipped to gain firmer chassis settings to establish it as a separate and sportier model.
 – with Carparazzi

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Written byGautam Sharma
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