BMW will soon further expand its 4 Series family with the introduction of the next 4 Series Gran Coupe. Like its outgoing predecessor, the new model will feature a fastback, four-door coupe body style but with its own unique look to further separate it from the 3 Series sedan. Our spy photographers have just snapped this first set of pictures showing an advanced 4 Series Gran Coupe prototype being transported for testing purposes.

Our first reaction? It looks an awful lot like the upcoming all-electric i4. This is no coincidence as both will share a main body and platform, codenamed CLAR. What's more, both will be built on the same assembly line. The 4 Series GC, however, will be offered with gasoline, plug-in hybrid, and diesel powertrains (the latter will not come to the US).

The all-electric version will be the i4. Aside from having a combustion engine, the 4 Series GC will differ from the i4 mainly with its front and rear-end styling. This design is in line with the new 4 Series family. The i4, meanwhile, will rightly have its own unique look that will feature a more closed front since it won't require the same amount of engine cooling. Expect the 4 Series coupe and convertible to debut before the Gran Coupe, which is really not a surprise.

There is, however, one question that remains unanswered: will there be an M4 Gran Coupe? Remember, there wasn't one with the previous generation as BMW M wanted to keep the spotlight solely on the M3. Will things be different this time around?

More than likely, BMW will give the 4 Series GC the M Performance treatment, but that'll be as far as it'll go for the same reason as before: keep attention on the M3. This has proven to be a winning strategy and launching unnecessary models is a waste of time and money. No specific launch date for the 4 Series Gran Coupe has been announced, but we predict it'll debut sometime next year.