4 Series Gran Coupe

Make
BMW
Segment
Sedan

BMW wants to make sure there's something for everyone. Literally. In this case, it's the all-new 2022 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. The last of the three body styles to debut from the G20 generation 3 and 4 Series, the new Gran Coupe continues with the sleeker styling four-door coupes benefit from. Think of the new 4 GC as the most practical body style of the new 4 Series models, which includes the traditional coupe and convertible.

If you think you've seen the 4 Series Gran Coupe before then your eyes aren't fooling you. The exterior design is nearly identical to the all-electric i4, save for some styling elements like the front grille (or lack thereof in the i4) and wheel designs. Some may wonder whether there'll be any internal competition not only between the 4 GC and the i4, but also the regular 3 Series sedan? We honestly doubt it because BMW would never have bothered with a second-generation 4GC if it believed that'd be the case.

Expressive Exterior Styling

First thing's first: the new 4 Series Gran Coupe is larger than its predecessor, measuring 5.9 inches longer, 2.1 inches taller, and exactly one inch wider. The wheelbase is also longer by 1.8 inches. It's also slightly longer than the G20 3 Series' wheelbase.

What could be the car's most distinctive (and controversial) design feature is the large kidney grille ripped directly from the 4 Series. The 3 Series has a more conventionally styled look. Like it or not, the big grille certainly adds presence. Other styling elements include slim full-LED headlights (adaptive LEDs with Laserlight are optional), frameless windows for the doors, flush-fitting door handles, and aggressive shoulders towards the rear leading to the darkened LED taillights. The tailgate, which makes loading and unloading easier, has a cool-looking spoiler lip. The M440i model, shown here in red, can be optioned with an M Carbon package and a variety of M Performance Parts.

A set of 17-inch alloy wheels come standard for the 430i while the M440i gets standard 18-inchers, along with an M Sport differential. This can be added to the 430i only if the M Sport suspension or adaptive M suspension have already been selected.

Driver And Passenger-Focused Cabin

If you're familiar with the interior of the 3 and 4 Series then there's nothing here that will surprise you, but that familiarity is very much welcomed. There is one significant difference though: seating for up to five passengers. Another plus is greater head and shoulder room. Oddly, the trunk is exactly the same 12-cubic-foot trunk as that of the coupe.

The M440i comes standard with BMW's excellent Live Cockpit Professional 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. A 10.25-inch touchscreen is where owners can control all iDrive 7 functions. The 430i gets Live Cockpit Plus with an 8.8-inch display and 5.1-inch instrument cluster as standard while the Professional is optional. Both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility are included at no additional charge. Drivers can control these functions in a few ways, specifically via the touchscreen, iDrive control knob, steering wheel buttons, voice control, or the available gesture control.

Another extremely handy piece of tech is the cloud-based navigation system that provides real-time traffic updates, and the ability to plan and calculate drive times, and search for destinations only with one word. Over-the-air updates are also included.

Power, Performance, And Safety

BMW has always built excellent engines and this is no exception for the 4 Series Gran Coupe. Standard power comes by way of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. It's linked to an eight-speed automatic that routes power to the rear wheels only. Zero to 60 mph happens in six seconds flat.

The M440i xDrive (meaning all-wheel drive) has a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six pumping out 382 hp and 369 lb-ft, allowing for a 0-60 mph sprint of 4.5 seconds. It's connected to the same gearbox as the base model. A 48-volt mild-hybrid system enables an extra 11 hp when called upon and improves overall efficiency. The M440i's Sprint function, activated via the shift paddles, orders the engine to release sudden power bursts for overtaking and the desire for extra speed in general.

Thanks to the 50:50 weight distribution, a low center of gravity, and unique tuning characteristics, the 4 GC delivers a sporty yet comfortable driving experience. The M440i's stopping power comes courtesy of M Sport brakes, optional on the 430i. Some standard safety includes lane departure warning, forward collision warning, and active blind-spot detection.

Pricing And Competition

BMW has confirmed the 2022 430i Gran Coupe with rear-wheel-drive will begin at $44,800 while the all-wheel drive M440i xDrive starts from $58,000 in change. The $995 destination fee is not included. Sales for both are due to begin in August. At some point after this, both an AWD 430i and RWD M440i will arrive.

The luxury sporty four-door coupe segment is shared with only one other brand these days: Audi. The A5 and S5 Sportback models are the 4 GC's main rivals. There's also the even more powerful RS5 Sportback but, unfortunately, it does not appear BMW has any plans to launch an M4 Gran Coupe, though this could change.

BMW has done a solid job with its second-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe by improving the specific areas where its predecessor fell slightly short (namely rear passenger space) while improving the overall driving and luxury experience.