The all-new BMW 4 series launched

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You’d either be blind or dead if you didn’t find the all-new BMW 4 Series pretty. I mean, come on, just look at it; those flared rear wheel arches that promises endless rear-wheel drive fun, low roof line with equally low windows set within frameless doors, short overhangs and long bonnet. What more do you want? As if for good measure, BMW now throws in the Air Breathers, those boomerang-like thingamajig that not only increases its visual appeal by few degrees, it serves the practical purpose of reducing drag around the front wheel arches. At the back, L-shaped tail lights that connects to the shoulder line of the car gives a sense of continuity from the front to the back. Not impressed? Let’s look at some size numbers

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Measuring 4,638mm in length, 1,825mm in width and 1,362mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,810, the new 4 Series is longer by 26mm, wider by 43mm, shorter by 16mm and its wheelbase elongated by 50mm compared to the previous generation BMW 3 series coupe … which brings us to the question; what on earth is a 4 series when in all respect, it looks like a coupe version of the traditional 3 series sedan?

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And here’s (probably) the answer:-

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1) To further distinguish the difference between a 4-door and a 2-door sedan. Makes it look way cooler to ask someone if they would like to follow you back to your place in your spanking new 4 series instead of “let’s-go-in-my-2-door-3-series-BMW’

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2) To keep up with the trend that’s seemingly set by the Audi 2-door A5 which is based on the A4 4-door saloon

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3) To justify charging you more than what’s usually the case when the coupe version of the 3-series (more about this later)

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Regardless, it’s not often that we see a whole new series from BMW and all in all, the new 4 series takes full points in external visual aesthetics. Of course there will be those who will seek to individualise their ride further and BMW has a whole load of optional goodies that will make satisfy any man’s customisation desires. Those getting the 428i Coupé  comes with the Sport Line as standard featuring 18” Double-spoke light-alloy wheels with M Sport suspension and black high-gloss mirror caps. Owners have a choice of upgrading to the M Sport package which is found as standard in the BMW 435i Coupé. The M Sport package features 19” BMW M Double-spoke light-alloy wheels, and an adaptive M suspension, electrical glass roof, and a comfort access system and costs RM30,000 as an option .

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Performance

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The 428i dispatches 0-100kph in 5.8 seconds, done with a 2.0litre four-cylinder TwinPower Turbo petrol engine that delivers 245hp with maximum torque of 350Nm. The most powerful petrol ‘4’ (at least, until an ‘M’ model comes along) has a 3.0litre six-cylinder in-line that kicks out 306hp and 400Nm and hits the 100kph mark from standstill in 5.1 seconds. Both 428i and 435i engines are paired to an eight-speed sport automatic transmission with paddle shifters and has a top speed of 250kph.

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Ride and Handling

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It’s a BMW and typical of all rear-wheel driven, 50:50 weight distribution between front and rear and lightweight design BMW, the all-new BMW 4 Series Coupé’s looks set to overwhelm the Audi A5 in terms of dynamic ability, precision and control. Journalists who have tested the car reports that the 4 series has exceptional steering precision thanks to its speed-sensing electromechanical steering with Servotronic function that adjust the level of power steering support. Much of the 4 series suspension is based on the 3 series saloon but has been reworked to the point where it’s slightly stiffer and lower. Its tracks has been widened and for the first time, the rear is the widest are of its body.

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Those with the M Sport package as found in the 435i and those who ticked on the option box in the 428i will get stiffer spring, damper and stabiliser tuning as well as Adaptive M Suspension with electronically controlled dampers. Stopping power is provided by a set of fixed aluminium callipers with four pistons  at the front, and two at the back.

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Cabin Convenience

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Inside the 428i, it’s sporty theme is immediately evident with its racy red stitching and red bar running across the dashboard and doors. Ironically, the more expensive 425i has a more sombre outlook, with Estoril Blue matt color replacing the Coral Red. Needless to say, fit and finish and the quality of the materials found in the 4 are impeccable.

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Depending on which model and which options you picked, you’d either get a standard sports leather steering wheel or an M Sport leather steering wheel.

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Sorry for the blurry picture above. This is probably the most uninspiring part of the entire car …. the dials does not reflect the degree of modernisation the 4 Series has. Or perhaps, the retro look is deliberately placed there to keep the purist happy.

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Both front seats are electrically driven. Which can be a choir to use if you have passengers waiting to be seated at the back. Unlike most other coupes where the seats are manually moved at the pull of a lever, the 4 series makes do with electronic switches which moves the front chair ever-so-slowly forward before you can fold the backrest forward. Imagine doing this in the rain.

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Those who’ve driven coupes before would appreciate this feature a lot; an electric seatbelt handover. When the doors are open, the lever that you see above retracts to allow passengers/driver to alight without obstruction. Once you close the doors, the levers extend, putting the seatbelts within easy reach of front passengers. You have no idea how many times I’ve scratched the B pillar plastics in previous coupes and this item should be made mandatory in ALL coupes.

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For entertainment, you get a free standing flat screen monitor that displays everything from the New Generation Navigation System Professional that displays 3D map, telephony, radio and a other items which you can perfectly read in the picture above. The only thing it doesn’t tell you is if you left the gas stove on back home.

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In-car connectivity includes USB and Bluetooth interface which works for telephone connectivity with mobile phones and audio streaming. Once connected to a phone with wireless data transmission, you can use BMW Live, a web-based mobility service which provides the latest information such as weather, news and other essential things like web radio, Facebook and Twitter.

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For sound, you’ll get a 9-speaker HiFi loudspeaker system if you go with the 428i Coupe. Paying more for the 435i Coupe will reward you with a Harman Kardon Surround Sound system with 16 speakers

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The iDrive Touch Controller features touch sensitive surface that allows numbers and letters to be written using a finger. Useful when inputting text for navigation, multimedia search, contact search, dialling phone numbers and anything that previously required you to spell something with a speller wheel. Highly not recommended when driving. The controller also allows users to zoom in and out of a map display in navigation mode in a pinching motion similar to an iPhone.

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The rear seats are surprisingly spacious with ample legroom for one who’s 178cm tall although headroom is somewhat lacking for tall passengers.

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Additionally, the 4 series has an electric tailgate operation that has the added function of a hands-free tailgate opening by kicking below the rear bumper (pretty much like how the Ford Kuga opens its tailgate), allowing access to a luggage compartment capable of holding 445 litres, an increase of 15litres from the 3 series coupe.

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 Ownership and Maintenance

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Starting from 18 October 2013, the all-new BMW 4 Series Coupé will be available at BMW dealerships throughout Malaysia. The retail prices (on the road, without insurance, with BMW Service + Repair Inclusive (BS+RI) for the all-new BMW 4 Series Coupé are: .

• BMW 428i Coupé Sport Line     – RM 358,800.00
• BMW 435i Coupé M Sport           – RM 525,800.00                        
• Optional M Sport package           – RM 30,000.00

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If saving mother earth is your thing (or maximising every cent spent on fuel), the 4 series features BMW EfficientDynamics that includes the new sailing function and Route-Ahead Assistant to further drive the all-new coupé towards achieving exceptional acceleration and significantly reduce fuel consumption and emissions. It also offers drivers the ability to modify the overall character of the vehicle for an exceptionally fuel-efficient style of driving by switching to the ECO PRO mode with the Driving Experience Control button featured as standard. Aforementioned new sailing function disengages the engine from the drivetrain at speeds between 50 and 160 km/h when the driver takes the foot off the accelerator pedal, thus allowing the car to save on fuel consumption while coasting (in case you didn’t know already, shifting to Neutral while costing on an automatic doesn’t really save you much money).   The Route-Ahead Assistant meanwhile uses data from the navigation system and takes into account bends, city, town and village boundaries, as well as speed restrictions along the route to provide drivers with tips on reducing the throttle in advance. All in, the ECO PRO nets you additional five per cent of fuel, depending on individual style of driving.

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So, is it worth its dough? If we’re just basing it on looks, most definitely. After all, financial consequences of spending more than half a million ringgit on a coupe means very little when one listens to the heart more than the brain. And if you are one of those able to resist the persuasive aesthetic and driving dynamic value the 4 series represents AND is privileged to be capable of issuing such a cheque for the car, you’d have to consider all alternative options available (ie what the 4 series is created to compete against; the Audi A5). And reconditioned A5s are aplenty with lots of them going for half the asking price of the 435i. Of course, one can argue that those rich and powerful need not concern themselves with recon units but seriously, they didn’t get to where they are simply by splurging on anything they see.

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Still, A5s are pretty common nowadays on the road. For that extra exclusivity, ultimate sheer driving experience and secure in the knowledge that if it’s a 4 series you’re driving, chances are it ain’t going to be a recon, the new BMW 4-series is as good a bet to buy as stock options of a company about to issue their yearly bonds.

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