At an exclusive launch event held at the Red Dot Museum last Thursday, BMW Group Asia takes the cover off the new 4 Series

Last Thursday, BMW Asia launched the new BMW 4 Series Coupé, the fourth generation of BMW’s sporty premium mid-size coupé. The new BMW 4 Series Coupé’s stylistic features carry the promise of a powerful presence on the road, stand-out dynamic ability and unbeatable driving pleasure. “The new BMW 4 Series Coupé heralds the dawn of a new coupé era at BMW. The ‘4’ in its title headlines this new era for the Coupé and emphasises not only its stand-alone design, but also its enhanced sporting dynamics, increased exclusivity and clear technical differentiation from the BMW 3 Series range,” said Mr Neil Fiorentinos, Managing Director of BMW Group Asia. 

He continued, “At the same time, BMW is using the new nomenclature to latch onto the fine tradition established by its older sibling like the BMW 6 Series Coupé, which is a top-class coupé known for its stunning design, athletic elegance and driving dynamics.”

The dynamic proportions of the new BMW 4 Series Coupé differ significantly from those of the outgoing BMW 3 Series Coupé: 26 millimetres have been added to the car’s length (4,638 mm), a 50-millimetre longer wheelbase (2,810 mm) and a roofline that now runs 16 millimetres lower than before (1,362 mm). The athletic appearance of the BMW 4 Series Coupé is rounded off by the 43-millimetre increase in the Coupé’s width (1,825 millimetres).

For the first time, the rear wheel arches mark the car’s broadest point – a clear statement of dynamic intent. The 45 millimetre wider front track (1,545 mm) and full 80 millimetres of extra width at the rear axle (1,593 mm) promise – before so much as a wheel is turned – further improvements in the already superlative sporting characteristics.

Located just behind the front wheels of the BMW 4 Series Coupé are Air Breathers, designed to reduce drag around the wheel arches. Together, the Air Breathers and Air Curtains underline the sporting character of the car’s design and provide tangible evidence of the innovative aerodynamic solutions devised by BMW as part of its BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy.

All the controls central to driving are arranged ergonomically around the driver to give optimum access to all functions. Automatic seat belt feeders, a sport leather steering wheel, crystal- clear circular instruments in black panel look and the free-standing, flat-screen iDrive monitor underline the sense of functional elegance. The iDrive Touch Controller – within easy reach on the centre console – and the fore-and-aft sliding/folding armrest between the front seats add the finishing touches to the cabin’s exceptional usability and comfort.

In the interest of maximising the car’s variability, the backrest of the BMW 4 Series Coupé’s rear seat bench can be folded down, in a 40:20:40 split and adapted extremely effectively to suit the requirements of the situation at hand.

The front axle of the new BMW 4 Series Coupé combines maximum stiffness with minimum weight. Aluminium torque struts, wishbone and swivel bearings bring a substantial reduction in unsprung masses. At the same time, the engineers have adjusted the position of the control arms in the swivel bearings from their arrangement on the new BMW 3 Series Sedan to give the car a 19-millimetre lower roll centre, which has a positive effect on driving dynamics. Its body’s front end is a further 60 percent more rigid than that of the outgoing BMW 3 Series Coupé. Most impressively, the new BMW 4 Series Coupé tips the scales at up to 45 kg lesser than its predecessor, depending on the engine and equipment specified, despite having grown significantly in terms of dimensions. Its aerodynamic qualities have also been optimised with a Cd (drag coefficient) of 0.29.

The 435i's 3.0-litre engine is equipped with High Precision Direct Injection and Valvetronic fully-variable valve control with aluminium crankcase, developing a maximum output of 306 bhp between 5,800 and 6,000 rpm. Peak torque of 400 Nm is generated from as low down as 1,200 rpm and remains on tap up to 5,000 rpm. The new BMW 435i Coupé can further accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 5.1 seconds with a top speed of 250 km/h. Yet, it remains exceptionally fuel-efficient with an average fuel consumption of 7.4 litres per 100 km, and low CO2 emissions of 172 grams per kilometre (based on EU test cycle). The BMW 428i Coupé generates a maximum output of 245 bhp from 5,000 to 6,500 rpm, and has a peak torque of 350 Nm that can be accessed between 1,250 to 4,800 rpm. It can complete the century sprint in just 5.8 seconds and has a top speed of 250 km/h. Its average fuel consumption is 6.4 litres per 100 km, and has low CO2 emissions of 149 grams per kilometre (based on EU test cycle).

At press time, the 435i Sport is priced at $325,800 while the 428i Sport/Luxury at $269,800. Both prices includes COE. The new BMW 4 Series Coupé is also available in two new colours on top of the 3 Series Sedan: Midnight Blue and Sparkling Brown.