Calling a four-door sedan a coupe is clearly a paradox, but the German auto industry has managed to bring the term into mainstream culture with cars like the Volkswagen CC and Mercedes-Benz CLS, which are both described by their respective makers as “four-door coupes”.
BMW has coined its own term for these types of models, the “Gran Coupe” moniker that debuted on the 6-Series saloon, and which will soon find its way on a 3-Series based model named the 4-Series Gran Coupe, or at least that’s what we have been hearing for the past couple of years.
If the Bavarians confirm the rumors and change their nomenclature, then the 3-Series range will include the four-door Sedan, Touring and Gran Turismo liftback models, while the related 4-Series lineup will comprise the Coupe, Convertible and Gran Coupe liftback.
The latter was recently spotted testing in prototype form in Germany by AMS magazine. BMW’s junior version of the 6-Series Gran Coupe will share its mechanical hardware with the rest of the 3-Series range offering a variety of turbocharged diesel and gasoline engines, along with the option of all-wheel drive. Expect to see it on the road sometime in 2014.
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