It’s been a while since we last saw a prototype of the new-gen BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe (GC), but the sports sedan was spotted recently at the Nurburgring.
This is a good opportunity to see the more elegant-looking sibling of the 2021 3-Series in motion, and we must say that it appears to be quite fast, despite not being in full-blown M form, as an M4 Gran Coupe won’t happen.
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This was confirmed in early April by the project manager for the M3 and M4, Robert Pilsl, who said that “We don’t see the need for an M4 Gran Coupe at the moment”. The last three words may or may not leave a window open for the future, but at least we know that such a variant isn’t on the cards right now.
The M440i will thus sit at the top of the range, using the same engine as the two-door models, a 3.0-liter turbo-six with mild-hybrid assistance that delivers 382 HP and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. The M440i Coupe does the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 4.3 seconds, or two tenths of a second slower than the standard M4 Coupe, so we expect similar performance from the Gran Coupe.
The U.S. will also get the base 430i Gran Coupe, with a 255 HP 2.0-liter four-banger, whereas in Europe, it will be available with other petrol and diesel engines, with the latter being topped by the M440d that’s powered by a 340 HP 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six .
The new 4-Series Gran Coupe should premiere in a few months and could launch in the U.S. for the 2022MY.