New 2021 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe gets 360bhp range-topper

Four-door, mild-hybrid saloon to arrive in UK in November, priced from £40,465

BMW has rounded out the second-generation 4 Series range with the new Gran Coupé, which will be launched in the UK in November with a 369bhp M440i xDrive range-topper.

The four-door coupé will join the existing Coupé and Convertible in the 4 Series lineup and is heavily based on the four-door electric i4, alongside which it will be built at BMW’s Munich plant. Prices will start from £40,465 for the entry level 420i, with the M440i XDrive priced from £54,670.

The 4 Series Gran Coupé is based on the same CLAR platform as the i4 and 4 Series Coupé and it benefits from a similarly aerodynamically optimised design, including an active air flap control system and an almost sealed underbody. The firm claims it offers enhanced handling compared with its predecessor and the range of petrol and diesel engines will all feature mild-hybrid technology.

As with the rest of the 4 Series range, BMW has worked to make the styling more distinct from the closely related 3 Series, and the Gran Coupé retains the controversial large kidney grille. UK cars will all be offered with BMW Live Cockpit Professional, which features a 10.25in digital instrument display.

At 4783mm, the new machine is 143mm longer than the first-gen 4 Series Gran Coupé. It is also fractionally wider and taller and features a broader track than the latest 3 Series saloon. BMW claims the stretched dimensions allow for greater interior room, with five seats and a 470-litre boot that is 39 litres bigger than previously.

The 4 Series Gran Coupé has a claimed 50:50 weight distribution, with BMW saying the design has been aerodynamically optimised and combined with new chassis technology to offer a sporting character. There is two-joint strut front axle suspension, with a five-link system at the rear.

The 4 Series Gran Coupé will be available with a range of three petrol and two diesel models. The 420i and 430i (priced from £44,720) both use a four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged mild-hybrid petrol unit offering 181bhp and 241bhp respectively. The 420i can achieve 0-62mph in 7.9secs, with an official fuel economy of 38.7-42.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 150-166g/km. For the 430i, the 0-62mph sprint time is trimmed to 6.2secs, with a fuel economy of 37.2-41.5mpg and official emissions of 156-173g/km.

The 420d four-cylinder diesel has 188bhp and is available with rear drive (£43,095) or xDrive all-wheel drive (£44,685). In rear-drive it achieves a fuel economy of 52.3-58.9mpg and CO2 emissions of 126-141g/km, which rise to 49.6-55.4mpg and 133-150g/km in xDrive form.

The range-topping M440i xDrive variant uses a mild-hybrid 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit to produce 369bhp and 369lb ft, for a 0-62mph time of 4.7sec and a governed top speed of 155mph. This version has CO2 emissions of 181-193g/km, with official fuel economy of 33.2mpg.

As with the other 4 Series models, the Gran Coupé features lift-related dampers to control body movement and mode-specific variable sport steering, while an electronically controlled rear differential is standard on the M440i and optional on the 430i.

UK models will get 18in alloy wheels and M Sport suspension as standard, along with M Sport styling details, leather upholstery and BMW’s online assistance package.

M Sport Pro trim packages will be offered for each engine variant, adding 19in wheels, a rear spoiler, M Sport seatbelts and adaptive suspension, which offers a range of drive pre-set modes, along with an adaptive setting that adapts to suit the current driving style. M Sport Pro cars also gain M Sport performance brakes that use a different set-up with four-piston fixed callipers at the front and single-piston floating callipers at the rear.

A range of M Performance Parks will also be offered.

For the first time, BMW is developing an M4 Gran Coupé, which is due to arrive next year to sit alongside the M4 Coupé.

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