BMW 4 Series 2014 News

No plans for a smaller M6 Gran Coupe sibling on the BMW M GmbH horizon.

BMW has added yet another model to its range, this time a 4 Series Gran Coupe (without the 'd' on the end of grand to give a continental ring to the name).It's the latest competitor in one of the fastest growing market segments globally, that of 'premium midrange class'. These are five-door hatchbacks with stylish rear ends that add a real touch of sportiness. The terms 'four-door coupe' and 'five-door coupe' has been created to describe them.The BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe joins the three-door 4 Series Coupe (without the Gran) and is a small brother to the 6 Series Gran Coupe. (If you've been out of the automotive scene for a while you may not have heard the news that what used to be called the BMW 3 Series sports models have been renamed the 4 Series.) BMW's new model competes head on with the Audi A5 Sportback, but surprisingly Mercedes-Benz has the CLA-Class and CLS-Class which are slightly smaller and a little larger respectively than the new Bimmer.STYLINGThe shape of the new Gran Coupe is exceptionally good to our eyes. The front is as expected, with the current BMW full-width theme created by the headlights being joined to the headlights. In profile the five-door retains the same theme of the three-door Gran Coupe, but the extra length of the roof makes it really stand out. We like the 'gills' on the front guards and the deep swage lines in the doors. The tailgate is large and gives good access to the rear luggage area, which is slightly larger than the volume in the three-door.No attempt has been made to hide the fact that the 4 Gran has back doors, as has been done in some similar vehicles.The interior styling theme is similar to that of others in the 3 and 4 Series models, with a concentration on the driver's area having a cockpit feel. There's an airy feel and the materials are of a high quality and crafted very well.ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONSA good range is on offer: four-cylinder turbo-petrol 2.0-litre units with power outputs of 135 or 180 kW depending on the state of tune; a straight-six 3.0-litre with 225 kW; and a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel four with 135 kW. It's interesting that the petrol and diesel engines have the same power outputs, but the latter's 380 Nm of torque greatly exceeds the 270 Nm from the petrol.All sit in front of eight-speed automatic transmissions with sports tuning. A six-speed manual gearbox is a no-charge option from the factory, though it doesn't seem likely we will see many (if any) in Australia.SAFETYAll models have a full range of crash prevention equipment. Better still the car can ring for help if it experiences a collision and even give the medical services an estimate of the severity of injuries to occupants in advance of them reaching the car.Naturally the 4 Series Gran Coupe easily qualified as a five-star car in tests carried out to European NCAP standards.INFOTAINMENTBMW continues to be one of the leaders in the fields of information and entertainment technology. Its second generation Connected Drive Service and Apps system has its own Sim card so the vehicle can communicate in some circumstances without the need to pair it to a smartphone. The convenience of being able plan a route for the satellite navigation on your home or office computer then send it to the car's sat-nav is much appreciated.As well as automatically calling for help in a crash involving the vehicle (see 'Safety' above) any occupant in the vehicle can be manually told to contact authorities, giving information of the location of an incident to a third party.DRIVINGInterior space is good in the front and the seats have good support built in. The extended roof of the five-door Gran Coupe over the three-door 4 Series Coupe makes for better headroom in the rear, but it may still prove marginal for taller travellers. Rear legroom is fine.A five-door family hatchback normally doesn't provide the sort of satisfaction the excellent handling dynamics the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe does. Road holding is assisted by a balanced body, feedback through the steering wheel and the driver's backside is excellent and safety is enhanced by the sheer ability of this car.Noise and vibration are generally well insulated from the interior, though some of the coarse-chip surfaces we encountered did challenge the BMW's suspension at times.Our initial road testing out of Melbourne was done in the two higher powered models, the 428i and 435i. Both have loads of torque from low revs, with the turbocharged four-door 428i coming close to matching the six-cylinder non turbo 435i. To be honest, unless we had plenty of money to spare the lower cost 428i would more than satisfy our driving needs.VERDICTThe addition of yet another model to the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series range gives buyers a staggering number of choices. Obviously it comes down to personal choice, but we feel the 4 Gran Coupe has just the right balance between sportiness and practicality, so it would be the one we would opt for.

The new convertible shares the same underpinnings as the coupe, with enhanced dynamics and driving pleasure over the 3 Series sedan on which it’s based.Exterior features have been designed to highlight the vehicle's sporty pedigree, starting with a large wide air-intake in the front apron which accentuates the convertible’s increased width. The air-intake is capped at both ends by apertures for air-curtains to smooth aerodynamics which are complimented by air-breathers located just behind the front wheels. It’s a sleek looker with the convertible top up or down.DYNAMICSThere have also been some significant changes made by the engineers at BMW to enhance the steering accuracy and agility over the out-going model. The chassis has been significantly extended with 50 mm added to the wheel base and substantial increases to the track width with 45 mm extra at the front and a full 81 mm extra width at the rear.Refinements have also been made to the suspension of the vehicle, including fine-tuning of the springs and damping, axle kinematics, as well as providing additional strengthening elements in the front section and undercarriage of the car.FOLDING HARDTOPThe three-piece retractable hardtop in the BMW 4 Series Convertible is based on the tried and tested mechanical design from the predecessor, albeit with numerous enhancements that reduce noise level to improve the interior ambience. The new, more noise absorbent headliner also includes interior lighting features to bring it more in line with the fixed top Coupe variants.With the push of a button the three-piece retractable hardtop opens in 20 seconds, even when driving at speeds of up to 18km/h and includes an easy-loading function for convenient access to the boot.For added comfort the new BMW 4 Series Convertible is also available with the optional Air Collar feature (standard on 435i) that warms the neck with a variable stream of air and includes three-position adjustment via a control cleverly integrated into the switch for the convertible roof.ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONSPower comes from a variety of the latest BMW TwinPower turbo engines with strong performance and impressive fuel economy. Entry point is the 420d Convertible equipped with a turbo four-cylinder diesel engine producing 135kW/380Nm. It accelerates to 100kmh in 8.2 seconds and boasts a low fuel consumption figure of 4.8 l/100km.The 428i Convertible features a turbo four-cylinder petrol engine, developing 180kW/350Nm. The 0-100kmh sprint is 6.4 seconds while fuel consumption is 6.7 l/100km. At the top of the range the 435i Convertible runs a turbo in-line six-cylinder petrol engine which produces 225kW/400Nm. The numbers are 5.5 seconds 0-10 and 7.7 l/100km. All models have an eight-speed sport automatic transmission and all three combine a suite of BMW EfficientDynamics technologies to achieve low consumption and emissions figures.EQUIPMENTFeatures include auto Stop/Start, Brake Energy Regeneration, ECO PRO mode and on-demand ancillaries such as electric power steering. The equipment levels in all three models is generous Safety is five star and a range of driver assist features are included - front and rear Park Distance Control (PDC), rear view camera, bi-xenon headlights with auto headlight control and rain sensor, as well as an anti-dazzle interior rear view mirror.Prices start at $88,800 for the 420d Convertible.

The New York motor show in April will see the announcement of which vehicle has won the 2014 World COTY, and there looks to be a tough -- and very varied -- field of finalists.Last year's winner was the Volkswagen Golf, which also took awards in pretty well every country on the globe. But this year it could be anything from the little electric BMW i3 to the offroading Jeep Cherokee and even the Citroen C4 peoplemover, judging by the shortlist.A panel of 69 motoring experts from around the world -- including Carsguide's Paul Gover and National Motoring Editor Joshua Dowling -- will choose the winner from: Audi A3, BMW 4 Series, BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Ford Fusion/Mondeo, Infiniti Q50, Jeep Cherokee, Lexus IS, Mazda3, Peugeot 308 and Skoda Octavia.The 10 finalists for the 2014 World Luxury Car are the Bentley Flying Spur, BMW X5, Cadillac ELR, Cadillac Escalade, Maserati Ghibli, Maserati Quattroporte, Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Porsche Macan, Range Rover Sport and Rolls-Royce Wraith.Due to a tie, there are 11 finalists for the 2014 World Performance Car: Alfa Romeo 4C, Audi RS 6 Avant, BMW M6 Gran Coupe, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Ferrari 458 Speciale, Ford Fiesta ST, Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 Roadster, Mercedes-Benz A/CLA45 AMG, Porsche 911 GT3, Porsche 911 Turbo and Volkswagen Golf GTI.A separate panel of five 'green' experts will choose the 2014 World Green Car from Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (+ Audi e-gas), BMW i3, Honda Accord Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and Volkswagen XL1.Similarly, a panel of five design experts will decide on the 2014 World Car Design of the Year, from among: BMW i3, Cadillac CTS, Citroen C4 Picasso, Mazda3, Lexus IS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Volkswagen XL1.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

BMW will unveil the new 4 Series Gran Coupe at Geneva motor show in March, but until then we've already got full details, images and this video of the 'four-door coupe'.The 4 Series Gran Coupe is based on the same platform as the 4 Series coupe and convertible and will join them later this year adding some extra sports flair to the line-up with a lower-slung stance and sleeker profile.The engine line-up echoes the coupe, with the petrol entry point a 420i with a 135kW/270Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder, followed by a 428i with a 180kW/350Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a 435i with a 225kW/400Nm turbocharged six-cylinder petrol.Turbodiesel versions are a 420d with a 135kW/380Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a 418d (not available here in the coupe) with 105kW four-cylinder. Watch the desktop version of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe video here. This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

BMW was just getting set to unveil their new 4 Series Gran Coupe over the weekend, but were beaten to the reveal by images of the new car leaking online. However the full set of images and some details of the new 'four-door coupe' followed pretty swiftly.The 4 Series Gran Coupe is based on the same platform as the 4 Series coupe and convertible and will join them later this year adding some extra sports flair to the line-up.The images show a lower-slung stance and sleeker profile, with the extended and steeply raked rear roofline echoing coupe styling while still offering a semblance of four-door practicality -- although the side views suggest that tall people will have to duck if sentenced to the rear seat. BMW says the boot space is 480 litres -- 35 litres more than the coupe.The drivetrain line-up largely follows the coupe, meaning the entry point for us is likely to be a 420i with a 135kW/270Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder. Also in the petrol line-up are a 428i with a 180kW/350Nm turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a 435i with a 225kW/400Nm turbocharged six-cylinder petrol.Turbodiesel versions are a 420d with a 135kW/380Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder and a 418d (not available here in the coupe) with 105kW four-cylinder.Echoing the price positioning of its bigger sibling, the 6 Series Gran Coupe, expect prices for each variant to slot in between that of related coupe and convertible, meaning a start price of somewhere around $75,000 if the range kicks off with a 420i (which doesn't get a convertible version here) or around $80,000 if the Australian entry level follows the 4 Series convertible in opening with the 420d.BMW has also released details of optional all-wheel drive versions for the 428i and 420d, both of which will be offered with the brand's xDrive system -- although there is no confirmation yet they will arrive here with the rest of the Gran Coupes, expected to hit later this year.“We’re looking at the 4 Series Gran Coupe arriving just after mid-year, early in the third quarter,” BMW Australia spokeswoman Lenore Fletcher says, confirming that we’re unlikely to see the 418d lower level diesel here.“We think we’ll see a similar drivetrain line-up to the coupe, opening with the 420i. What we do look at is that we like to offer quite a lot of variety, but also need to be conscious of the complexity of product range. So it will certainly closely shadow the 4 coupe, which has been received extraordinarily well by the media and public.“What we’re doing at the moment is finalising pricing and specification -- which we’ll be announcing later this month – and we think people will be pleasantly surprised by the prices and the amount of spec for the Gran Coupe.”Watch the desktop version of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe video here. 

There are exciting new releases planned across the board; from budget hatches to practical SUVs, to exotic supercars. We’ve broken them down into segments and likely price categories to help you. We've based our price estimations on the current market, but some estimations could change in the future, and some model ranges span across price categories, so be sure to check our other stories...New cars for 2014 | less than $20,000New cars for 2014 | $20,000-$40,000New cars for 2014 | $40,000-$59,000New cars for 2014 | $59,000-$100,000LUXURY CARSAudi A8: Audi will refresh its A8 flagship sedan lineup by mid-2014, with subtle styling tweaks and interior details, along with shuffled drivetrain options. (Approximately $188,000-$249,000)Audi RS7 Sportback: Essentially a five-door hatch version of the existing RS6 Avant, the RS7 will arrive in February with sleeker Sportback styling than the wagon, and the same 412kW/700Nm 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. 0-100km/h is the same 3.9 seconds too. (Approximately $240,000)Bentley Continental GT S: While Bentley prepares its first SUV model, there’s not much else in store for 2014 from the legendary Brit aside from powered-up new S models added to the V8 Continental GT lineup. (Approximately $380,000)Jaguar XJR: Jaguar will add the new XJR to its XJ big sedan lineup in the first quarter, with the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 performance flagship to sit above the existing Supersport range-topper. (Approximately $350,000)Lexus RC: Lexus’ new RC coupe should arrive before the end of 2014 to take on the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5, with a choice of petrol V6 and hybrid drivetrains likely to expand to include a high-performance 5.0-litre V8 RC-F soon after. (Approximately $70,000-$130,000)Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli: 2014 is set to be a big year for Maserati, with the new Quattroporte (Approximately from $250,000) arriving in V6 form in January, and V8 form in February, with the return of the smaller Ghibli sedan ( Approximately from $150,000) in March.Mercedes-Benz S-Class: Mercedes will cap its local S-Class sedan lineup in January, with the arrival of the $385,000 S63 AMG high performance model. The 430kW/900Nm twin-turbo V8 S63 will sit above the existing S350 and S500 models, and be joined by the diesel-electric S350 BlueTec hybrid and twin-turbo V6 S400 variants by June. (Approximately $250,000-$385,000)Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe: Mercedes’ upcoming S-Class Coupe is expected down under before the year’s end, with the yet to be officially revealed new model replacing the existing CL coupe models. A drop-top version is also planned, and a V8 and V12 petrol-only lineup is expected with an entry price north of $300,000 likely.Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid: The plug-in Panamera E-Hybrid is also due early in the year, with a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 and 70kW electric motor to enable 3.1L/100km fuel use with 0-100km/h acceleration in 5.5 seconds. (Approximately $296,900)SUV/4WDLand Rover Range Rover: Before mid-year, Land Rover will add a range-topping lineup (Approximately $250,000) with new hybrid versions of it and the Sport expected before the end of the year. (Approximately $102,000-$182,000)Porsche Macan: Porsche will add the new sub-Cayenne Macan SUV to its Australian lineup from June, with the cheapest diesel model forming a new entry point to Porsche ownership at $84,900. Twin-turbo 3.0 and 3.6-litre V6s will sit further up the price scale, with the 294kW top-spec capable of 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. (Approximately $84,900-$122,900)SPORTS/PERFORMANCEAston Martin V12 Vantage S: Aston will add its fastest model this side of the ultra-exclusive One-77 in the first quarter of this year, in the form of the track-ready V12 Vantage S coupe. (Approximately $450,000)BMW M3 and M4: BMW’s new M3 and M4 mid-size performance heroes are set to arrive after mid-year, with the move to twin-turbo six power resulting in the fastest M3 to date, and matched by the renamed M4 coupe. (Approximately $124,000-$180,000)BMW i8: The i8 plug-in hybrid sports car is expected to arrive before the year’s end, blending grand tourer luxury with 4.4 second 0-100km/h acceleration and 2.5L/100km fuel economy. (Approximately $200,000)Ferrari 458 Speciale: The first of 60 Australian examples of Ferrari’s hardcore 458 Speciale are set to arrive before mid-year, with the lighter, more powerful track-focused special able to lap Fiorano 1.5 seconds faster than the old Enzo flagship. (Approximately $550,000)Jaguar F-Type Coupe: Jaguar will add the recently unveiled Coupe version of its stunning F-Type in the third quarter, with the 20kg lighter V6, V6 S and V8 S variants also expected to slightly undercut their soft-top counterparts on price. The Coupe-only F-Type R will sit at the top of the hardtop range, with the 404kW/680Nm spec V8 promising 0-100km/h acceleration in the order of 4.2 seconds. (Approximately $125,000-$200,000)Lamborghini Huracan: With the Gallardo now officially out of production, Lamborghini is keen to follow with its Huracan replacement to sit beneath the V12 Aventador models before June. The V10 Huracan is set to challenge Ferrari’s 458 with an uprated version of the Gallardo’s 5.2-litre V10 and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. From $428,000Nissan GT-R: Nissan will bring its latest incarnation of the GT-R performance coupe down under from March, with cosmetic upgrades the key changes for 2014. New LED headlights and taillights are changed for the first time since 2007, and mesh wheels keep Nissan’s giant-killer a fresh opponent for Porsche’s new 911 Turbo models. (Approximately from $170,000)Porsche 911 Turbo and GT3: Porsche will launch several key hi-po versions of the 991 911 to its Australian lineup in the first half of 2014, with the $359,800 Turbo and $441,300 Turbo S arriving first in coupe and convertible ($29,000 premium) guises, with the $294,000 track-oriented and now PDK-only GT3 soon after.Porsche 911 Targa: The new semi-convertible unveiled in Detroit will touch down in Australia before mis-year, with a new folding roof mechanism and all-wheel drive 4 and 4S versions. Both manual and PDK auto will be available, and prices will sit $2,300-$3,300 over existing Cabriolet models. (Approximately $247,900-$291,050)CONVERTIBLESAston Martin Vanquish Volante: For those who prefer their V12 Astons roofless and with a back seat, Aston will bring the Vanquish Volante to Australia in the first quarter of 2014. (Approximately $510,000)Bentley Continental GTC S: Like the hardtop GT, the soft top Continental GTC is set to score a powered up S model in 2014. (Approximately $420,000)BMW 4 Series convertible: The folding hardtop version of BMW’s 4-Series coupe is expected by March, and echo its hardtop sibling with 420d, 428i, and 435i drivetrains. (Approximately $85,000-$120,000)   

There are exciting new releases planned across the board; from budget hatches to practical SUVs, to exotic supercars. We’ve broken them down into segments and likely price categories to help you. We've based our price estimations on the current market, but some estimations could change in the future, and some model ranges span across price categories, so be sure to check our other stories...New cars for 2014 | less than $20,000New cars for 2014 | $20,000-$40,000New cars for 2014 | $40,000-$59,000New cars for 2014 | over $100,000 LIGHT CARSBMW i3: BMW will bring the high tech i3 city car down under from September, with the pure-electric i3 BEV expected to start at about $60,000, and a range-extended i3 REX version with a 647cc petrol generator further up the price scale. (Approximately $60,000)SMALL CARSAudi A3 sedan: Audi will add a sedan version of its A3 small car to the existing Sportback hatch lineup from January, with the hot S3 version to follow in April, and the drop-top A3 Cabriolet (from about $57k) to complete the lineup in about September. (Approximately $65,000)BMW 2 Series: The discontinued 1 Series coupe will be replaced by the new 2 Series coupe in around May, and will likely mirror the petrol and diesel drivetrains of the existing 1 Series hatch. A soft-top convertible is also in the works, but its launch date is still up in the air. (Approximately $45,000-$85,000)FAMILY CARSInfiniti Q50: Infiniti models are set to become a more common sight on Australian roads before June, with the Mercedes C-Class and BMW 3 Series-rivalling Q50’s arrival, boasting fresh styling, rear-wheel drive, and a choice of diesel or hybrid drivetrains. (Approximately $51,900-$73,900)Mercedes-Benz C-Class: Mercedes' new C-Class sedan and wagon are due around mid-year, with a range of new engines and an 80mm wheelbase stretch to help combat the also enlarged BMW 3 Series and Lexus IS rivals. Drivetrain availability from launch will include the 115kW/250Nm 1.6-litre C180 and 135kW/300Nm 2.0-litre C200 petrols, and the 125kW/400Nm 2.1-litre turbodiesel C220. A smaller diesel, diesel-electric hybrid and more powerful petrol engines will come later. (Approximately from $60,000)Tesla Model S: The long-awaited Tesla Model S pure-electric passenger car is due to arrive locally in the second quarter, with the five door hatch balancing style, performance, and all-electric tech in equal measures. (Approximately $80,000)Volvo S60 and V60: Volvo will introduce the first of its new Drive-E engines to the S60 sedan and V60 wagon range in March, with power and efficiency gains promised, along with a new eight-speed auto. (Approximately $49,000-$78,000)LUXURY CARSLexus RC: Lexus’ new RC coupe should arrive before the end of 2014 to take on the BMW 4 Series and Audi A5, with a choice of petrol V6 and hybrid drivetrains likely to expand to include a high-performance 5.0-litre V8 RC-F soon after. (Approximately $70,000-$130,000)SUV/4WDAudi RS Q3: The company’s first RS-badged SUV will arrive in February, with the RS Q3 borrowing its 228kW/420Nm five-cylinder heart from the TTRS, and promising 0-100km/h in 5.5 seconds. (Approximately $81,900)BMW X1: The baby bimmer SUV is also in line for a refreshing in March, with styling and interior tweaks expected. (Approximately 46,000-63,000)BMW X5 sDrive 25d: BMW will add the first two-wheel drive X5 to the new 2014 lineup early in the year, with a price-leading $82,900 2.0-litre turbodiesel sDrive 25d undercutting the existing all-wheel drive xDrive 25d by $5000. (Approximately $82,900)Ford Territory: The Territory SUV will score SYNC-inclusive revisions by the end of the year, ahead of its 2016 fate. (Approximately $40,000-$63,000)Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: The stylish Range Rover Evoque is due for an update before June, with a new nine-speed auto delivering fuel economy gains of about 10 per cent, plus styling tweaks to bring it in line with the new full-size Range Rover and Sport models. (Approximately $50,000-$91,000)Porsche Macan: Porsche will add the new sub-Cayenne Macan SUV to its Australian lineup from June, with the cheapest diesel model forming a new entry point to Porsche ownership at $84,900. Twin-turbo 3.0 and 3.6-litre V6s will sit further up the price scale, with the 294kW top-spec capable of 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds. (Approximately $84,900-$122,900)Volvo XC60: Volvo’s new Drive-E engines will also appear in the XC60 SUV in March, with power and efficiency gains promised, along with a new eight-speed auto. (Approximately $57,000-79,000)SPORTS/PERFORMANCEAlfa Romeo 4C: Alfa will bring a limited number of its limited-build 4C sports car to Australia in around June, with the mid-engined, carbon-chassised performance hero expected to lob for as little as $75,000.Peugeot RCZ-R: Building on the brand’s reignited performance cred thanks to the excellent 208 GTi, the French brand will also add the hot RCZ-R to the lineup in the second quarter, with a highly tuned 199kW version of the existing petrol version’s 1.6-litre turbo. (Approximately $70,000)CONVERTIBLESBMW 4 Series convertible: The folding hardtop version of BMW’s 4-Series coupe is expected by March, and echo its hardtop sibling with 420d, 428i, and 435i drivetrains. (Approximately $85,000-$120,000)