I'll be one of the first to climb up on my soapbox and have a whinge about what I believe are redundant body styles and certain model executions that should rather have been left on the drawing board. Anyone familiar with my work will know that I have a particular bugbear with high-performance SUVs, the likes of an X5 M or RS Q8. My rather extensive list also includes "Coupé SUVs" or anything that has 4-doors but is labelled by the marketing department as a "Coupé".
Related: BMW X6 M Competition (2021) review: Ostentatiously brutal
Today's diatribe focuses on the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé concept. It's the 4-door version of the 2-door model that, in itself, is a 2-door version of a 4-door model, the 3 Series. Following me? Well, simply put, it's a more practical 4 Series... So yes, a return to the car it is based on, the popular and evergreen 3 Series. Or is it?
The new BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé
The G26 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé rounds off the 4 Series lineup with the 4 Series Coupé and 4 Series Convertible already launched locally and complemented by its high-performance M4 Competition flagship model. While I may have reservations around the Gran Coupé execution, BMW reports that Coupés and Convertibles make up approximately 50% of 4 Series sales, split evenly with a share of 25% and 25%, while the Gran Coupé accounts for a whopping 50% of the sales figures. Apparently, local sales figures are rather similar in the way that they are split.
Judgement aside, the 4 Series Gran Coupé is indeed a larger, more practical luxury sedan with coupé-like styling. Considering that the G20 3 Series and G22 4 Series don't exactly share the same styling cues, with the G20 3 Series blessed with a family-friendly kidney grille, the 4 Series Gran Coupé does indeed fall into a category of its own. The G26 is a larger vehicle overall, both over its predecessor and over the regular, garden variety 4 Series Coupé.
It's 15mm longer than the Coupé, 59mm taller, and has a wheelbase that is 5mm longer. This translates into more interior space and seating for 5 with provisions to accommodate their luggage as well. The boot of the Gran Coupé is 30-litres larger, coming in at 470-litres. Compared to a 3 Series, it's 74mm longer, 25mm wider, has a 5mm longer wheelbase but loses 10-litres of luggage space with the 3 Series coming in at 480-litres.
What makes the 4 Series Gran Coupé more attractive though is the rear hatch that lifts the glass out of the way to offer up a cavernous opening through which you can load rather large items with ease. This is bound to appeal to those who frequently load up and hit the open road with the family in tow. Suddenly the 4 Series Gran Coupé starts to make a little more sense.
Variants
You get three variants to choose from for the moment. The 4 Series Gran Coupe comes in 420i, 420d, and M440i with xDrive.
Conveniently, we were able to sample these models in this order, allowing us to "walk" through the model lineup and get a true feel for how the series progresses and improves with each iteration. The 420i is fitted with a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine as one would find in a coupé-version 4 Series, producing 135 kW and 300 Nm from its turbocharged powerplant. BW claims an average combined fuel consumption of 6.5 l/100km. This mill, while sprightly, is not going to win any hearts nor races and with a claimed sprint time of 7.9-seconds, it will only manage to beat the 420i Convertible to the ton. Mated to an 8speed automatic gearbox, the 420i Gran Coupé is the gentleman of the range, capable of cruising along effortlessly while sipping fuel at a respectable rate.
The 420d Gran Coupé offers a little more punch from its 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, producing a pleasant 400 Nm of torque to give the Gran Coupé a little more shove when it's truly needed. It's complemented by 140 kW of power and this model also sends its power to the rear wheel through the same 8-speed automatic gearbox. Claimed fuel consumption for this model is a rather agreeable 4.9 l/100km making this the pick of the litter for the long-distance family man (or woman).
For the customer who wants to still enjoy BMW dynamics without sacrificing practicality, the M440i xDrive will be the one that is the most appealing. Powered by a 3.0-litre straight-six turbocharged power plant, the M440i produces a meaty 285 kW and 500 Nm to get the heart racing all the way to the top speed of 250 km/h with a 0 to 100 km/h sprint time of 4.7-seconds. Paired with xDrive all-wheel-drive, the M440i has a wonderful composure that is confidence-inspiring and trustworthy.
The Drive
The longer wheelbase, additional length and width help make the 4 Series Gran Coupé a stable and surefooted offering that is able to eat up mile after mile of open road and still engage the driver when the roads start to get a little twisty. Progressive brakes and excellent gearbox programming make it easy to drive the 4 Series Gran Coupé quick on nearly all road surfaces.
The compliant suspension does an admirable job of ironing out the secondary undulations but the additional weight of the body style means that the slightly firmer ride transmits a little more of the primary undulations that one would expect. The engineers have done well to isolate most of the unwanted cabin intrusions and this makes for a rather comfortable, stress-free travelling experience despite the firmer ride quality.
The G26 is not going to behave like the G20 3 Series, it's not the same sort of machine. If you absolutely have to have that BMW driver engagement, the G20 is the one for you, but if you're a sensible individual who doesn't care too much for that feedback, but is not prepared to go the SUV route, the G26 4 Series Gran Coupé will certainly sound appealing.
Price
All BMW 4 Series Gran Coupés are trimmed in M Sport attire and equipped with the regular fare of features that one would get on a regular 4 Series Coupe.
| Model | Price |
| BMW 420i Gran Coupé M Sport | R937 452 |
| BMW 420d Gran Coupé M Sport | R984 830 |
| BMW M440i Gran Coupé M Sport xDrive | R1 312 696 |
Verdict
I'll have to eat my words with this one. I genuinely thought that the 4 Series Gran Coupé was a model that was devised by a marketing team that was under the illusion that they had discovered an LSM that wasn't being catered for. Don't get me wrong, I'm still not a fan of the concept and the name alone bothers me to the depths of my soul, but the 4 Series Gran Coupé is a great drive with impressive tech, tons of features and a surprising amount of character. It is the more practical 3 Series and the more sporty-looking 4-door offering.
But it still leaves me wondering; what's wrong with a 5 Series then?
