Fans of the Four – those individuals who have always appreciated BMW quality but found the 3 Series somewhat “entry level” for their tastes and the 5 Series too bulky – rejoiced in the arrival of a convertible, Gran Coupé and the M4 Coupé in 2014. Now, three years later, the 4 Series has undergone minor enhancements, but with an extensive range with an all-new selection of engines, ranging from the iconic straight-six twin turbo featured in the 440i, and a four-cylinder turbodiesel in the 420d.
THE INTERIOR
It’s in the dramatic new interior that BMW has served notice that it has now moved ahead of Mercedes-Benz with discreet chrome applications and a centre console with high-gloss black, and new upholstery colours for greater personalisation of the interior.
The upgraded sports steering wheel is a state-of-the-art masterpiece – just thick enough for medium-sized hands, and with easy access to the paddle shifts discreetly tucked in behind the steering wheel.
LET’S GO OUTSIDE
To set the 4 Series apart, two new colours have been introduced. The quaintly named Snapper Rocks Blue and the more conventional Sunset Orange are exclusive to the 4 Series.
One of the first aspects designers consider when developing visual upgrades is the design of the headlights. Restyled LEDs replace the outgoing Xenon units, and all models in the range are equipped with LED front fog lamps as standard. The rear end of the new range has also received considerable attention with LED rear lights to give extra impact to the car’s powerful looks. What’s the point, after all, if you’re powerful but look like an econobox?
THE DRIVE
With BMW SA, uncharacteristically, fitting in some 500 km of driving on relatively decent Lowveld routes in one day, we were impressed, yet again, by these cars’ sporty character, the brilliant handling, and super-efficient all-wheel disc brakes. Safety remains a primary aspect of all BMW’s, and the 4 Series is kitted out with a full suite of safety systems, ranging from a noticeably stiffer suspension setup (well balanced and not too uncomfortable), to BMW’s renowned straight line stability which made light work of the twisty bits in Schoemanskloof near Nelspruit. The gearboxes range from smooth-shifting six-speed manual units, to the superlative eight-speed Steptronic by Getrag.
SAFETY FEATURES
Ventilated discs on all models, dynamic traction control, cornering brake control (CBC) and dynamic brake control represent some of the highlights of these supremely safe sports tourers with all models fitted with additional safety features such as a minimum of six airbags and even tyre pressure indicators. These tyres, however, are of the “run flat” variety or, as BMW prefers to describe it – “self-supporting.”
THE OPPOSITION
With no fewer than 23 models to choose from in the 4 Series line-up, and with prices ranging from some R600,000 to R1.5-million, it’s clear that traditional rivals Mercedes-Benz and Audi both have some catching up to do when pitching their offerings against these latest stunners from Munich. Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand, also plays in this league – bringing with it more radical styling – as opposed to BMW’s discreet and evolutionary on-going developments.
LAST WORD
With coupés, “Gran” coupés and convertibles all widening the shopping list for those of means (and taste), BMW will certainly achieve a good measure of sales success, even in these depressed times. Ageing gracefully because of evolutionary rather than revolutionary styling “adjustments” from time to time, the BMW 4 Series, while not providing the numbers that the 3 Series achieves each month, will certainly have a significant impact on BMW SA’s fortunes in the months to come. These cars are sporty, safe, luxurious and offer pride of ownership that elevates it beyond the reach of most rivals.
Report by BERNARD HELLBERG SR | Images © BMW SOUTH AFRICA
