![]() Although the diesel is refined and the 400 N.m of peak torque lends it pleasing flexibility, there’s simply no substitute for the punch and aural drama served up by the 3,0-litre turbopetrol engine. The rest of the local 4 Coupé range comprises four-cylinder models in the guises of the 420i, with its 135 kW 2,0-litre turbocharged petrol and the 140 kW 420d. The steering is light but alert, while the huge reserves of grip channelled to the road via the AWD system and the standard M Sport differential make tucking the nose into a string of corners on the Western Cape’s Franschhoek Pass and Clarence Drive deeply satisfying. Pressing on in a more spirited manner does, however, reveal a car that’s palpably sharper than its four-door relative. Yet, oddly enough, the M440i’s ride proved less affected by bump lurch than the M Sport-equipped 420d that we sampled on the launch route perhaps an upshot of the additional weight that inline-six engine and all-wheel drivetrain places over the axles. It feels just as impressively supple and composed as the 3 in most driving scenarios. The result is not a massive departure from the sedan in terms of general road manners. Unlike the exterior, the 4’s cabin retains many 3 Series traits. Under its striking shell, the 4 shares a modified version of BMW’s wide-ranging CLAR modular platform with the 3 Series, adding a 23 mm-wider rear track, additional structural bracing above the suspension struts and engine bay, and a power steering module that’s been tuned specifically for the 4’s lower centre of gravity and stiffer ride. Fortunately, the boot is a more practically packaged affair with a depth that looks particularly golf-bag friendly. Rear legroom is slightly more generous than that of the outgoing 4, owing to a platform that’s around 40 mm longer in the wheelbase than that of its forebear, although being 57 mm lower and possessed of a dramatically raked C-pillar means rear headroom isn’t particularly generous. Inside, the general layout is a subtly massaged version of the 3’s facia, replete with the impressive fit and finish. The juxtaposition of graceful curves on the rear haunches and flanks terminating in a bluff, aggressive-looking nose may not sit well with everyone but there’s no denying it’s a real attention grabber, making its rivals from Audi and Mercedes look quite pedestrian. Instead, they had a particular audience in its crosshairs: affluent, mature, less encumbered by kids and – a term often used at the launch event in Stellenbosch – edgy. BMW saw fit to distance the 4 as much as possible from the 3 Series with which it is mechanically related. It’s fair to say BMW’s radical reboot of the 4 Series doesn’t so much sidestep any such concerns, but rather swerves clear of them by a country mile. Say what you will of that grille, but it ensures the 4 won’t be mistaken for any other BMW. While familial styling is especially important in the realm of premium cars, it’s also galling for owners of halo models to see little in the way of visual separation between their cars and lower-tier products. A cursory glance at most product line-ups often confronts you with what looks like the same car, stretched or squashed to fit its particular price bracket. The German Big Three have, in recent years, stumbled into the design-related pitfall that is otherwise known as the cookie-cutter effect. Yes, even the X7’s seemingly all-inhaling grille garners fewer slack-jawed stares than this bold set of nostrils so let’s deal with the elephant in the room – the 4’s design – before delving into what really matters: its on-road talents. You’ve no doubt spent a good deal of time eyeballing pictures of the new 4 Series Coupé and formulated opinions regarding what’s perhaps the boldest interpretation of the kidney grille to ever grace the snout of a BMW. Smooth and sharp inline-six is our pick from the launch drive.
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