Unlike the 3 Series, the new 4 Series Gran Coupé does not offer a plug-in hybrid version. To conquer companies, its first market, it can count on its very civilized and ultra-sober diesel. Its elegance is another of its strengths.
Test car: BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé 420dA 190hp
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From€ 52,250
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The second generation of the 4 Series Gran Coupé takes the formula of the previous model with its low body and tailgate to combine elegance and practicality. Bass? Not that much in fact, since this new model sees its roof climb to 1.44 m. It is 5.3 cm more than before and finally the same level as that of the 3 Series, with which the car still shares its undercarriages and its production line in the factory in Munich (Germany).
The 2021 Series 4 Gran Coupé therefore gains in height, but also in length (4.78 m, + 14 cm) and width (1.85 m, + 3 cm). It retains its status as a 4-door coupe with its frameless doors and knows how to be sporty in its M440i version already tested. For this new grip, it is a wise 420d with its 190 hp four-cylinder diesel that gives us its nostrils. A version that will be the star of sales to companies in the absence of plug-in hybrid powertrain.
BMW 420d Gran Coupé price
The 4 Series Gran Coupé presents in France a range of two petrol engines (184 hp and 374 hp) and a diesel (190 hp). The price of the 420d is between 52,250 and 55,300 €, and all vehicles come standard with the eight-speed automatic transmission. Our test model is the basic version at € 52,250, which includes Full LED headlights, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android auto, Wi-Fi, Advanced front seats with electric adjustments, GPS connected on the screen 10.3 inch touchscreen and digital counter.
Our sedan comes with € 15,000 in options, including head-up display, hands-free access, active cruise control and 18-gauge alloy wheels. inches. The maxim “the pleasure is in the price” therefore remains a safe bet at BMW, as does the ability of these premium diesel road cars to minimize the penalty (between 0 and 230 €, then 330 € in 2022, depending on its equipment). Faithful to the house policy, the 420d Gran Coupé is also available with xDrive all-wheel drive (+ € 2,400).
Driving
During the 1,200 km of our test on a course made up of 60% road and 40% motorway, we noted a consumption of 5.2 l / 100 km. It’s just remarkable because we had a very classic drive (no eco-driving) and took advantage of the capabilities of the 4 Series on the most twisty sections. Moreover, this 420d is solid in performance with its 190 hp diesel embellished with a torque of 400 Nm available very early and the small electric boost at low speed from the light hybridization system. This 48 V technology also allows ultra-fast and discreet Stop & Start operation. The whole is driven by the eight-speed automatic gearbox, which has no faults.
The 420d’s powertrain adds a very civilized operation, since the diesel never rumbling or vibrating at low speed and gets forgotten at steady speed. This BMW shows the progress of modern diesels in terms of amenity, like that of the Mercedes C220d. Its performance makes it possible to make the most of the rear-wheel drive chassis of the 4 Series Gran Coupé. Compared to the first generation model, the center of gravity is lowered, the tracks are widened (50 mm at the front and 32 mm at the rear), and the mass is distributed 50-50 between the two axles.
To make the most of this chassis, the driver benefits from a rather sporty driving position: low seat, extended legs and vertical steering wheel. The Advanced seats offer very good lateral support and that’s good because the Series 4 goes (very) quickly in turns thanks to its balance and lateral grip. The changes of course are rapid, the trajectory is faithful to the initial turn of the wheel, but a little more feeling in the direction would have made it possible to perfect the picture of this sedan which reconciles performance, bird’s appetite and endurance. With a full, the 1 000 km can be reached without effort, an impossible mission for its electric sister i4. On the comfort side, our version equipped with the optional 18-inch rims (but not the piloted suspension) was a little firm, a guarantee of its dynamism, but never brittle even on the most deformed roads.
On board
Competetion
It is on the side of the other premium brands that we must find an opposition, even if the Series 4 Gran Coupé is ultimately not that worried by Audi and Mercedes. The current A5 Sportback is heading into its sixth year and doesn’t have as much drive and tech as the BMW. the CLA, meanwhile, is built on a compact car platform with more restricted interior space and a less practical trunk. More serious competition is finally found at Volkswagen, whose Arteon R-Line 2.0 TDI 200 hp 4Motion has nothing to envy to the premium models. But its price is high (59,370 €). No need to leaf through the catalogs of French manufacturers. The only one to have aspired to compete with the German brands is the Peugeot 508, but it has reduced its offer to a single 130 hp diesel, in favor of the plug-in hybrid version.
Discover the results of the test, the technical sheet and the options on the next page
