BMW 4 Series Teased Ahead of Official Debut

Even though the refreshed BMW 5 Series earned top billing this week, Bavaria’s favorite automaker also released an inky black teaser image of the revamped 4 Series — a vehicle that, like its larger sedan sibling, was forced into a digital debut after coronavirus fears ended basically every car-related gathering expected to take place in 2020.

Despite the car being shrouded in blackness, we managed to enact some digital trickery of our own to get a better glimpse of its front end. While there was only so much we could do to the image before it became a complete mess, the move managed to shed some light on the model’s grille — and how closely it plans on adhering to the Concept 4 that debuted at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show.

While not quite as grandiose as the concept that served as a design template (seen below), the new 4 Series is clearly informed by it. The kidney grille is much bigger, perhaps without matching the full scope of the Concept 4, and the massive inlets beneath the headlamps appear to have followed a similar trajectory.

BMW seems to be chasing a more aggressive look, and has adopted a few items to show the brand is onboard with modern design. This is most evident in the “diamond grille” pattern pushed by rival Mercedes-Benz. While your author is of the mind that these dappled openings won’t age particularly well, manufacturers seem to think they’re fairly hot at the moment. Extravagant grilles have been particularly welcome on the Chinese market, which is why you tend to see them on luxurious global models with a strong presence in Asia.

Unnecessarily large grilles also serve as brand identifiers when traditional badging cannot be counted upon.

The rest of the 4 Series’ proportions should be more in line with what you’d expect from a BMW coupe, however. We anticipate the 4 Concept’s long nose and short rear to carry over. While a fitting shape for rear-wheel drive, Munich has said all-wheel drive will be made available. The 2021 4 Series is expected to launch with the turbo 2.0-liter-equipped 430i (estimated at 250 hp) and 3.0-liter straight-six M440i xDrive (estimated around 370 hp). Future plans include a convertible model, a “Gran Coupe” with a quintet of doors (five if you count the back hatch) and the hotly anticipated, high-performance M4.

The only transmission that has been suggested thus far is the eight-speed automatic. While we’re sure a cadre of enthusiasts are praying for a manual, we’d advise them not to hold their breath. BMW is increasingly shunning be-clutched cars, and there’s no reason to expect the manufacturer to guarantee their continued existence within its products — especially now that they no longer offer any real performance or emissions benefits.

BMW’s new 4 Series debuts digitally on June 2nd at 6:00 p.m. (GMT+2). If you want to watch it live, be sure to sync that with your own time zone before hitting up BMW’s website.

[Images: BMW]