- BMW says the 4 Series is a “very important car for us.”
- The company confirmed that a new version will debut alongside the next 3 Series.
- It must have both a gas and an electric powertrain.
For years there has been talk that the BMW 4 Series may be living on borrowed time. But based on new information, that doesn’t seem to be the case at all. While some competitors are scaling back – or dropping altogether – their two-door offerings, BMW is making it clear that the 4 Series isn’t going anywhere.
The BMW team in Munich is already working on the next generation 4 Series, which will sit alongside the upcoming “Neue Klasse” 3 Series as a sportier, more design-oriented alternative. And here’s the good news for enthusiasts: a new M4 is definitely coming.
About a year ago we reported that the next M4 could go all-electric. The chances are still slim, but now it seems more likely that gas energy will remain in the mix.
A gas and electric 4-series?
The 4 Series was launched as its own model in 2013, separated from the 3 Series and entered its second generation in 2020. It also served as the basis for the fully electric i4. Overall, it was a solid success for BMW. But with the 3 Series heading towards the first electric Neue Klasse platform, the future of a gas-powered 4 Series coupe started to look uncertain.
Those questions have now been answered by BMW’s head of R&D, Joachim Post. Speak with CoachPost confirmed that there is still room for a sleek two-door model in BMW’s future lineup:
‘The 4 Series is an important car for us. It’s sportier and BMW is a sporty brand with a clear performance heritage. It will continue to play an important role in the future.’
This is the first official confirmation that a third generation 4 Series is on the way. Although we haven’t seen any prototypes yet, this move makes a lot of sense. Audi has dropped the A5 Coupe (and reused the name for what used to be the A4), and Mercedes-Benz has combined its C-Class and E-Class coupes into the new CLE. BMW clearly sees an opening here.
Although coupes and convertibles don’t sell in the same numbers as sedans, BMW says the math still works thanks to shared development. “It is not as expensive as developing a completely new car,” Post explains. “Every time we make a 3 Series or X3, we also think about the 4 Series or X4. That way we can create synergies and build derivatives more easily.”
That comment also quietly confirms the future of BMW’s SUV coupes. A new X4 is on the way that will share its powertrains with the X3 and iX3, while the larger X6 is expected to take a similar approach.
The next M4
Photo by: BMW
Since the next 4 Series is expected to ride on the Neue Klasse architecture, it should support a wide range of powertrains. A next-generation i4 – closely related to the upcoming electric i3 – is likely, along with highly efficient gas-powered versions.
According to rumors, the electric model could use a battery of as much as 108.0 kWh and offer a range of more than 700 kilometers according to the WLTP cycle. But for most enthusiasts, the bigger head is what this means for the M4. As Post put it: “These derivatives very often form the basis for sports cars,” clearly referring to BMW M.
BMW has already suggested that the next M3 will take a two-pronged approach: one version as a brutally powerful EV with four motors and torque vectoring, and another sticking to internal combustion via an updated S58 inline-six. The next M4 would likely follow the same formula.
Post also pointed out that BMW has a key advantage here: its next-generation gas engines are already designed to meet the upcoming Euro 7 emissions rules, giving the brand more flexibility than some of its rivals.
Taking Motor1s: With so many luxury coupes disappearing, it is nice to see that BMW is still committed to the 4 Series. Better yet, a new gas engine could keep the M4 a popular choice for enthusiasts.
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