What_Car_UK_-_August_2020

Six-cylinderM440iwillbethefastestmodelat launch,withfour-wheeldriveasstandard.HotM4is in thepipeline

whatcar.com August 2020 13

4

1

3

2

2 Unlike some rivals,

BMW retains physical

buttons for climate

control adjustments

4 BMW’s infotainment

system retains a rotary

controller that makes it

easy to use while driving

3 Material quality should

be up there with the

3 Series. That is to say,

very good indeed

1 The standard 12.3in

digital instrument

panel can display a

wealth of information

cyclist detection, as well as speed limit

detection and lane departure warning.

M Sport is the only trim level available at

launch, but buyers seeking to make their

4 Series stand out as much as possible can

choose the new M Sport Pro Package, which

brings 19in wheels and upgraded brakes

and also promises a rortier sound from the

exhaust when the Sport driving mode is

activated. Cheaper trim levels are likely to

arrive in due course.

Prices start from £39,870. That’s a substantial

increase on the current 4 Series, but

competitive next to the A5 and C-Class Coupé.

The 420d M Sport is expected to be a popular

choice and costs from £42,440. The imminent

arrival of the new model means discounts

on the outgoing 4 Series are generous, with

savings of up to £10,606 available through our

New Car Buying service at the time of writing.

Don’t think we’ve forgotten the 4 Series

Convertible, either; a successor to today’s

open-top 4 Series will join the range and is

expected to go on sale next year. In an effort

to save weight, the convertible will revert back

to a fabric roof, in place of the heavy folding

metal structure of the current model.

New 4 Series is bigger but remains a strict four-seater Split rear seats are retained as a boost to versatility

Underneath, the 4 Series shares a lot with the

3 Series saloon, which is our favourite executive

car as well as, in 330e guise, our favourite plug-

in hybrid. It’s almost identical inside, too, so

you can expect high-quality materials and

a class-leading infotainment system.

BMW’s infotainment is the best in the

business when it comes to both usability

and features. As standard, it gives you an

8.8in touchscreen (which can optionally

be upgraded to 10.25in) and a 12.3in

digital instrument panel. The fact that the

infotainment can be controlled via a dial on

the centre console, rather than by touch alone,

makes it especially easy to use on the move.

Other options include a head-up display,

a self-parking system, and adaptive cruise

control that can also offer steering inputs.

Meanwhile, safety aids include automatic

emergency braking with pedestrian and

Mercedes-Benz

C-ClassCoupé

Good to drive and

well equipped

but doesn’t ride

as well as the A5.

RIVALS

AudiA5Coupé

Comfortable and

classy inside, and

even relatively

practical by

coupé standards.

‘The 4 Series shares

much with the

3 Series saloon –

our favourite

executive car’