Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 39

B

MW’s F32 4 Series replaced
the previous 3 Series coupe
and convertible models in 2014.
The 420i coupe, with a
135kW/270Nm 2.0-litre
turbopetrol four, kicks off the 4
series range at $72,300.
The mid-range 430i, at
$82,500, delivers 185kW/ 350Nm
from its 2.0-litre turbopetrol
four. The range-topping 440i
runs the familiar 240kW/450Nm
3.0-litre turbo straight six,
priced at $102,300.
The 4 Series convertible
range opens with the 420i at
$90,900. The 430i is $101,200
and the 440i is $121,200.
The 4 Series Gran Coupe, with
a four-door body, is available
in 420i specifi cation at $70,900
430i and 440i are at the same
prices as the two door coupe.
The 4 Series runs an eight-
speed automatic as standard.
It is essentially a now
superseded F30 3 Series in two-
door coupe form, with a lower
wider stance. It’s that form that

brings genuine sportiness and

on-road presence to the middle

order of BMW’s stable.

The handsome, powerful

profi le of BMW’s mid-size coupe

never ages. Well, maybe just

a touch when parked next to

Audi’s gorgeous A5.

The cabin, though, is overdue

for renovation. It’s a traditional

twin cockpit layout with minimal

storage, a discordant mix of

rich and poor plastics, plus

plain analogue instruments,

supplemented by a head-up

display and the latest iDrive6

infotainment system.

BMW’s power adjustable,

leather-wrapped sports seat is

one of the most comfortable,

supportive driver pews in any

car at any price, and you can

adjust the driving position

exactly as you like it.

Surround cameras and sensors

make parking easy, while blind

spot and speed limit monitoring

are useful, especially in traffi c. A

head-up display is also standard.

Back seat passengers

endure more sympathetic,

spacious accommodation than

some other coupes, though

those over 180cm will make

contact with the roof.

The 2.0-litre turbo is a sweet

engine, refi ned, frugal and

exceptionally tractable, with

strong pulling power from idle

and solid turbo shove through

the midrange.

That’s where it clocks off,

though. Top-end performance,

even in Sport mode, is a non-

event, and in a car like this –

which is engineered to cope with

300kW-plus in M4 guise – it feels

like needless poverty.

The extra $10,200 for the

184kW engine is a pretty stiff

surcharge, but it cuts the

coupe’s 0-100km/h sprint time

from a tardy 7.5 seconds to a

rapid 5.8 seconds, and having

sampled it in other BMWs it is

much more complementary to

the car’s overall capabilities,

which are impressive.

BMW 4 SERIES FROM $70,900

THINGS WE LIKE

 Classy exterior styling

 Proper four-adult roominess

 Fantastic 440i powertrain

 Grand touring manners

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

Steering lacks clarity and directness

Weak resale values

Interior design is dating

SPEX (440i)

Made in Germany

3.0-litre straight-six turbopetrol/

eight-speed automatic/rear-

wheel drive

240kW of power at 5500rpm/450Nm

of torque from 1380–5000rpm

0–100km/h in 5.0 seconds (claimed)

5.5L/100km highway; 9.1L/100km

city; 95 octane premium; CO 2

emissions are 159g/km

Warranty: Three years/unlimited

kilometres

Standard: Stability control, six

airbags, lane departure warning,

collision warning, automatic

emergency braking, blind spot

monitoring, leather, 19-inch

alloys, M Sport package, adaptive

M suspension, parking sensors,

camera, dual-zone air, head-up

display, Bluetooth, digital radio,

navigation, voice control, Sport or

Luxury line trim

Redbook future values: 3yr: 43%;

5yr: 28%

compare with ...

Audi A5, Lexus RC, Merc C-Class

Safety

Not yet tested

Green Vehicle Guide

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money



Overall

STARS

Adaptive M suspension,

standard on the 4 Series, is BMW’s

premium dynamic package.

It compensates for the inherent

harshness of runfl at tyres and

allows you to adjust ride comfort

to suit the road surface and your

preference, from supple to fi rm

yet still reasonably compliant.

The 420i’s modest power

never overwhelms the grip of the

255/35 19 Bridgestone Potenza

rear tyres, and with a relatively

light four cylinder engine up

front the car is beautifully poised,

responsive and agile in corners.

Adjustable electric steering is

overassisted in Comfort mode for

easy manoeuvring in town; on the

open road, Sport mode amplifi es

precision, weighting and feedback

and is close to perfection.

Mercedes-Benz’s C-Class

coupe and Audi’s A5 coupe and

Sportback are its main rivals in

the showrooms.

With the new 3 Series sedan

now on sale, expect the spinoff

4 Series coupe and convertible

variants to begin arriving in local

showrooms in 2020.