Ah, the majestic dance of horsepower and metal – it’s what gets my pistons firing. Now, let me whisk you away on a motoring sojourn with the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe (2022). This suave Bavarian isn’t a rehashed recipe; it’s a dish with added herbs and a sprinkle of magic dust.
Given the slightly confusing nomenclature that brands like to toss around these days, one could forgive you for mistaking the 4 Series Gran Coupe for a two-door coupe with a bit of a weight problem. But you’d be as wrong as a diesel in a track day. The 4 Series Gran Coupe is, in fact, a five-door lifted offering with a rakish silhouette that would make even the most stubborn of car designers nod in tacit approval.
Imagine the 4 Series Coupe that’s been stretched – it’s like it put on a bit of lockdown weight, but in all the right places, sleek and muscular with an athletic stance that says, “Yes, I do lift, bro.” The front-end sports BMW’s new mega-kidney grille that has divided opinions. I reckon it’s like a strong cheese – not for everyone, but if you get it, you love it. It sticks out like a sore thumb but in a way that makes you want to never put a plaster on it.
Slip inside and you’re greeted with the undeniable scent of well, that’s just new car, but it’s a BMW new car, which means it’s special. The quality of the fittings is top-notch, the tech is like something out of Star Trek, and the comfort is akin to lounging on a Chesterfield made of clouds.
Now, driving this Gran Coupe, there’s a certain expectation that it must handle like it’s on rails while treating its passengers to a cosseting embrace. And my word, does it deliver. Power delivery from the base 420i engine is like getting a solid hit from a velvet-wrapped baseball bat – it’s smooth yet palpably forceful. And if you’ve got the 440i, then you’re wielding Thor’s hammer disguised as a saloon. As you push on through bends, the Gran Coupe remains unfazed, almost goading you to try a bit harder, pushing not just the car’s limits but your own.
But where this BMW really sings is on the motorway. It cruises with such lofty disdain for road imperfections that you’re almost convinced it was born there, only briefly stopping at the dealership for you to pick it up.
The elephant in the room – the price. She’s not exactly handing out free lunches, but then again, quality never comes cheap. You want the sharp suit, you’ve got to pay the tailor.
Overall, the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe is a stunner – it’s practical without being humdrum, it’s sporty without being a bone shaker, and it’s luxurious without being ostentatious. It’s a car that does so much so well, it might just be the only car you’ll ever need. Unless of course, you need to go off-roading or take your entire collection of antique shows on the road. But that, my friends, is a tale for another day.