Johannesburg - As I open the gate and slither BMW’s new 4 Series Gran Coupé into my driveway, the old timer I’ve hired to do a bit of construction work whistles a cat-call through his teeth and asks, “What’s this now?” whilst running a finger over the car’s rear quarter panel and fluttering his eyebrows as if the Beemer’s made some sort of sexual advance toward him.
Here’s a guy who drives a rickety old Fiat Uno panelvan, and remembers BMW’s square era of 3 (small), 5 (medium) and 7 (large) Series models so, after around three minutes of me trying in vain to explain the new Bavarian evens and odds badging strategy, and how this car is basically a slinky four-door version of the two-door version of the normal 3 Series sedan, my man cocks a confused eyebrow, zoots his cordless drill a couple times, and replies: “Sexy...”, before carrying on with whatever I interrupted.
BMW could offer PhD courses in understanding its ever-growing range of cars, so for me to give a detailed explanation of where the 4GC (let’s call it that for short) fits in, could take a very long time and a lot of words. Instead, just know that this is a direct rival for Audi’s A5 Sportback - another sleek take on the traditional saloon-car segment.
The 4GC, like the A5 Sportback, gets a long, fastback tailgate which hinges at the roof, and besides allowing for a much bigger boot aperture, also allows for a sexier (as my builder would say) coupé-like body style. Other than that, this is a normal 3 Series under the skin. Same engines, same chassis, same almost everything.
There are some teensy-weensy differences in front and rear track widths, and for some reason (probably aerodynamics) BMW says the GC accelerates a little quicker than its normal-booted counterpart. But, in truth, it just looks cooler.
The cool looks come at a premium though, and at R743 040 before options, the flagship (until an inevitable M4 version comes along) 435i on test here is priced exactly R98 513 more than its mechanically equivalent 335i counterpart.
So, a hundred grand for some extra boot space and some killer styling... Worth it? Only you can answer that.
The 435i’s turbocharged straight six makes it a genuinely fast car. BMW claims 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds, and we almost matched that with a best 5.4sec run at our Gauteng altitude test track. The quarter-mile, for all you drag fanatics, came up in 13.8 seconds. It’s pretty much the same three-litre engine, with the same 225kW and 400Nm it’s had in many 35i-badged Beemers over the past eight years.
Power is delivered in gobs, and at any point in the rev range. Plant your foot from a standstill and the 4GC hikes its britches without hesitation. Flatten the throttle for a high-speed overtake and the turbo instantaneously converts a big gasp of air into forward propulsion.
This superb engine can’t take all the credit, however, as the eight-speed Steptronic gearbox makes the package really sparkle. It may not be as quick and crisp as the dual-clutch DCT unit in the new (and previous) M3, but in this buttery-smooth application, buttery-smooth gear changes are probably better. Still, the transmission’s capable of some performance-enhancing kicks in the backside as it ratchets up and down when in Sports mode.
VERDICT
I purposefully avoided the topic of BMW’s 3 Series Gran Turismo (3GT for short), which is yet another variant built on this current platform, in my earlier rundown of Beemer’s model lineup to avoid confusion. But, it’s an unavoidable subject ...
Like the 4GC, the 3GT also gets a coupé-like body style with fastback tailgate hinging at the roof. The silhoutte of these two cars is so similar, that the existence of both makes no sense at all. In truth, the 3GT, with its slightly longer wheelbase, gets more rear legroom and more boot loading capacity than the 4GC, so if it’s purely space you’re after then the Gran Turismo is the winner. It’s also cheaper.
But, put all three models side by side, and the Gran Coupé will likely be the prettiest option in most people’s eyes. Again, with the 4 Series Gran Coupé – the most expensive of the lot – you’re paying for the looks, and only you can decide if it’s worth it - Star Motoring.
FACTS
BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé
Engine: Three-litre, six-cylinder turbopetrol
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 225kW @ 5800-6400rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 1200-5000rpm
0-100km/h (claimed): 5.2 seconds
Top speed (claimed): 250km/h
Consumption (claimed): 7.5 litres per 100km
Price: R743 040
Maintenance plan: Five-year/100 000km
ALTERNATIVES
Audi A5 Sportback 3.0T quattro (200kW/400Nm) – R671 000
BMW 335i Gran Turismo (225kW/400Nm) – R682 951
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