Some people would argue the so-called “four-door coupes” are redundant since they’re nearly the same as the sedans they’re based on, but automakers would disagree. Audi has been selling the A5 Sportback with great success for more than a decade, while BMW joined the fray with the 4 Series Gran Coupe in 2014.
Mercedes is believed to be planning a CLC return in a more practical shape by adding rear doors, and Volkswagen recently gave its Arteon fastback a nip and tuck. In other words, the coupe-ified sedan is here to stay, and we could say the same thing about the coupe-SUV segment. That one too has expanded to include mainstream cars, with a relevant example being the Renault Arkana.
2021 mark will the launch of a new 4 Series Gran Coupe and let’s just say BMW is quite excited. The company’s design boss Christopher Weil told GoAuto the official reveal is scheduled to take place “very soon” and he described the sleeker 3 Series Sedan as being “stunning.”
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We don’t have to look too far to imagine the styling direction the new generation will take considering the Concept i4 largely previewed its exterior design. We also have lots of spy shots with near-production prototypes, which have shown the love/hate grille will be present, even on the fully electric i4.
Weil revealed the 4 Series Gran Coupe attracts a different customer base compared to the 3 Series Sedan, mentioning it’s usually the younger folks that go for the swoopy version. He went on to say the upcoming model will steer away from adopting a plug-in hybrid powertrain, at least in the beginning.
Should you want an electrified variant, the zero-emissions i4 will be the way to go and it’s expected to outpunch the M3/M4 in terms of power. As far as we know, a conventionally powered M4 Gran Coupe is not on the agenda.