It's some complicated marketing rubbish about how their 2-door cars will have more of a premium and more driver focused feel than their sedan or wagon counterparts.
I think BMW is serious about trying to copy Audi with their range this time.
Really not complicated at all.
Odd numbers Saloon, Tourer, GT, hatch..
Even number Coupe, Cabriolet and Gran Coupe (4dr coupe).
The even numbers
will be more driver focused - even if only because they'll be
less comfortable for rear seat passengers!
This will also be mirrored in the X lineup, with X1, X3, X5 being 5 door, and the X4 and X6 (and rumoured X2) being the versions with the Coupe roof line.
Given the expansion at the bottom end (1 series & 2 series), and rumoured expansion at the top end (possible revival of 8 series), it keeps their whole model range numbering system fairly predictable and nice and uniform.
Also, not sure how BMW is 'copying' Audi specifically with their line up?
Lol at this ruined rubbish. I had an original 4-door some years back that was an amazingly fun car to drive & was one of the best driving cars out there on the market when it was released. I know the current E90 is up there as well.
The cars don't carry that much of a premium.
^this.
As for more driver focused, I find that to be a bit of a stretch as well. My sis' just picked up her '13 3 Series sedan & after driving it yesterday, it feels as connected to me as my older 3 coupe. I don't believe they would suddenly make the new 4 that much different.
I don't think it will be that much either, but weight, track, wheelbase, CoG, Cd, etc. will all be different, and hopefully geared more towards handing and performance.
Take a test, find out!
Doesn't the 4 series get a different platform than the 3 series?
It has a longer wheelbase, is lower and wider than the current 3 series coupe.
I think it's still the same platform, despite the differing dimensions.
Personally I quite like the 4-er, I've no really problem with them renaming the 3-er coupe, or how they will position it in the market. The styling is okay, I don't love it, but I don't hate it, and in terms of the body shape, it's more of a coupe than a 2 door saloon, which earlier 2 door 3-ers were...
I look forward to seeing it in the flesh, BMW's always look better in the metal, and their press photo's always look like totally artificial weird perspective renderings.
It's about the only model where the 'modern' line doesn't look awful, so that's a plus too. In fact, I'd be tempted by the Modern, possibly in an individual colour (If only the company would stump up the readies!).
Given it's facially very similar to the F30 saloon, I do wonder how much differentiation there will be visiually between the 4-er Gran Coupe and the 3-er Saloon.
Also worth remembering that the 2 series coupe will soon be revealed, giving people a more compact coupe if they feel the 4-er has gotten too large.
What I don't like... AWD only on the 435d.. WTF?!
M4 should look freakin' awesome!
. Not much difference, though. They should really switch up the game, especially with the tail lights. They reuse them on a lot of the M and X models.
