BMW puts slightly tweaked face on newly updated 4 Series

UPDATE: BMW South Africa has since the 4 Series’ unveiling confirmed it will be bringing the updated model to the local market from the third quarter of 2024.

The initiator of the controversial kidney grille showcased on the Concept 4 at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2019, BMW has followed the unveiling of the facelift M4 up with the model it is based on, the now revised 4 Series in coupe and Cabriolet guises.

Look closely

Likely to be joined at a later stage by the four-door Gran Coupe, the internally designated G22’s first mid-life update since its world’s debut in 2020 follows the same stylistic approach as the M4 by comprising restyled front and rear bumpers, wider intakes on the flanks of the former, new alloy wheels up to 19-inches and two new colours; Fire Red Metallic and Cape York Green Metallic.

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Taking prominence though are restyled LED taillight clusters and new headlights available as standard with LEDs, optional adaptive Matrix LED diodes or, for the first time, the LED Laserlights with yellow inlays derived from the M4 CSL.

As before, buyers can opt for the M Carbon exterior package or the M Sport package, the latter included as standard on the M Performance variants.

Reworked interior

While no chassis or dimensional changes have taken place, inside, the 4 Series gets the same Curved Display as its M4 sibling, complete with the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and the 14.9-inch iDrive infotainment system with the 8.5 operating system.

Although the M specific readouts and graphics inside the latter are omitted, the 4 Series’ interior does benefit elsewhere in the inclusion of new inlays ranging from aluminium anthracite to open-pore wood, a new steering wheel with illuminated buttons, paddle shifters on all models, new air vents, ambient lighting across the entire range and a new optional Sensatec faux leather trim on the dashboard.

As standard, the sport seats are trimmed in Vernasca leather, though this can be swapped for bi-colour Merino leather or what BMW calls M Performtex imitation leather on M Sport models.

Hybrids for all

Underneath its bonnet, the 4 Series’ powerplants all come with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that adds an additional eight kilowatts for shorts bursts.

As before, the only transmission option is an eight-speed Steptronic, now with toggle switch operation instead of a traditional gear lever.

At the range’s starting point, the 420i’s 2.0-litre turbo-petrol develops an unchanged 135kW/300Nm, while the same unit in the 430i makes an unequally unaltered 180kW/400Nm.

While able to get from 0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds and hit a top speed of 240 km/h, the former still ships with rear-wheel-drive whereas the latter gets the xDrive all-wheel-drive system as standard.

This, together, with the additional poke, translates to a limited top speed of 250 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds.

On the diesel side, the 420d retains the 2.0-litre oil-burner with outputs of 140kW/400Nm, now fed to the rear or all four wheels as an option.

The respective top speeds are 240 km/h and 238 km/h, with the 0-100 km/h sprint times taking 7.1 and 7.4 seconds.

As with the 430i, the 430d boasts the xDrive system from the off, but with a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six up front delivering 210kW/650Nm. Top speed is limited to 250 km/h, with 0-100 km/h over in 5.1 seconds.

At the 4 Series summit, the pair of M Performance M440i models feature, both with the 3.0-litre straight-six engines, but outputs of 275kW/500Nm for the petrol and 250kW/700Nm for the M440d.

With the amount of twist going to all four wheels, the M440i will dispatch the benchmark sprint in 4.5 seconds and the M440d in 4.6 seconds. Top speed for both is limited to 250 km/h.

Still unconfirmed

A model not named at BMW South Africa’s official product outlook for 2024 earlier this month, expectations are that 4 Series will become available at a later stage, most likely in the second or third quarters.

An unchanged line-up is therefore expected, currently comprising the 420i, 420d and M440i xDrive. More details will be announced at a later stage.

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