The automotive world will have to get used to many more virtual launches as we’ve been witnessing of late, including the BMW 4 Series Coupe unveiled this evening. The two-door version of the popular 3 Series sedan has been the subject of much speculation of late, which we will get into in a moment. The new BMW 4 Series will also form the basis for the upcoming i4, an all-electric model that will be the most powerful of the family. Learn more about the BMW i4 here.

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Distinct identity

BMW was keen to given its new coupe a completely distinct appearance when compared to its four-door sibling. To this end the 4 Series has been given a bold frontal treatment with a pair of massive kidney grilles that plunge down into the lower section of the bumper. Leaked mages of this front-end have been doing the rounds for a few months with fans of the brand questioning whether or not BMW would be going through with it to production… and now we have our answer.

Read up on the rarest BMW M3 ever produced at this link.

Large nostrils aside the 4 Series has an elegant shape that is set off by modern cues, such as the funky LED headlamps and wraparound taillamps. It is 60 mm lower in height than a 3 Series and in true BMW fashion has 50:50 mass distribution. The interior is chock-full of BMW’s latest gadgets, including real-time navigation and a touchscreen infotainment interface.

Six-cylinder power

BMW will offer a full range of petrol and diesel powerplants across various markets. The most interesting, until the M4 eventually arrives, is the BMW M440i xDrive. This derivative will feature a turbocharged, inline-six. The new generation motor features 48V mild-hybrid technology, which provides 8 kW of power, and is coupled with an eight-speed automatic transmission. As the xDrive part of its name denotes, drive is channeled to all four wheels.

Catch the M3 testing on the Nurburgring in this video.

Peak power from the 3,0-litre engine is 275 kW with an impressive 500 N.m of torque on tap from 1 900–5 000 r/min. BMW says the flagship 4 will sprint from 0-100 km/h in 4,5 second and it has a top speed of 250 km/h. BMW South Africa has confirmed that 44oi will be launched locally in the last quarter of this year.

Two other models we can expect to see on the local sales charts at the same time are the 420i and 420d. The former has a 2,0-litre petrol-fed engine that produces 135 kW and 300 N.m while the latter has a four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with 140 kW and 400 N.m. Both engines are mated with eight-speed automatic transmissions that drive the rear wheels.