Autoblog

BMW M4 sheds some camouflage for latest test run

Steven J. Ewing — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, BMW, Luxury

Last time we saw the upcoming BMW M4 out testing, it was heavily clad with camouflage and decidedly homely looking (as most early development mules are). But in this latest set of photos, the M3 coupe successor has started to come into its own skin, and we're seeing a shape more closely akin to that of a rendering we brought you a few months back.

Unsurprisingly, the M4 coupe looks very similar to the 4 Series Concept that BMW debuted at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this year. And while non-M version of the 4er will likely look a bit more sedate, these spy shots clearly show an aggressive front fascia, large wheels and the usual quad-exhaust rounding out the rear end.

Naturally, the M3 sedan will launch before this M4 coupe (and convertible), and powertrain details are still unclear as of this writing. We understand that the current M3's naturally aspirated V8 will be axed in favor of some sort of turbocharged six-cylinder engine, and we've heard plenty of rumors as to what, exactly, it might be, but we have yet to hear any official confirmation.

The 4 Series will launch later this year as a 2014 model, and we expect the M4 to follow suit about one year later as a 2015 model.

BMW M4 sheds some camouflage for latest test run originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW 4 Series spied with its future competition

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, BMW, Luxury

BMW showed off its new 4 Series coupe in concept form at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show earlier this year, but it won't be long before we see the production model, evidenced by this modestly camouflaged prototype spotted testing. In case you forgot, the 4 Series serves as the replacement for the two-door versions of the BMW 3 Series, just as the upcoming 2 Series will effectively be the new version of the 1 Series coupe and convertible sold in our market.

This isn't our first glimpse of the 4 Series out testing, and we've even spied its droptop, Gran Coupe and too-hot M4 kin. We don't expect the final design to stray too much from the concept car seen in Detroit, albeit without the normal conceptual goodies like oversized wheels and with the overstyled front fascia toned down a bit. Our spy photographers even caught the 4 Series coupe hanging out with an Audi A5, giving us a good glimpse at how the two cars will stack up in terms of size and design.

It's still unknown exactly what engines will power the car when it comes to production, but since this thing is a derivative of the 3 Series, we expect the usual range of turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines to be available, likely in 428i ad 435i guise (though, to be fair, the larger 640i coupe uses a 3.0-liter turbo engine, so there's even the potential for 440i nomenclature to work its way into the mix). We'll have to wait until the car officially bows later this year to know for sure.

BMW 4 Series spied with its future competition originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW Concept 4 Series Coupe proves that 3-2=4

Steven J. Ewing — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:03:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, BMW, Luxury

BMW may be calling this 4 Series Coupe a concept, but take a long, hard look - this will be the car that replaces the 3 Series Coupe in the automaker's lineup. Don't let that number change trip you up. This car will have all the basic elements of what makes a 3 Series coupe so popular, and while this isn't technically the production model (there are still come conceptual elements and we don't have powertrain details), it's pretty much what we can look forward to seeing out on the road very soon. And honestly, the naming strategy isn't that weird (though it's still plenty odd) - BMW will be using even numbers for all its coupes and convertibles moving forward. 1 Series, meet 2 Series. And when a 3 Series loses two doors, it becomes a 4 Series.

Dimensionally, the new 4 Series coupe is 1.7-inches wider, half an inch shorter in overall height, and rides on a 2.0-inch longer wheelbase. It's a really pretty thing, with bold, aggressive body sculpting up front, and a rear deck that's sort of like a downsized version of the larger 6 Series two-door. It's all very handsome, but we'll reserve final judgment until we see the production version with its likely smaller wheels and possibly toned-down visuals.

We don't yet have powertrain details, but we fully expect the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and 3.0-liter turbo-six to carry over in ~~328i~~ 428i and 435i guise. Though remember, other 3.0-liter models in BMW's range use 40i designation, so we could possibly be looking at a 440i Coupe, instead. We won't know until the production car officially bows later this year.

For now, check out our live photos direct from the Detroit show floor and scroll down for BMW's press blast.

Continue reading BMW Concept 4 Series Coupe proves that 3-2=4

BMW Concept 4 Series Coupe proves that 3-2=4 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Jan 2013 10:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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So Long, 3 Series: Concept 4 Series Coupe previews new two-door BMW

Steven J. Ewing — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:01:00 EST

Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Coupe, BMW, Luxury

With the launch of the BMW 4 Series coupe, we can officially say goodbye to the two-door 3 Series. As we've long reported, BMW is moving its coupe and convertible models up one digit (like the 5 Series/6 Series relationship); when the next-generation 1 Series launches in the States, it will actually be called the 2 Series. And while there are certainly a lot of 3 Series aspects to this new 4er, BMW says the new car "represents the zenith of a development curve" and that the automaker "has given the new model its own individual character and a standalone design."

Compared to the current 3 Series coupe, the 4 Series concept rides on a two-inch-longer wheelbase, adds 1.7 inches of width, and is just over half an inch shorter in height. The whole thing looks very sculpted and sleek, and there are plenty of design elements from the larger 6 Series, as well. The full-LED headlamps and aggressive lower fascia will certainly grab your attention, but if we're honest, some of us prefer the simpler, cleaner lines of past 3 Series models versus this somewhat overly stylized new coupe. From the rear, however, this thing is damn pretty.

The interior certainly looks good, too - premium leather is slathered on nearly every surface, and the overall design is modern and plush. A lot of what we see here is similar to the larger 6 Series, again, but that isn't a bad thing. Specific details have not been divulged for the production 4 Series, but expect a full suite of technological goodies to be packed inside the cabin, as well.

Speaking of specific details, we don't have any news to share regarding powertrain lineups just yet, though it's expected that both the 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four and 3.0-liter turbo-six from the 3 Series sedan will carry over. Under that logic, expect BMW to roll out 428i and 435i models, though remember that elsewhere in the range, cars powered by the turbocharged inline-six also wear the 40i designation, so we could just as well see 440i-badged cars. We'll have to wait and see.

The 4 Series Concept will make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January, with the production car coming very shortly thereafter. Scroll down for the official information in BMW's press blast.

Continue reading So Long, 3 Series: Concept 4 Series Coupe previews new two-door BMW

So Long, 3 Series: Concept 4 Series Coupe previews new two-door BMW originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW 4 Series Coupe spotted sans swirlies

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, BMW, Luxury

The spy shots you see above are not of a BMW 3 Series Coupe. Of course, that's just because the German automaker has apparently decided that coupes and convertibles deserve their own numerical distinction, one step higher than their sedan siblings.

While we've seen the upcoming BMW 4 Series in both convertible and coupe shapes before, this is the first time the car has been spotted by our European spy shooters without BMW's trademark swirly camouflage - all the better to spot details like the sloping fastback roofline and fender vents. Sadly, the fascia is masked, but we'd expect to see some stylized kidney grilles and stretched headlamps beneath.

We're told that this is not an M model but rather a 435i or 440i fitted with BMW's Sport Line body kit along with 19-inch M Sport wheels. A higher-performance M4 version is also in the offing. Take in all the details in the image gallery above, paying special attention to the horrible Sport badges that we pray don't make it into production. Expect to see the 2014 4 Series Coupe make its official debut at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show.

BMW 4 Series Coupe spotted sans swirlies originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW replacing 'is' with M Performance models

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, BMW, Luxury

Since the end of the Detroit Auto Show this year we've been getting more details on the coming line of M Performance vehicles from BMW. Taking their spots between the standard line and the true M vehicles, examples like the 2012 BMW X6 M50d and M550d xDrive (neither of which will come here) get tweaks developed by the M division under the hood, in the cabin and around the exterior, mated to traditional items like torque converter automatic transmissions instead of dual-clutch gearboxes.

Their arrival here is planned for the 2014 Detroit Auto Show starting with the M235i coupe (the coupe and convertible versions of what we know now as the 135is, pictured), and when that happens a report in Car and Driver says M Performance models will replace the "is" trim as the next-generation BMWs are being introduced. That would mean cars like the 335is become the M335i sedan and M435i coupe and convertible. Initial M flavors right now are expected to include the Z4, 1, 2, 3 and 4 Series.

The original announcement from BMW claimed that the M Performance vehicles would receive "exclusive engines," but the C/D report suggests that might not be the case. The mag also says that we'll see the M335i or M435i as soon as next year.

BMW replacing 'is' with M Performance models originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Aug 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Here's your first look at the BMW 3 Series coupe, in M4 guise

Jeff Sabatini — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:45:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, BMW

As we all look forward to the F30 2012 BMW 3 Series spawning its forthcoming coupe bodystyle as well as a new M3, today's treat is a bit of both. Our spy shooters caught this car testing in Europe, which is clearly an M version of the 3 Series coupe.

The wheels and quad exhaust are a dead giveaway that this is no ordinary 3, and of course, the scuttlebutt is that BMW is going to call the 3 Series coupe the 4 Series, making the M3 replacement actually the M4. BMW has reportedly confirmed that the current M3's V8 is going to be replaced with a turbo'ed inline six in the F30 M cars. The expectation is that the M3 will launch before the M4, given that BMW has yet to even bring the 4 Series to market.

Check out all the images in our gallery.

Here's your first look at the BMW 3 Series coupe, in M4 guise originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Jul 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW 4 Series cabrio caught with its top down

Noah Joseph — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:29:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, BMW, Luxury

BMW did quite a bit to differentiate the new 3 Series from the old one, but arguably the biggest development in that department is the splitting of the model line. Because the new 3 Series is only the sedan and wagon. The coupe and cabrio are branching off as the 4 Series, similar to the 6 Series (as distinct from the 5 Series), the old 8 Series (separate from the 7 Series) and what's expected to emerge of the 2 Series from the new 1 Series.

Following earlier spy shots of the 4 Series convertible with its roof up in the rain and in the snow, this is our first look at the upcoming new model being driven the way it's meant to be driven: with its top down and the sun shining.

Unfortunately our view is a little obscured by all the swirly camouflage, so we'll have to wait until its anticipated debut sometime next year to see the whole package. But you can check out the spy shots now for a sneak preview.

BMW 4 Series cabrio caught with its top down originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 May 2012 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW 4 Series Convertible spotted buttoned up for winter

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, BMW, Luxury

It is expected that the BMW 4 Series - which will be what we used to call the 3 Series coupe and convertible - is expected to be revealed sometime later this year. Nevertheless, it still has much to hide, since it's wearing the same amount of all-sheathing camouflage as when we saw it four months ago.

This is the convertible version, and it is figured to be the new 3 Series with a few tweaks at the front. It is capped by a folding hardtop and presumably uses the same engines offered in the 3. When the camo does come off, we're anxious to see if the lower front intake really does retain the shape of a Wallace-and-Grommit smile.

BMW 4 Series Convertible spotted buttoned up for winter originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW 4 Series Convertible spotted testing

Steven J. Ewing — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Convertible, BMW

We'll admit, it feels like a typo whenever we write "4 Series," but if BMW is as insistent upon further breaking out its coupes and convertibles from its sedan ranges as we've been hearing, we'll just have to get used to it. The BMW 4 Series is expected to officially kick off when the two-door versions of the new 3 Series are launched, and our spies recently caught a prototype of the new droptop 4 testing in the rain.

There's still lots of cladding under all that swirly paper, but we expect the 4er Convertible's design to mimic that of the new 3 Series, complete with the more squared off headlamps that pinch in toward the dual-kidney grille. Like the outgoing droptop, the 4 Series cabriolet will use a folding hardtop configuration, and engine choices will almost certainly be exactly the same as what's offered in the 3 Series sedan. (428i and 435i - weird.) An M version is also said to be in the cards.

Look for the 4 Series range to debut sometime in 2012.

BMW 4 Series Convertible spotted testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New BMW M3 to come in sedan form first

Noah Joseph — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Sedan, Performance, BMW, Luxury

Typically, when BMW releases a new M3, it launches it in coupe form first. (In fact, sales of the M3 sedan have, in North America at least, slowed to such an extent that BMW NA was tempted to stop bringing it here altogether.) But not the new model - according to the latest intel, the next-gen M3 will arrive in four-door guise first.

Sources indicate a couple of reasons for that: First, the new 3 Series (pictured above in M Sport guise) on which it'll be based has so far has only come out in sedan form. Second, because the next-gen M3 is anticipated to lose some of its edge. Which would be a shame, but there's a far more straightforward reason than either of those two: there will be no coupe or convertible M3 from here on out.

Well, sorta. There will be, only it won't be called the M3. It'll probably be called the M4, since BMW is said to be spinning the two-door version of the 3 Series off into a 4 Series - more closely mirroring the 5 Series sedan and its coupe/convertible counterpart, the 6 Series. Since BMW has yet to unveil the 4 Series, we're likely to be looking at an M3 sedan first.

We expect it'll have a twin-turbo six-cylinder engine in place of the outgoing model's naturally aspirated V8, but the jury's still out on whether those pistons will be arranged in a V or a straight line.

New BMW M3 to come in sedan form first originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BMW to rename 1 and 3 Series coupes as 2 and 4 Series

Noah Joseph — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, BMW

2011 BMW 335i coupe and cabrio - Click above for high-res image gallery

While Mercedes-Benz has been steadily re-integrating its four-seat coupes and cabrios into their corresponding sedan ranges, BMW is reportedly preparing to go the other way. Word from Car Magazine has it that the Bavarian automaker is preparing to launch the next-generation versions of its 1 Series and 3 Series coupes and convertibles as the 2 Series and 4 Series, respectively.

The move would correspond well to the 6 Series, the coupe and convertible that sits between the 5 Series and 7 Series sedans. It's not the first time BMW has considered such a move, having come close to spinning the two-door 3 Series into a 4 Series about a decade ago.

Audi recently completed a similar shift, replacing the A4 convertible with the A5. That model has since spawned a five-door Sportback, in whose company BMW may soon find itself with the 3 Series GT that may likewise be badged as a 4 Series.

BMW to rename 1 and 3 Series coupes as 2 and 4 Series originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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