BMW 4 Series spy shots give us a glimpse of that giant grille

Even though BMW made it clear it was sticking to its giant grille guns after the reveal of the Concept 4 at Frankfurt, we were skeptical that it would bring such a controversial look to production without major changes. Well, these latest spy shots prove BMW wasn't bluffing. Though the vinyl coverings still show the traditional amount of BMW grille openings, we can see the extra-tall twin kidneys hiding underneath.

They don't really appear to deviate from the concept. The two grilles stretch from the top of the hood to the lower half of the bumper. The same pattern of studs fills the openings. There may be more of a division between the two kidneys, but if each one has a thick chrome or metallic bezel, they could look as much one piece as they did on the concept.

As for the rest of the car, there isn't much new to report. It's a clean design that looks just a bit toned down from the concept. It's not quite as wide and pumped up. We can make out some new vertical vents in each end of the rear bumper, which are shared with the concept car.

We expect to see the production car revealed sometime in 2020, possibly in time for the Geneva Motor Show in March. It will likely be available with turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines like its 3 Series sedan cousin. An M4 performance model is sure to follow later.