BMW’s Concept 4 Series Coupe has made its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The fourth generation of the company's mid-range coupe line presents a slightly larger version of the earlier Series 3 that, according to BMW, has “greater sportiness, greater exclusivity and even clearer differentiation from the BMW 3 Series range.“
BMW’s unveiling in Detroit was one where the emphasis was entirely on style. Without any details on engine or performance, it was somewhat of an exercise in sizzle and no steak. That being said, the Series 4 shows a good deal of originality while retaining the BMW identity. At 2,810 mm (110.6 in), its wheelbase is 50 mm (1.9 in) longer than the BMW 3 Series. In addition to the longer wheelbase, there’s a long sweeping bonnet and set-back passenger compartment.
The nicely balanced kidney grille and twin circular headlights still mark this as a BMW, but there’s also a dollop of aerodynamics that indicate that something is definitely going on under the bonnet.
The kidney grille is closed off and the areas between the grille slats are blanked off by dark surfaces. There are also large air intakes in the front apron that BMW say are part of its Air Curtain feature that channels the incoming air around the outside of the wheels to improve fuel consumption. This works in tandem with BMW’s Air Curtain designed to reduce air drag around the wheels.
Though engine specifications remain hidden for now, if the Series 4 is in the neighborhood of the 3 Series, we can expect a two-liter engine putting out somewhere around 240 bhp (179 kW).
No release date or price for the Series 4 has been announced.
The BMW video below shows the styling of the Series 4.