2022 G24 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé – five variants, M440i xDrive with 48V MHEV; 40 driver assist systems

Just a week after launching the i4, BMW introduced its combustion-engined counterpart, the G24 4 Series Gran Coupé. There are five variants at launch – the 420i, 420d, 420d xDrive, 430i, and M440i xDrive from BMW M. The G24, set to hit markets in November this year, is the third 4 Series body variant after the G22 Coupe and G23 Convertible.

Design-wise, the 4GC has a lot in common with the i4, sharing the latter’s flush door handles, hockey stick side curtains, and a near identical rear three-quarter profile. The only notable differences at the back are the exhaust pipes on the 4GC models, as well as their respective badges.

Its dimensions are also very close to the i4, measuring 4,783 mm long, 1,852 mm wide and 1,442 mm tall (-6 mm compared to the i4). Front and rear track widths are 1,595 mm and 1,623 mm respectively, or about 6 mm and 19 mm wider than the G20 3 Series.

Its wheelbase of 2,856 mm is 46 mm longer than the previous F32 4 Series Gran Coupe, and 5 mm longer than the G20 3 Series. Boot space is 30 litres larger than the regular 4 Series Coupe at 470 litres, expandable to 1,290 litres with the rear seatback (40:20:40 split) folded.

In terms of equipment, all models get full LED headlights with LED DRLs as standard, though this can be upgraded to the optional adaptive LED headlights with BMW Laserlight and Selective Beam (high beam and cornering assist) functionalities. M lights Shadow Line can also be specified, which sees darkened inlays being introduced to the upper edges of the headlights. The full LED tail lights can also be dark-tinted.

Moving on to the M440i xDrive, it gets the usual M Sport treatment with new front and rear bumpers, Cerium Grey finishers on the grille surrounds and side mirror caps, and an M-specific low profile rear spoiler. It rides on 18-inch M light alloy wheels as standard (the rest get 17-inch units), though there are various design options that go up to 20 inches.

M440i xDrive and M Sport owners can specify the M Carbon exterior package, which sees the front intake, mirror caps, rear diffuser and rear spoiler finished in real, lightweight carbon-fibre. A choice of two non-metallic and seven metallic paint colours are offered as standard, while those wanting more pizzazz can pay a little bit more to go with high-end BMW Individual hues.

Inside, as you would expect, is pretty much identical to the G22 and G23 4 Series models. The most obvious difference here is that the rear bench is flatter in the middle, making it a more ideal five-seater than its two-doored siblings. There’s also slightly better headroom for rear passengers. A variety of upholstery materials are available, such as synthetic Sensatec leather, Vernasca or the top BMW Individual Merino leather.

BMW Live Cockpit Plus is standard here, featuring a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument panel and an 8.8-inch touchscreen display. The optional Live Cockpit Professional upgrades the infotainment display to a larger 10.25-inch unit, although both systems run on BMW Operating System 7 (instead of the latest OS 8 like on the i4) with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionalities. A six-speaker system is standard, though a 205-watt 10-speaker system or 16-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound system can be had as well.

Now, most of the engine offerings are electrified with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, thus making them Euro 6d-compliant. The 420i and 430i are the only ones without this MHEV system – the B48 2.0 litre four-cylinder mill produces 184 PS and 300 Nm in the 420i, and 245 PS and 400 Nm for the 430i. The century sprint is achieved in 7.9 seconds and 6.2 seconds respectively. Naturally, both figures are 0.4 seconds slower than their coupe counterparts.

Next up is the 420d, which can be had as a rear-wheel drive or xDrive all-wheel drive. Whichever you choose, the diesel mill is electrically assisted with a 48-volt starter-generator (provides an additional 11 PS of propulsion aid). The four-pot oil burner makes 190 PS and 400 Nm of torque, allowing for a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 7.3 seconds (7.6 seconds for the xDrive variant).

The M440i xDrive Gran Coupe is obviously the range-topping model for now, drawing power from the venerable B58 3.0 litre straight-six petrol engine (also equipped with the 48V MHEV). The engine delivers 374 PS and 500 Nm, enough to do the century dash in 4.7 seconds. This is also the only variant to get the M Sport exhaust system as standard.

All models get an eight-speed automatic transmission, while the M440i xDrive gets a more aggressive Steptronic Sport unit. The xDrive AWD system is also set up to be rear biased, and BMW claims that the 4GC boasts a perfect 50:50 weight distribution. Notable options include M Sport suspension (passive or adaptive; comes with variable sport steering), M Sport brakes and M Sport differential (both standard on the M440i).

Lastly, for safety, BMW says the 4 Series Gran Coupe features up to 40 automated driver assistance functions at its highest specifications, enabling Level 2 semi autonomous driving. Like the i4, these include Active Cruise Control with Stop and Go function, Speed Limit Assist, Front-Collision Warning with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, Rear-Collision Prevention, and Lane Departure Warning. The Driving Assistant Professional package adds Steering and Lane Control Assistant, operable at up to 180 km/h.

GALLERY: G24 BMW M440i xDrive Gran Coupe