2020 BMW 4 Series review: Hot off the grille

Singapore

A GLANCE at the front of the BMW 420i coupe tells you why all the conversation about the second-generation of BMW's midsized two-door is centred on its nose.

The car's flared nostrils are the tallest of any modern BMW, surpassing even the already-upsized grilles on the 7 Series limousine and the extra-big X7 sport utility vehicle (SUV).

Like any risk-taking design, it's generated both ayes and nays. But love it or hate it, BMW has some very good reasons for making a tall point with the 4 Series.

Tall grilles are in fact nothing new to BMW, with its earlier cars having tall oblongs instead of the kidney grilles we recognise today, and those include the brand-making 2002 sedan, as well the exciting 1970's BMW 3.0 CSL.

Anyway, BMW wants the 4 Series to branch away from its origins as the sportier, two-door version of the 3 Series sedan, its most popular model, and stand on its own feet. Before 2013, the 4 Series was simply the 3 Series Coupe.

"We wanted to have more differentiation to the 3 Series. (The 4 Series) should be more characterful," Christopher Wehner told The Business Times. Currently the managing director of BMW Group Asia, Mr Wehner had a hand in the planning and development of the car before he was posted to Singapore.

As for courting controversy, BMW's been there, too. The 2001 7 Series by then design chief Chris Bangle drew plenty of flak for its rear end, dubbed "the Bangle Butt". Yet, other brands came to copy that feature.

No matter what you think of the nose, take the 4 Series as a whole and you realise it looks like what an exciting coupe should. Its proportions are spot on, similar to those of the range-topping 8 Series Coupe, with an athletic ready-to-pounce appearance mixed with just the right amount of elegance.

BMW has certainly at least met one of its design goals, too. The 420i is longer, lower, and considerably wider than a 3 Series, and when you combine that footprint with the styling it's exciting enough that no one will ever mistake this for its four-door brother - or any other sedan, for that matter.

And while you can talk about design in endless circles, what's most important is that the 420i drives like it looks. While the car is mechanically similar to the 320i sedan - they share the same drivetrain and essential framework - it is far more enjoyable to drive, which is saying something since the 3 Series is no slouch already.

Ironically, it rides better than the 3 Series does, the latter having overly stiff suspension, and while the 420i certainly has a sporty suspension setup as well, it feels like it takes the edge off the countless irritations of our pockmarked roads.

The car's 184hp engine means it's quick on its feet rather than blazing fast, but the first time you sling it into a corner at speed, that becomes far less important. It's obvious this car has been made with keen drivers in mind, given how it doesn't just deliver speed and grip, but it does so in a balanced, almost analogue fashion that is increasingly rare in this age.

Taking things down from a gallop to a canter also shows the 420i's civility. It's very refined, even more so when the road is smooth, it rolls along in near silence, and BMW's drivetrain is slick as butter.

This is a car that's good enough to let the driving do the talking, so much so that you're willing to forgive minor transgressions such as the overly fat steering wheel and an instrument panel that's hard to read.

While it does its most important communication through the steering wheel, the 420i also talks back in a more literal way. The car's insides are almost identical to the 3 Series', which is a good thing, since it includes everything a buyer of a luxury car expects now, including BMW's in-car version of Siri, the Intelligent Personal Assistant.

This is a coupe, so entry to the rear seats will never be perfect, but at least there's room for four adults in total, and the boot space is only a little smaller than that of a 3 Series.

The idea of a coupe is more popular than ever, as the legion of sedans and sport utility vehicles incorporating coupe elements into their design shows. Against that backdrop, the 4 Series Coupe is hardly a wallflower. And it's faithful to the idea that you don't buy a coupe to fit in.

If some aren't convinced by the nose, BMW should let them drive it first and look at the exterior later. From behind the wheel, it has no shortage of flair.

BMW 420i Coupe M Sport

Engine 1,998cc, inline 4, turbocharged Power 184hp at 5, 000 to 6,500rpm Torque 300Nm at 1,340 to 4,000rpm Gearbox 8-speed automatic Top speed 240km/h 0-100km/h 7.5 seconds Fuel efficiency 5.8L/100km Price S$222,888 (with COE) Agent Performance Motors Available Now