The Asian Carmakers Corporation (ACC), the country’s official distributor and importer of BMW vehicles, outdid itself yet again with the launching of the first-ever BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé. The four-door coupé is the first of its kind in the premium midsize segment, sporting the stylish aesthetics of a sport coupe with the convenience and functionality of having four doors. It joins the BMW 4 Series Sport Coupé in the BMW 4 Series line of models.
“We are very excited to kick-off the second half of 2014 with the launch of the newest model to join the BMW family: the first-ever BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé.” said Maricar Parco, ACC President “This is a testament to BMW’s commitment, as the leader in the Philippine automotive premium segment, to continuously innovate our products to provide the market with joy that is distinctly, unmistakably BMW.”
The 4 Series Gran Coupé struts the unmistakable BMW flare, with double-kidney grille, dual round headlights, and large air intake complementing the iconic blue and white roundel. Additionally, an extended roofline with four frameless doors add more ‘coupé’ to the Gran Coupé to distinguish it from the rest of the 4 Series models.
Dimension-wise, it has a length of 4,638mm, width of 1,825mm, and a wheelbase of 2,810mm – pretty much the same measurements as its two-door counterpart but with a roof that is 112 mm longer. Short BMW overhangs, a long bonnet, set-back passenger compartment and 19-inch alloy wheel design round up the Gran Coupé’s strong and commanding exterior.
To make their vehicle more unique, people can choose from Sport and Luxury lines aesthetics, each with its own special design features. The Sport line looks more aggressive, with high-gloss black finished exterior portions such as the front and rear bumpers, kidney grille, air breather, and 19” light alloy Star-Spoke wheels. Inside, leather upholstered sport seats and panels fashioned with coral red or high-gloss black highlight trim give passengers a sporty and pedal to the metal driving experience.
Meanwhile, the Luxury line is designed with modernity and sophistication in mind. Its front bumper, kidney grille, rear bumper, air breather, and side-window frames are dressed in high-gloss chrome. 19” light alloy multi-spoke wheels, leather upholstery, and fine wood burled walnut interior trim finished with aluminium highlights finish its futuristic feel.
The 4 Series Gran Coupé is decked out with features, high-quality materials, and unrivaled craftsmanship fitting a premium vehicle. An ergonomic dashboard and steering wheel gives the driver easy access to all driving controls. Lines from the cockpit extend through the front doors and B column into the rear passenger compartment, which along with seamless transitions of the interior door panels, unify the entire cabin. The 4+1 seating configuration can be modified, with a 40:20:40 split folding backrest in the rear seats. Electrically adjustable seats with memory function adds convenience to riders. The trunk has a maximum capacity of 1,300 litres and is secured by a lid with automatic open and close mechanisms.
At the Gran Coupé’s heart is a 2.0L four-cylinder diesel engine couple with an 8-speed steptronic sport automatic transmission delivering 135kW/184Hp with a promised fuel consumption of just 4.6 to 4.7 liters per 100 km, and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.5 seconds. Smooth and efficient rides are ensured by this ultramodern engine with the latest BMW TwinPower Turbo technology which combines elasticity and dynamics for low fuel costs and smoke emissions.
All in all, the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupé utilizes the latest BMW innovations. It has EfficientDynamics, a wide range of technological revolutions for automobiles including optimized fuel use, lightweight construction, improved aerodynamics, smooth covered underbody, air curtains, air breathers, brake energy regeneration, auto start stop function, and driving experience control with ECO PRO mode. The ConnectedDrive technology offers a unique combo of driver assistance and mobile connectivity. Lastly, the iDrive controller, the latest in on-board computer technology, offers direct select buttons coupled with a 6.5-inch LCD screen.
“As we enter the second half of 2014, BMW aims to maintain its leadership in the market with the introduction of a series of new innovations that is sure to make this the most exciting year for the brand yet.” adds Parco.