Four-door coupe: Sleek, compact and stylish
The four-door coupe segment was invented by Mercedes Benz a few years ago with the CLS, the first four door coupe in form and function which was launched in Italy.
BMW first version was the 6 Series Gran Coupe, also a four-door coupe competing head to head with the CLS and also launched in Italy (Sicily).
Now, BMW is taking the concept a step further and downsizing it into a 4 Series Gran Coupe, a compact four-door coupe.
The idea is to satisfy both sporty coupe looks with family car functionality. This is a new niche for the company and it chose Bilbao in northern Spain where the Guggenheim Museum is to launch it to world media.
Competitors include the now dated Audi A5 and VW CC.
The 4 Series GC is based on the 2-door 4 Series Coupe with minor style modifications that include extra 12 mm of roofline height and two extra doors and hatchback space.
Yet, the distinction in style is not radical and the new design could be mistaken for a traditional 3 Series saloon.
On a test drive in Bilbao in northern Spain, the 4 Series GC handled with excellent poise and acceleration on mountainous roads.
The feedback from the steering wheel was engaging and provided a drive to remember.
Despite its Coupe label, the car is actually very usable as a family saloon with four seats and four doors.
A middle fifth back seat is raised and can only be used by children due to the low roofline.
The boot capacity is huge and SUV-like at 480 liters which is some 35 liters more than the space offered by the 4 Series Coupe.
What makes the 4 Series GC an attractive proposal is that it is priced the same as the 4 Series Coupe. There is a wide choice of petrol engines including four-cylinder 420i and 428i and a flagship six-cylinder 435i.
The later gave a smooth and quiet ride in Spain with remarkable acceleration. The optional eight-speed automatic gearbox helps to get the engine power to the wheels on steady stream.
The driver can also shift manually using the paddles behind the steering wheel. Two modes are available: comfort and sport. The 4 Series GC opens up yet another niche for BMW: the compact 4-door coupe.
Buyers who seek style may favor this one to a standard 3 Series car; and those who want practicality would probably choose it rather than the 4 Series Coupe.
Interior space
The interior design is based on the 4 Series Coupe and is laid out with high-quality soft-touch materials.
The seats are comfortable and infinitely adjustable. The roofline is understandably low and getting in or out of the car requires more effort on the knees. This is also particularly noticeable in the back seats.
The iDrive mouse between the front seats controls the infotainment system.
All versions get front and back parking sensors, heated front seats, digital radio, 6.5 inch color screen, dual zone air-conditioning and cruise control. Powered rear hatch door is also offered as standard.
It seems that BMW has found a valuable niche with this car and demand for it would certainly come from the style-conscious buyers who also seek some practicality of four-doors.
Its distinct style and sporty profile would make it popular among the youth of the region.
The 428i will be priced at around $43,000.
2015 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe: A niche-maker
2015 BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe: A niche-maker
Price cuts drive sales of Saudi-owned electric car
- Lucid delivers more vehicles than expected as it prepares to launch luxury new Gravity SUV
RIYADH: The majority Saudi-owned electric car maker Lucid delivered more vehicles than expected in the past three months as price cuts helped boost demand.
The company delivered 2,394 cars from April to June 30, above analysts’ predictions of 1,940.
Lucid produced 3,838 vehicles in the first six months of 2024 and needs to make more than 5,162 cars by end of the year to meet its annual output forecast of 9,000. It made 8,428 cars in 2023.
“I think at this point everything is shaping for them to achieve that,” said Andres Sheppard, senior equity analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald. Lucid will produce and deliver more cars in the second half of the year because of the usual seasonal effects on the industry, he said.
Demand for electric vehicles has grown more slowly than expected pace in the past year, under pressure from high borrowing costs, economic uncertainties and consumer preference for hybrid alternatives.
Lucid and the market leader Tesla have responded by slashing prices and offering incentives such as cheaper financing options. Lucid, which is 60-per-cent owned by the Public Investment Fund, the Kingdom’s sovereign wealth fund, cut the price of its flagship Air model by 10 percent in February.
Its new Gravity SUV model, a rival for Tesla's Model X, goes into production this year and will cost about $80,000.
