The 2021 BMW 4-series was globally unveiled recently, and has received a mixed bag of responses from the audience. It will be available in a total of 6 variants: 420i, 430i, M440i xDrive, 420d, 430d and M440d xDrive. There will be no manual transmission on offer, only an 8-speed ‘Steptronic’ automatic gearbox.
The 4-series is a relatively new product range in BMW’s line-up, created in 2013 when the company decided to separate the 2-door coupe and convertible version from the 4-door sedan model. The looks, however, remained the same for both the models. A year later, a 4-door coupe version of the 4-series was also introduced, which further complicated the line-up. Now, with the second generation of the 4-series, BMW decided to separate the 4-series from the 3-series in a clear manner, giving it an entirely different look. Based on the concept 4, showcased at 2019 Frankfurt Auto Show, the most unique design element of the 4-series is its gigantic front grille.
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While it still is BMW’s signature kidney grille, the size of it is quite disproportionate. The same criticism was given for the 7-series as well. According to Adrian van Hooydonk, Chief Designer at BMW, the audience in China prefers such bold designs, in sharp contrast to European buyers. Regardless, the new BMW 4-series will surely have some great driving dynamics and performance. There are multiple engine options on offer as well for different variants, the complete breakdown of which is given below.
| 2021 BMW 4-Series Specification | |||
| Variant | Engine | Max Power | Max Torque |
| 420i | 2.0-litre petrol | 181 bhp | 300 Nm |
| 430i | 2.0-litre petrol | 254 bhp | 400 Nm |
| 440i | 3.0-litre petrol | 369 bhp | 500 Nm |
| 420d | 2.0-litre diesel | 187 bhp | 400 Nm |
| 430d | 3.0-litre diesel | 282 bhp | 650 Nm |
| 440d | 3.0-litre diesel | 330 bhp | 700 Nm |
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BMW has always attracted controversy with its vehicle designs. Every few years, it seems like the Bavarian car giant unveils a new car that offends a lot of people. Who can forget the iconic yet extremely ugly BMW Z3, affectionately known as the “Clown Shoe”. Chris Bangle’s work on the E60 5-series also comes to mind, quickly followed E65 7-series and E53 X5. Later, BMW gave to the world the 5-series GT and the 6-series GT, both of which were extremely unloved for their exterior look. The latest 7-series and X7 also raised a lot of questions when they first debuted. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that BMW did it again this year, with the latest iteration of the 4-series.