What's the news?

The 3 Series Coupé is no more; say hello to the BMW 4 Series, a car that promises sharper looks and a sportier drive than the 3 Series saloon. Set to be officially unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September the new car will go on sale soon after with prices starting from £31,575.

Exterior

Signature BMW front-end design features, such as the double-kidney grille and four round headlights, not only identify the 4 Series as a BMW but also as a sibling to the 3 Series, though the differences between the cars are apparent. Below the headlight line, the BMW 4 Series Coupé features a distinctive large air intake in the front apron. On the far left and right-hand edges of the air intakes are the additional small vertical apertures for the 'Air Curtains'. These vents improve the airflow around the outside of the front wheels and help cut fuel consumption at higher speeds.

The wheelbase of the new model is 50mm longer than that of the 3 Series Coupé it replaces in the Bavarian line-up, plus the new car is 26mm longer overall, with the track widened by 45mm at the front and 81mm at the rear.

The roofline is also 16mm lower than before, and when you combine that with lowered suspension, the 4 Series Coupé has the lowest centre of gravity of any BMW currently on sale.

Interior

All versions of the 4 Series will be better equipped than their equivalents in the old 3 Series Coupé range, despite only costing £500 more. Every car will have front and rear parking sensors, heated front seats, a multi-function leather steering wheel, digital radio, leather upholstery, and dual-zone climate control.

Bluetooth and USB connectivity, an iDrive controller, a 6.5-inch colour display, automatic lights, wipers and boot opening will also be standard. All models are fitted with the Driver Performance Control switch, which allows the driver to toggle between Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport modes. Sport and M Sport models add the more aggressive Sport+ programme.

UK buyers have a choice of five specifications: SE, Sport, Modern, Luxury and M Sport. All but SE-spec cars will have 18-inch alloy wheels and sport seats as standard. Luxury and M Sport models come with the BMW Business Media package, which includes satellite navigation, Emergency Call and the BMW TeleServices remote diagnostic system.

Mechanicals

Three engines will be available from launch, with three more to follow just a month or so later. Initially buyers will have a choice of 240hp 428i four-cylinder petrol, an 187hp 420d diesel or a 310hp 435i six-cylinder petrol.

BMW's figures show the 428i reaches 62mph in 5.9 seconds while delivering fuel economy of 42.8mpg and CO₂ emissions of 154g/km. Prices will start from £32,595.

The 420d undercuts the petrol model with a price tag of £31,575. BMW claims a 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds, combined economy of 60.1mpg and CO₂ emissions of 124g/km.

Meanwhile, the 435i reaches 62mph in 5.4 seconds, achieves 35.8mpg on the combined cycle, emits 185g/km of CO₂ and will be priced from £40,795.

All three versions come with a six-speed manual gearbox as standard, but an eight-speed automatic with steering wheel-mounted paddles for manual shifting will be available within a month of launch. Economy and emissions improve when the automatic gearbox is fitted - the 420d automatic emits just 121g/km.

Three more engine variants go into production in November. A 187hp 420i petrol model will become the entry-level petrol option, while two six-cylinder diesels will be introduced - the 261hp 430d and the 317hp 435d. Both come with the eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, while the 435d is only available with BMW's xDrive four-wheel drive system. Performance and economy figures for these models are yet to be confirmed.

Anything else?

Much like its larger 6 Series sibling, the 4 Series range is expected to grow over time with Convertible and Gran Coupé models being added to its line-up. Then of course there is the 450hp BMW M4 that has already been spotted in testing and is likely to make an appearance next year.