TRENDY BMW M440i COUPE, GRAN COUPE ARE ENJOYABLE RIDES!

By NITISH S. RELE – motoringtampabay@gmail.com

OK, so the immense and vertically prominent kidney grill with mesh air intakes conveys a love-it-or-hate-it moment! But once you are agreed upon the front looks either way, there is only love … and more love … for this incredibly energetic ride. The second-gen 2022 BMW 4 Series coupe (two-door) and xDrive Gran Coupe (four-door) get an overall redo that will leave you flabbergasted. Both get a boost in width, length, wheelbase with the coupe and Gran Coupe reaching 0 to 60 in 4.3 and 4.5 seconds respectively.

Under the hood of the impressive cars resides a 3.0-liter twin-power turbo inline-6 cylinder gas engine blasting off 382 horsepower @ 6500 rpm and 369 pounds-feet of torque @ 5000 rpm. It is mated to a standard and flawless 8-speed auto gearbox, which is even more fun with moves via the steering paddle shifters. Suspension is handled proficiently via a two-joint spring strut front and a 5-link rear system. However, the standard adaptive M suspension is specially tuned to enhance nimbleness and poise when pushing pedal to the metal. And the electric power steering with variable sport has a solid and communicative feel, keeping both the coupes straight and watchful at sharp turns and curves.

Slim L-shaped LED headlights flank the noticeable grille while M sport brakes, blue calipers and the M logo are sure to grab any bystander’s attention. Walk to the rear and you will notice black edges around the L-shaped tail lamps and trapezoidal tail pipe finishers assimilated into the lower bumper area. As soon as we stepped into the airy and well-appointed cabin, our eyes fell on the massive 12.3-inch digital instrument display and the 10.5-inch infotainment touch screen. Further adding to the rich ambiance were touches of aluminum tetragon trim on the dashboard. Trunk volume is a cool 16.6 cubic feet. Other niceties include dual auto a/c, power moon roof, Anthracite headliner, power front sport seats, sport leather steering wheel, 20/40/20 rear seat, and more.

Dual front and side airbags, front knee and side curtain airbags are standard along with dynamic stability and traction control, four-wheel antilock brakes, electronic brake distribution and brake assist, rearview camera, front/rear park distance control, active braking assist (lane departure warning, blind spot monitor/detect, rear-cross traffic alert, city collision mitigation), daytime running lights and tire pressure monitoring are standard.

Looking for style, performance, sophistication as well as more space in a sport car than usual? Then the four-door Gran Coupe fits the bill. Or if you like the traditional coupe style, then opt for its sibling (base priced at $56,700). Either way, you will be content with German engineering. It’s on the finest display in these two outstanding rides!  

BMW M440i xDRIVE GRAN COUPE

Tires: P245/40R19 front, 255/40R19 rear

Wheelbase: 112.4 inches

Length: 188.5 inches

Width: 72.9 inches

Height: 56.8 inches

Fuel capacity: 15.6 gallons

Mileage: 22 city, 29 highway

Weight: 4,169 pounds

Base price: $58,000

Web site: www.bmw.com