BMW 4 Series renewal unlikely: report

GERMAN publication BMW Blog has published an article this week in which it says BMW will not renew its 4 Series range for the next generation.

Citing sources within BMW, the article says there are “currently no plans to develop a CLAR-based BMW 4 Series”.

The article says the decision dates to when the EV market appeared “highly promising”, necessitating the consolidation of certain products within the BMW portfolio.

Further, it suggests this was particularly relevant with the introduction of NCAR (electrified) platform-based models, such as the i3 Sedan and i4 Coupe.

Yet, the electric vehicle landscape has changed quickly. Many manufacturers – including BMW – are reconsidering their all-electric strategies, focusing instead on those segments with the greatest number of sales.

The article suggests that BMW Vision Neue Klasse range of models – which are expected to comprise i3 Sedan, i4 Coupe and i4 Cabriolet – will “cover this market segment comprehensively”.

Reading between the lines, it seems model variants including the Gran Coupe (pictured) will make way for more traditional SUV counterparts.

Introduced at the Internationale Automobil Ausstellung (IAA) in Munich last September, the BMW Vision Neue Klasse showcases “what the next generation of vehicles from the core BMW brand will look like”, and in particular the eighth-generation 3 Series due in 2025.

Likely to be badged as the i3 and sold alongside petrol- and diesel-powered 3 Series variants, GoAuto understands the Neue Klasse will ride on all-new underpinnings, leaving the ICE variants to continue using the current seventh-generation car’s platform.

BMW said the Vision Neue Klasse embodies a clear design language with expansive surfaces and “just a few distinct character lines”.

It is styled to look as if the brand has “skipped a generation” from the current 3 Series, the design set to flow into other models as their lifecycles are updated.

The Vision Neue Klasse retains the brand’s famed kidney grilles and Hofmeister kink of the side DLO for a “distinct” BMW feel, while incorporating far more secondary raw materials and a resource-efficient production system that promises to reduce the model’s carbon footprint.

Although specifications have yet to be announced, it is understood the next generation electric 3 Series will be powered by BMW’s sixth generation eDrive fully electric powertrain.

The model promises up to 30 per cent more range, 30 per cent faster charging and 25 per cent greater efficiency when compared with its current contemporary, and forms part of what the brand says it’s the “biggest investment in the brand’s history”.