- BMW could offer EV and gas versions of the next 4-Series.
- Shared 3-Series development keeps cost and risk lower.
- New V8 and V12 engines meet Euro 7 with minor updates.
Despite the shrinking demand for coupes, BMW isn’t backing away from the segment just yet. A third-generation 4-Series is on the way, and it’s not just a box-ticking refresh. The new model looks set to play a bigger role in BMW’s long game, possibly offering both electric and combustion versions, plus a next-gen M4 flagship in the mix.
Read: BMW’s Electric M3 Tries To Simulate Everything It Just Replaced
BMW has been producing the current-generation 4-Series since 2020, offering it in multiple forms including the Gran Coupe and the all-electric i4. The latter has held the distinction of being BMW’s best-selling EV to date, but that role is soon expected to shift to the i3 version of the next-generation 3-Series.
That transition has raised questions about where the 4-Series fits into BMW’s evolving electric and combustion plans.
Coupe Relevance in a Changing Market
While recently speaking with Autocar, BMW’s head of engineering and development, Joachim Post, emphasized that the 4-Series remains strategically important. He also pointed out that creating a new generation of the car would be relatively cost-effective, thanks to shared development with the next-gen 3-Series.
Platform Synergies Keep Coupes Alive
“The 4 Series is an important car for us,” he told the magazine. “It’s more sporty, and BMW is a sporty brand which has a clear heritage also on the performance side. It will play an important role also for the future. It’s not [as] expensive [as] making a completely new car and whenever we make a 3 Series or X3, we still think about the 4 Series or X4, to make it with synergies so that a derivative can be easily built out of the base.”
BMW iX4 by Sugar Design
Post pointed to the benefits of what BMW calls “high synergies” between models like the 4-Series, X4, and X6. By leveraging shared components and platforms, BMW can build lower-volume body styles without incurring the full cost of starting from scratch. That gives models like the 4-Series a clearer business case, even in a less crowded coupe market.
Neue Klasse Platform, New Possibilities
2028 BMW iM3 by Kolesa
If BMW does indeed launch a new 4-Series, it will follow the same path as the next 3-Series. That means we could potentially see both combustion and electric versions, each built on different platforms. The gas-powered model would use an updated version of the familiar CLAR platform, shared with the next-gen 3-Series, while the EV would ride on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, the same one underpinning the upcoming i3 and iX3.
See: BMW’s 2028 M3 Fixes What You Hate, Drops What You Love
Of course, there’s still a chance BMW could commit to just one direction, but for now, it hasn’t made that call publicly.
What we do know is that the Neue Klasse is already confirmed to support an electric iM3, which makes an iM4 Coupe feel entirely plausible. On the combustion side, BMW has also said the next M3 will stick with its six-cylinder engine in mild hybrid form, keeping the door open for a new gas-powered M4 Coupe as well. Whether we get both versions or just one remains to be seen.
If there’s an electric version of the 4-Series, expect a setup similar to the forthcoming i3, powered by BMW’s 108kWh battery pack. Rear- and dual-motor powertrains are also on the menu. Although Post hasn’t revealed performance targets, early indications suggest a range exceeding 500 miles is within reach.
Also: BMW’s X7 Is Apparently Too Small Now, So Dealers Want An X9
Whatever BMW ends up doing, it’s obvious that the rest of the field is thinning out. Audi has dropped the A5 Coupe, and Mercedes has merged its C-Class and E-Class coupes into one model, the CLE. With fewer players still in the mix, BMW might find itself with a bit more room to maneuver on the sales front.
Big Gas Engines Not Going Anywhere
During the same interview Post noted that BMW has already developed its next-generation of engines to comply with Euro 7 regulations. This means the current twin-turbo 3.0-liter S58 straight-six of the M3 and M4 will live on, albeit upgraded with a mild-hybrid. He also confirmed that large V8 and V12 engines are safe, including the 6.75-liter V12 used by Rolls-Royce.
“We can fulfill Euro 7 with some optimization in the exhaust system – with things like the catalysts – so that’s why we have a big advantage in that Euro 7 is not that high an investment for us,” he revealed.
