Love the looks of the BMW M4 but really love the idea of having a four-door vehicle? The M3 could be your “compromise.” But if you’re not dead set on owning a full-on performance M, then you’re in luck! Thanks to BMW Seattle, I was able to explore two very different yet special cars that could be the solution to your car conundrum!

BMW’s current naming convention has all of their odd-numbered models sporting four doors and all even-numbered models rocking two doors. Then along came the “Gran Coupe” model designation. The Gran Coupe, or GC for short, essentially turns your even-numbered coupes into 4 door variants. This means you can enjoy the design language of the 4 Series, with its coupe-styling, only now with enough space to carry around 5 total passengers in your Bavarian beast.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe Tanzanite Blue

No one would ever dare say that the M4 was lacking in the paint, trim and finish department. But since BMW Seattle had two very drastically different 4 Series Gran Coupes, we figured a nice visual comparison between them would help you make up your mind on whether these cars would make an adequate substitution to your M4 woes. Again, this is only a visual comparison, not a performance comparison or review. It’s very obvious that the M4 would out-perform both of these cars on the performance-front.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe Alpine White

First up, we have a 2016 BMW 435i Gran Coupe wrapped in Alpine White exterior paint and equipped with the Black SenstaTec interior. The aluminum trim really stands out and has a nice stark contrast against the Black SensaTec bits. Other silver elements on the interior such as the iDrive controller, steering-wheel trim, gear selector surround and radio control dials complement each other well and perfectly match their aluminum brethren. The Alpine White exterior paint has no metallic flake what-so-ever. I wouldn’t call it “flat” but rather, very “honest.” The sharp and sporty lines of the 4 Series GC look clean in this color option. The fact that this particular model is equipped with the M Sport Package makes it look even sleeker, even more athletic and mean. A bit like an angry Michael Phelps.

BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe Interior

And speaking of athleticism, there are a few options that our loaner had which you could opt-in for. Options that would make your dream 4 Series GC even sportier and elevate it closer to the performance of the M4. There’s an M Performance Power Kit which nets you increased horsepower, an M Performance Exhaust which produces extra aural pleasure and nets you that extra kick in the rear, and a Track Handling Package, which nets you M Sport Brakes and Variable Sport Steering. The end result is a very modern, more powerful, sporty business look. Basically one half of the two-sided coin which BMW is renowned for.

What’s the other half of the coin you ask? Luxury of course! That’s where our second loaner for the day comes into play. A luxuriously appointed 2017 BMW 440i xDrive Gran Coupe. On the outside we have a special order BMW Individual paint color: Tanzanite Blue Metallic. As the name would suggest, this paint does indeed have metal flakes in it. Under direct light we saw shades of navy blue, while in darker light you could swear it was black. It’s quite beautiful in the way it plays with the cooler, darker hues and bounces between navy blue to very dark blue metallic, to almost black. There’s also something to be said about a sexy design such as the 4 Series Gran Coupe that’s painted in a darker color, and while standing right in front of the car, looking at it head-on, having the piercing silvery blue-white eyes of the headlights staring right back at you.

Wheels

When talking about a luxuriously equipped vehicle, it’s de rigueur to talk about its interior finish as that’s where you’ll be spending most of your time. This particular 440i Gran Coupe is equipped with the BMW Individual Golden Brown Extended Merino Leather and topped off with the Piano Finish Black Trim. Compared to the 435i Gran Coupe we talked about earlier, this build is basically at the exact opposite end of the taste-spectrum. Boring is one thing the Golden Brown interior is not. The delicate lace pattern you see on the inside door panels as well as on the seat sections is beautiful. The contrasting stitching and leather piping that accompany the seats and dash make this color option stand out even more. The Piano Finish isn’t as warm as your traditional wood trim, but it definitely works better than aluminum in this application. No performance-enhancing options were added. It’s all strictly comfort and luxury additions on this BMW.

Full Build Costs Below:
2016 435i Gran Coupe
2017 440i xDrive Gran Coupe
Base MSRP – $47,950.00
Base MSRP – $50,300.00
Driver Assistance Package – $950.00
Tanzanite Blue Metallic – $1,950.00
M Sport Package – $2,600.00
Golden Brown Extended Merino Leather – $3,750.00
Technology Package – $2,750.00
Cold Weather Package (heated front/rear/steering) – $950.00
Track Handling Package – $1,700.00
Driving Assistance Package – $950.00
Heated Front Seats – $500.00
Driver Assistance Plus – $1,700.00
Black Kidney Grille – $230.00
Technology Package – $2,750.00
Chrome Exhaust Tips – $280.00
Piano Finish Black Trim – $1,080.00
Rear Diffuser – $600.00
Wheel Locks – $150.00
M Performance Side Sill Decals – $290.00
BMW First Aid Kit – $45.00
M Performance Power Kit – $1,730.00

M Performance Exhaust – $1,355.00

Wheel Locks – $160.00

TOTAL – Including Destination Charge – $62,990.00
TOTAL – Including Destination Charge – $64,620.00

As far as costs go, you can see that there’s roughly $1,600 separating these two vehicles apart. Neither one is lacking in options, yet they’re so very different from one another. If you ask most people to boil down their overall thoughts on what a BMW driver covets the most, they’d probably either say “performance” or “luxury.” The 4 Series Gran Coupes we showcased in this piece are both phenomenal cars, but the most impressive bit, at least for me, is how different one can build their ideal car to match their style and taste. Honestly, if you absolutely wanted a 4 door car but had your heart set on the M4 design AND you didn’t care for the full M treatment, then the 4 Series Gran Coupe would be your answer.

If you’re on the market, stop by your dealer and check out these beauties. Even better, if you’re in Seattle, stop by BMW Seattle and check out the 4 GCs showcased in this piece!