BMW's 4-Series Gran Coupe is one of the more handsome options in the lineup, though strangely the svelte five-door never received the same M4 treatment that its coupe and convertible siblings benefited from.
That won't be the case for the next-generation 4-Series Gran Coupe due early next decade, Motor.es reported earlier this month.
According to the Spanish publication, overwhelming demand for an M4 Gran Coupe persuaded the M division to give the car the green light. No doubt Audi Sport's decision to add an RS5 Sportback also played a role.
What took so long? Motor.es reports that the M division focused its resources on more hardcore versions of the M4 coupe like the CS and GTS models, reasoning that the M3 was enough to meet the demand of buyers who like their performance with a side of practicality. An M8 Gran Coupe is also coming in 2019 to fill the void of the discontinued M6 Gran Coupe.
2018 BMW M4
It isn't clear what mechanical package will make it into the next M4 family, though you can bet it will be common to the next M3 which is already doing the rounds in prototype form. The powertrain is expected to utilize a twin-turbocharged inline-6 delivering between 450 and 500 horsepower, possibly with the aid of a mild hybrid system or electric compressor.
There are also rumors that the M division’s new all-wheel-drive system, known as M xDrive, is being looked at for next M3 and M4, albeit as an available option rather than standard like on the M5. The system has a transfer case that splits the drive torque between the front and rear axles and at the push of a button can switch to rear-wheel-drive-only mode.
On the purist front, it's unclear if a manual transmission will soldier on but if it does only rear-wheel-drive models are likely to offer it. Any all-wheel-drive model will almost certainly be automatic only.
