Details of next BMW 4 Series Coupe released

BMW has released fresh details on its all-new BMW 4 Series Coupe ahead of its launch later this year.

The German car-maker has confirmed that until the next BMW M4 arrives, the M440i xDrive will spearhead the all-new mid-size luxury coupe range, which will once again to take on the Audi A5 Coupe and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe.

Powered by the same turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol engine as the BMW M340i sedan, the M440i Coupe powertrain differs by adopting the car-maker's latest 48-volt mild-hybrid technology.

Employing an 8kW starter/generator and a small lithium-ion battery, the set-up boosts efficiency by allowing the car to coast at highway speeds and also improves response at low engine speeds.

Total power for the hybridised 3.0-litre turbo engine is claimed to be 275kW – identical to the M340i xDrive – but expect it to be quicker off the line and have superior in-gear acceleration compared to the sedan, thanks to its electrical assistance.

Like the 3 Series, the new M440i gets an eight-speed automatic and xDrive all-wheel drive system that's ably assisted by BMW's M Sport active differential on the rear axle.

As standard, the BMW M440i gets a big brake package and 18-inch wheels, but most will upgrade to the larger 19s.

Claimed to be 57mm lower than the 3 Series, with a 23mm wider front and rear track, the coupe's 21mm lower centre of gravity is said to all contribute to the 4 Series having the dynamic edge of the sedan it's based on.

Although it shares the same front double-joint sprint-strut and five-link rear suspension as the 3 Series, engineers have retuned the M440i for a sportier drive.

Bolstering rigidity, the 4 Series features under-bonnet strut braces and an extra panel on the front bulkhead that's claimed to increase steering precision.

At the rear of the car yet more bracing elements have been introduced to increase stiffness, which BMW says improves straight-line stability and lateral acceleration.

BMW released pictures of heavily disguised mules along with the new technical detail of the 4 Series, but it's still not known how much its exterior will borrow from the 2019 Frankfurt motor show concept -- or whether it will indeed sport its controversial oversized front kidney grilles.

Set to be launched around July this year, the new BMW 4 Series will be followed by two-door convertible and four-door Gran Coupe derivatives, but most car enthusiasts will be eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new BMW M4.

The next M3 and M4 will come with the same S58 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six as the new BMW X3 and X4 M Competition.

Those models produce 375kW of power and 600Nm of torque, but the next M3 and M4 should be available with a manual transmission, in addition to an all-wheel drive automatic powertrain.