[시승기] Design controversy: acceleration performance… BMW 4 Series

Input 2021.02.06 07:00

BMW launched the 2nd generation 4 Series as the first new car this year. The 4 Series is a coupe model based on the 3 Series, which is called’the classic sports sedan’. Until now, it was pointed out that the 4 Series was no different from the 3 Series except for the appearance of the coupe type, but it changed dramatically when it returned to the new model.

First of all, the vertical type’Vertical Kidney Grill’, which has greatly increased in size, was applied to the 4 series for the first time, attracting attention. While some people say it is fresh, there are also reactions that it looks like a rabbit’s front teeth. When I first saw it, it was true that the grill design was awkward, but after the test drive, I thought that the car’s dynamic performance was reinterpreted as a design. The BMW 420i M Sports Package drove about 50 km near Yeongjong Island, Incheon.

The kidney grille on the right front side extends to the bottom of the bumper. The air intakes on both sides of the bumper and in the lower center of the bumper extend widely, emphasizing the kidney grill. In contrast to the huge grille, the headlights are reminiscent of sharp eyes.

On the side, the sporty proportions unique to the two-door coupe were emphasized. The highest part of the roof line is somewhat in the front, so it looks like the curve quickly falls to the rear of the car. In addition, the lower side character line makes the center of gravity look lower and the car looks longer and more elegant. The upper part of the four wheels has a strong cotton finish, giving it a dynamic impression as if the car is gripping the ground.

The body is 4770mm in length, 1845mm in width, 1385mm in height, and 2850mm in wheelbase, which are 130mm, 27mm, 6mm, and 41mm longer than the previous model. The tracks of the front and rear axles (the distance between the left and right wheels) were enlarged by 28 mm and 18 mm, respectively.

The body has been enlarged, but it seems difficult to carry someone in the rear seat. When the 170cm tall reporter sat in the back seat, the front seat and knee space were more than expected to fit a fist, but his head continued to hit the ceiling every time he got on and off. When I sat in the right position in the back seat and put my hand over my head, I couldn’t even get a fist.

The bucket seat design gives a visually sporty feel, especially with a very low seat position. Even if you sit in the driver’s seat and raise the seat as much as possible, you can reach the floor with your arms stretched down. When I lowered the sheet as far as I can while reaching down, my hand was only 10cm away from the ground. The door panel trim and center console are set a little higher, so when you sit in the driver’s seat, it feels like the car hugs the driver.

Inside, a 10.25-inch control display was mounted in the center, and the start button was moved to the control panel of the center console. Sports seats and a redesigned M leather steering wheel are standard.

As I drove, I thought this car was perfectly for the driver. When the accelerator pedal is pressed, it reacts immediately, and the gear level rises so that it is difficult to feel a shift, and it enters high-speed driving. The 420i is equipped with a BMW TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder gasoline engine with a maximum output of 184 hp and a maximum torque of 30.6 kg·m, but in terms of figures, it is not a high-performance model. However, its excellent acceleration performance overshadowed this.

There is no shaking even in high-speed driving, and it hits sharp corners. It was so accurate and stable that oversteer (a phenomenon in which the turning radius becomes smaller than the steering wheel turn angle when the vehicle turns a corner) is hardly felt when exiting the corner at high speed. BMW explained that it improved the weight distribution before and after, and improved high-speed stability and agility because the center of gravity was 21 mm lower than that of the 3 Series.

Driving Assistant, a driving assistance function, is also standard on the 420i. In addition to active cruise control, a front collision warning system and lane departure warning system are installed. According to the distance and speed set by the driver, the vehicle slowed down and increased, or stopped and then started. As with other BMW cars, the operation is intuitive because it is executed immediately by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

In addition to the test drive model, the 420i Msport package, the 4 Series was released in three types: the new M440i xDrive coupe, a high-performance M performance model, and the 420i convertible Msport package. The selling price is 59.4 million won, 81.9 million won and 67.9 million won, respectively.