This year we, the bewildered villagers below, have been hit with more blue-and-white debris in the form of the new 2015 4 Series Gran Coupe. Not that any of this is noticeable on the road, mind you. Why deny yourself the effortless torque of that engine? Is the 428i xDrive a luxury coupe or a performance coupe? Put one of these in your driveway and few will question your purchase decision. There are to few cons to mention except for the elephant in the room. This can only escalate expectations: With so many cars, surely one of them has to be perfect! The sporty and classy look of the 4 Series Coupe caught my attention, and I knew it was the car I wanted after the first test drive.
The fully or even semi fully loaded 4 series will cause you to dig deep into your pocket book or wallet. Squint a bit and you can see the. There's no hi-fi amplified engine soundtrack, so you're left with organic four-cylinder noises, which are somewhat muted inside the cabin. The price was the only obstacle that prevented me from owning one of these dream machines. . Handling, acceleration, comfort and just a damn fun car to drive. But this time, in the 428i xDrive, we came away with mixed emotions.
Slushbox or not, the 428i xDrive is no laggard in the acceleration department; even with an extra 150 or so pounds of xDrive gear, the 428i banged off a solid 5. Why deny yourself the effortless torque of that engine? It's a neat trick—from many angles, you won't even notice its trunk is hinged above the rear glass. Both EcoPro and Comfort modes are seriously pedestrian, where low- to mid-speed steering feel is lacking and accompanied by overly-manufactured weighting. It is a perfect car for a commuter; add 2 more passengers and a full tank of gas, and the 3. Wide hip flanks and chiseled M Sport fascias really do the exterior justice, while a plunging roofline scores points in the silhouette department. The truth is that their differences are outweighed by their similarities, the most prominent being that no 3- or 4-series is as engaging as in years past.
The cars betray no more difference on the road. By any measure, is a looker. Bump up past Sport to Sport Plus, and things improve markedly. This removes some of the lightness at the helm and improves body control to levels. Good enough, but a ways off from the Golden Standard 3 Series of yore.
All of the niches are filled now, and we, the bewildered villagers below, are waving our white flag. The 2015 model also comes with bluetooth streaming. Suspension firm but not harsh. Most notably, Bluetooth audio connectivity is now standard across the model line and heated front seats may be ordered as a stand-alone option. Instruments are German, more compilcated than needed.
Two supplemental doors constitute a 140-lb weight penalty over the 428i Coupe 3470 lbs versus 3610 lbs , and that auto-opening hatch spoils the 50:50 weight distribution, shifting 51. That may be a problem if you are going in a non populated area and needed to get a new tire. Longer, lower, and wider than its sibling, the two-door coupe features the same lightweight chassis, excellent weight balance, and pinpoint body control. The only thing that is a little squirrely is there is no spare tire. Is the 428i xDrive a luxury coupe or a performance coupe? I am two weeks into ownership, and so far am amazed at the perfect balance of sportiness, comfort, and surprising quietness of my 2015 428i. The 428i xDrive needed 177 feet to stop from 70 mph, only a foot less than that required by a recently tested, all-season-shod.
It stops I'm expert on brakes but I have no trouble with them. If all this sounds familiar, that's because it is: The 428i Gran Coupe drives exactly like a 3 Series. Though not actually shot from a fiery mountain cannon, our 428i Gran Coupe tester was still plenty exciting to look at in person. Skidpad grip was the same at 0. Frameless windows sex up the greenhouse, and its overall proportions 0.
It's a liftgate four-door, riding on a tweaked two-door platform with C-pillars and window glass that are divorced, sans manual transmission. Okay, we see the twin kidneys in the grille and the blue-and-white propeller badge, but as for everything else? So far I am very pleased. I found myself going 100 mph and I swear I did not push down on the accelerator. But few would have looked at that bolt-upright, seminal 1968 offering and predicted that it would evolve into the slinky, sexy 2015 428i xDrive. But the subject of this test is the 428i xDrive, the entry-level version with all-wheel drive. But why this wasn't just the 3 Series Gran Turismo from launch is beyond us. Slushbox or not, the 428i xDrive is no laggard in the acceleration department; even with an extra 150 or so pounds of xDrive gear, the 428i banged off a solid 5.