BMW promises upgraded handling on new 4-Series coupe

BMW said its new 4-Series coupe improves the handling ability of the 3-Series sedan on which it's based by a "sizeable margin."

BMW is entering the final phase of testing the car ahead of its global sales launch in the fourth quarter, the automaker said in a statement.

The latest-generation 4 Series was previewed by the Concept 4 at the 2019 Frankfurt auto show.

The concept's appearance was dominated by an oversized version of BMW's traditional kidney grille, dividing the opinion of showgoers. A picture of the production car undergoing road tests appears to show the size of the grille has been reduced.

BMW said the coupe is lower than the 3-Series sedan by 57mm (22.4 inches), which in turn helps to lower the center of gravity by 21mm (8.2 inches). A 23-mm (9-inch) increase in the rear track also helped to improve handling.

"The sedan already boasts extraordinary dynamism, but the new BMW 4-Series coupe raises agility and lateral acceleration by a sizable margin again," BMW said in the statement.

The 4-Series coupe is available with the sedan's continuously variable dampers and provides additional body bracing to reduce flex, again with the goal of improving handling.

The range-topping model at launch will be the all-wheel-drive M440i xDrive coupe, which uses a six-cylinder engine with an output of 374 hp. It uses 48-volt mild-hybrid technology that contributes 11 hp via a starter-generator that BMW says has the ability to improve low-speed acceleration.

Replacements for the 4-Series convertible and the 4-Series Gran Coupe four-door car will be unveiled next year, BMW said.