4 Series World Premiere - BMW Concept 4

[klier]

But the silhouette could be quite close to something that KIA, Hyundai or Genesis would present.

Ouch, LOL!

I don't quite associate the mentioned brands with long hoods, tight overhangs and typical RWD proportions, but to each his own

Case in point: Hyundais' Vision G Concept.

Under a tarp, a connection can b...

Maybe. Though that roofline is ugly and unlike BMW. But take away the tarp and the awefulness becomes clear. What a mess.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Ouch, LOL!

I don't quite associate the mentioned brands with long hoods, tight overhangs and typical RWD proportions, but to each his own



Maybe. Though that roofline is ugly and unlike BMW. But take away the tarp and the awefulness becomes clear. What a mess.

Not coupes...but you'll catch my drift. And we're referring to veiled silhouettes where sculpturing, sideglass graphics, lamps, grills and details are invisible:

 

[braaf]

Not any other German brand that I can think of. But the silhouette could be quite close to something that KIA, Hyundai or Genesis would present. Mind you, those are brands of which various spokepersons have often expressed admiration of BMW designs.

Case in point: Hyundais' Vision G Concept.

Under a tarp, a connection can b...

But if you look at this car you can immediately see BMW and Mercedes influence from the word go. So it's not the Germans copying the Koreans but rather the Koreans have been copying the other brands for years.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

But if you look at this car you can immediately see BMW and Mercedes influence from the word go. So it's not the Germans copying the Koreans but rather the Koreans have been copying the other brands for years.

Oh absolutely. I did not intend to insinuate otherwise.

 

[Deleted member 1071]

When concentrating on what is below the sideglass sills, one may be able to detect where KIA designers found inspiration.

 

[Serpens]

I'm apprehensive with regard to the follow aspects:

Will the silhouettes ratio of mass between the crest of the front wheelarch and the highest section of the bonnet be maintained on the production car ? On the Concept 4, it appears pleasingly shallow (although the image may be accentuated by light reflection and color). And will the progressive, forward...

We share the same concerns.

 

[GBOY]

Beautiful concept. Not a for typical BMW per se but a brilliant design on its own right. I love it!

 

[Mii]

I will do a breakdown soon of what becomes production like I did with the 8 Concept. Again like THE 8 Concept we are at 85% at the production car.
Bet you can't wait for the renders that are about to waterfall in the press.
THE 4 follows the same ideas in regards how the Aero Packet becomes more subtle, same outline but less dramatic.
The kidney grille stays however. But do you like the concept's wheel design?

Please BMW make the production same as Concept, and stop wasting time uglfying it, what's the point of making a nice Concept model from design studio and and let it collect dust, make the same molding and push to production line. Concept 4 looked very nice from day one, be confident and make it production!

 

[Deleted member 1071]

Ommmm...

Relax, be at ease and peace with your inner self...and slowly erase the image of the farcical facia from your mind...and it will become nothing more than a figment of nothingness.

Now...envision the grill of the 8er (one of the better elements of the car) superimposed onto the void that remains...its' crest placed in line with the inward taperi...

See?!?*

"Bodhisattva, won't you take me by the hand..."

*Courtesy of carscoops.com

 

[klier]

See?!?*

"Bodhisattva, won't you take me by the hand..."

*Courtesy of carscoops.com

F'ing backwards.

All those boring people want everything the same. Not to mention that for me personally, the 8er grille is a million times less good looking. 4er concept is eons more appealing.

 

[SCOTT27]

F'ing backwards.

All those boring people want everything the same. Not to mention that for me personally, the 8er grille is a million times less good looking. 4er concept is eons more appealing.

If they were to make THE 4 a smaller 8 then it would be applying the one sausage different size method. I think THE 4 needs that large kidney Grille because of how the 4 is presented not just as the mid-line sports Coupe but also the M4 and the Range of progress they intend to attach to the new M4.
It needs that in-your-face image that modern M desperately needs. The time for being subtle is over.

 

[Monster]

It needs that in-your-face image that modern M desperat...

You mean..like what Toyota did with the Avalon TRD?

 

[dalab]

If they were to make THE 4 a smaller 8 then it would be applying the one sausage different size method. I think THE 4 needs that large kidney Grille because of how the 4 is presented not just as the mid-line sports Coupe but also the M4 and the Range of progress they intend to attach to the new M4.
It needs that in-your-face image that modern M desperat...

100,000% agree, they finally did it and in that way, I always thought that when the new models came out, they disappointed me a little in that section and I wanted them to take the bull by the horns once and establish a presence of "super coupe" something that capture and show in the design what the coupes of the brand really provide, what they have inside but cannot be seen.
As in the GC also what is the point of making a 4 door coupe if the design says nothing.
I'm dying to see them in the street, and to have one.
I saw a photographic comparison of the C-pillar of the concept i4 and the 4 concept coupe and are exactly the same also the front so it can be said that the GC and this will be like the concept i4 and not very different as it was said and we anticipated

 

[dalab]

You mean..like what Toyota did with the Avalon TRD?

Exactly, for that it is done, the difference is what brand and what model it does and in your example of Toyota (which is not comparable or as a brand or concept of car, much less in the history of the model in question), the reasons and the motivation are different to do something that at first glance may seem like a similar strategy

 

[mdartisian]

If they were to make THE 4 a smaller 8 then it would be applying the one sausage different size method. I think THE 4 needs that large kidney Grille because of how the 4 is presented not just as the mid-line sports Coupe but also the M4 and the Range of progress they intend to attach to the new M4.
It needs that in-your-face image that modern M desperately needs. The time for being subtle is over.

I agree with this. Although I'm disappointed BMW made what should have been a luxury flagship product (8 series) a bigger 4 series, I understand that the 3/4 series products represents the BMW brand more than anything else. So putting a flagship grill on the M4 as the distinguished BMW M product makes sense.

 

[M.N.D]

I'm apprehensive with regard to the follow aspects:

Will the silhouettes ratio of mass between the crest of the front wheelarch and the highest section of the bonnet be maintained on the production car ? On the Concept 4, it appears pleasingly shallow (although the image may be accentuated by light reflection and color). And will the progressive, forward...

That what I was going to talk about and to mention it to you @Jimmy when you were discussing the wheel design (which are fantastic, by the way)

I think it's been discussed earlier (or not) and I've missed it, but among the things that I've kept asking as there somethings that got lost when moving from the concept to the production model for BMW, aside from the usual shiny concept bits like the mirrors, the lights and the paint.

For example, on the 8er, I realized that the wheels are filling the side profile on the concept more than they do on the production model, and that doesn't have to do with the size of the wheels.

When I looked, I noticed that the vertical distance of the front fender above the wheel arch to the bonnet is "taller" than that of the concept, which makes the wheels look smaller (more metal on the side profile), and the car a bit taller and a bit "bloat-y", and of course, add the paint, the lack of the black plastic bits on the front fender vent, the more vertical front fascia, the larger mirrors, etc...

I don't know how that will translate to the production 4er compared to the concept, but since we're talking about the side fender, I think the 4er concept has that distance a bit taller than the 8er coupe.

Regardless, that is one good looking side profile.

1) I sense a clear BMW design from the proportions. Indeed not per say from the classic BMW characteristics like the L shape rear lights or Hoff Kink. And not even from the front which lacks the classic quad eyes and iconic grille. But take away the badges and stuff and yeah, I don't see any other brand create a modern coupe shape (proportion wise) quite li...

That's a good read I have to say that I'm starting to like the design even more, which is typical of BMW... not that I had a problem with it at the beginning, but as I mentioned previously, I am starting to feel a bit indifferent to the new car reveal, whether it's a concept or a production model.

I'm liking the different approach as well. Maybe not as radical, if you want to call it as such. Personally, I don't care much about a product if I know that I'm not going to own it. Is it me being logical, or just an excuse for self complement that I'm not going to own it at the moment?

Well, at least we can talk about design, as it allows to express personal taste and preference. For me, I would prefer a bit shorter rising arch of the hoffmeister kink, maybe by around 5 cm, to make it a little more pronounced, because it'll make me recognize the BMW-ness of the side profile quicker.

Aside from that, it looks different enough to the 8er, and I like this 4er more already, but I usually like smaller coupes to larger ones.

 

[SCOTT27]

 

[Mii]

^ Between 8 series Concept and production, they are two completely different car (apart from side mirrors, front/tail lights, front/rear bumpers, door handles, wheels), none of the body panels are the same, 85% of similarity is really a stretch to be honest (kind of disappointed between 8er Concept and production transformation).

Comparing THE 4 Concept and the latest 4er spyshot, there are observable differences already. To name a few:

* Trunk lid (Concept - sharper angle)
* Door panel (Concept - more contour definition)
* Side skirt (Concept - more integrated into front/rear fender/quarter panel)
* Front and Rear fender/quarter panel (Concept - more flared)
* Shark fin antenna

Adding all the exterior differences above, we're really looking at less than 10% of similarity between the two, likely reuse the same windshield glass, wiper, window glass parts at best, feels like buying the imitation product online.

Expectation vs Reality:

More: worldation.com/stories/online-shopping-disasters-expectations-vs-reality/

 

[SCOTT27]

^ Between 8 series Concept and production, they are two completely different car (apart from side mirrors, front/tail lights, front/rear bumpers, door handles, wheels), none of the body panels are the same, 85% of similarity is really a stretch to be honest (kind of disappointed between 8er Concept and production transformation).

Comparing THE 4 Concept a...

I would always advise to be aware of rivets. Look at the key points of the concept and notice how the prototypes have these areas covered with riveted panels screwed onto the body work.

 

[Betty Swollocks]

Just got back from the IAA. Some comments on the Concept 4.

* It looks better in real life than in the photos.
* Rear is perfectly fine.
* The grill dominates the front of the car, but still, it looks fine.
* The side view is very good indeed. Really nice profile.

* The question is, what will it look like in production form, and...

WHERE ON EARTH ARE THEY GOING TO PUT THE FRONT NUMBER PLATE? IF IT'S WHERE I THINK IT IS, IT WILL RUIN THE FRONT COMPLETELY.


p.s. The BMW stand was really quite small. Considering a few years ago they had an entire hall to themselves, this was a quarter of the size, if that. They shared a hall with Opel and Jaguar and a few other manufacturers. I know they had the event earlier this year in Munich, but still, there were very few examples of cars to see.

Oh, and Toronto Red on the X4 M is fabulous in real life (a bit like Lava Orange on the 911 GT3 RS). It will be a colour on the forthcoming M3, and already that's the colour I would choose).