2021 BMW 4 Series start at $45,600

"LJ909" (lj909) 09/28/2020 at 11:16 • Filed to: 2021 BMW 4 Series, BMW, BMW 4-Series

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Debuting with probably one of if not the most controversial (and not in a good way) designs BMW has come out with since the E65 7 Series with the Bangel Butt, the 4 is new for ‘21.

There are just 3 trims to the new 4 Series right now: 430i, 430i xDrive and M440i xDrive. The current M4, the convertibles and the Gran Coupe models are still based on the previous gen car until the new ones come next year.

The base 4 is the 430i and starts at the aforementioned $45,600.

It gets powered by BMW’s 2 liter TwinPower Turbo I4 putting out 255 horses & 294 lb/ft of torque. That gets routed to the rear wheels through an 8 speed auto. 0-60 is claimed to be 5.5 seconds before it tops out at 130; 155 if equipped with performance tires.

As with other BMW models now you can choose between 2 designs: either Sport or M Sport. Standout standard features regardless of design include:

Active Blind Spot Detection

Lane Departure Warning

Active Driving Assistant

Frontal Collision Warning w/ City Collision Mitigation

SiriusXM with 360L + 1 year All Access Subscription

Navigation System

Choosing the standard Sport design will get you:

Shadowline Exterior Trim

18” Double-spoke orbit grey wheels

Sport Seats

If you choose the M Sport design it adds $3,800 to the base price which gets you:

Shadowline Exterior Trim

19" M Double-spoke bi-color wheels

M steering wheel

Aerodynamic Kit

I choose the M Sport trim. Exterior color choices total out to 8. 2 non metallic and 6 metallic. All 6 metallic colors are $550. However, 3 of them (2 metallic; Sunset Orange; Bluestone Metallic & one non metallic; Jet Black) either require additional equipment or conflict with the M Sport Design. My color choice of Jet Black was one of those choices. For some weird reason it didn’ t work with the M Sport design (I suspect that this is to force you into spending $550 for the Black Sapphire Metallic paint. Its dumb. Black is Black), requiring the addition of $600 19” wheels riding on all season run flats and a $900 Convenience package. So to keep the M Sport package I choose the Black metallic paint. There are 8 wheel choices to choose from. Weirdly, all are 19” and are of varying design and colors. Only 3 of the 8 are performance rubber. All the others are all season run flats. 3 of the wheels require additional equipment/packages.

I personally think they played it too safe with the interior design

Interior colors/seating choices are plentiful with a choice of 8 total color choices (2 Sensatec, 7 Vernasca Leather). All leather choices are $1,450 options and require no additional equipment. So I chose a nice Tacora Red leather seating with contrasting stitching. Dash trim choices total out to 5 and I choose a mesh effect Aluminum trim.

There are quite a few options, as it should be with this being BMW. To start, there are 4 option packages:

Dynamic Handling Package $2,450 : One of BMW’s customizable option packages, included options are an M Sport differential, with the customizable options being a choice of either M Sport brake calipers in either red or blue, and two 19” double spoke wheels. Adding this package requires an additional $700 for Adaptive M Suspension.

Driver Assistance Professional Package $1,700 : Includes Active Driving Assistant Pro, BMW’s radar based drivers assistance suite that comes with Traffic Jam Assist; Steering and Lane Control Assistant; Emergency Stop Assistant, and Traffic Jam Assistant which provides partially automated steering input on limited-access highways and controlled access roads up to 40 MPH in suitable driving conditions. Requires an additional $900 for Live Cockpit Pro with nav.

Shadowline Package $300 : Trims the grill and exhaust in black high gloss chrome and caps the mirrors in Black.

Parking Assistance Package $700 : Comes with Parking Assistant Plus, Surround View with 3D View and Active Park Distance Control.

In addition to the option packages, there are 16 stand alone options as well:

Drive Recorder $100: Pretty much a built in surveillance system that allows you to playback a video of the vehicle’s surroundings at all times on the dash display.

Live Cockpit Pro (included with package)

Remote Start $300

Heated Steering Wheel $190

Hands Free Power Tailgate $250

Satin Aluminum line exterior trim

Heated front seats $500

Sensatec Dash (included with package)

Cooled front seats $350

Ambient Lighting (included with package)

Head Up Display $1,100

Wireless Charging with in vehicle hotspot $500

16 Speaker 600 Watt Harmon Kardon audio system $875

M Sport Brakes with Blue Calipers (included with package)

Adaptive M Sport Suspension (included with package)

M Sport Brakes with Red Calipers

Of these I choose the remote start, cooled seats, head up display, wireless charging & hotspot and Harmon Kardon sound system. All in as configured here, a base 430i is $60,925; $59,825 with no M Sport trim. Pricey but not at all surprising. It also should be noted that choosing any Black wheel on the standard Sport design automatically requires choosing the M Sport design.

The 430i xDrive starts at $47,600 and rings in a little cheaper at $58,525; $62,375 with the M Sport design.

M440i

Lastly, the top dog performance trim until the M4 arrives is the $69,150 M440i xDrive. Powered by a TwinPower Turbo 3 liter I6, it puts out 382 horses to all 4 wheels through an 8 speed auto with launch control. It has a 4.3 0-60 time.

As with the other trims the M440i has 2 designs: M Performance which is the base, and Shadowline. Shadowline adds another $300 to the price and caps the mirror in Black and adds extra Black trim pieces. Standout standard features on the M440i include:

Live Cockpit with Navigation

Active Driving Assistant

SiriusXM with 360L + 1 year All Access Subscription

M Sport Brakes with Blue Calipers

M Sport suspension

Comfort Access keyless entry

Exterior color choices total out to be 7. 6 metallic and 1 non metallic. All metallic colors are $550. With this being the performance trim, there are 12 wheels choices. There are 2 18” wheels and 10 19” choices. All ride on either all season or high performance run flats, though the majority are high performance tires. 3 of the wheels require additional packages or equipment. 7 of the other wheels, all 19”s, are $600 options. I choose one of these.

Interior upholstery totals out to 7 choices. Its insane that with a nearly $70k starting price that the standard seats are Black Sensatec. The other 6 options are all $1,450 and are leather. Also for some reason they all conflict with the ambient lighting. So if you want ambient lighting and leather, you cant do it. You’re only able to get ambient lighting with the Sensatec seating.

There are only 3 option packages on the M440i. 2 of the them are the same as as the standard 4 (Driving Assistance Professional & Parking Assistance Package). But the last is specific to the M440i. At $1,500 its a Cooling & High Performance Tire Package. One of the customizable option packages, it allows for you to bundle one of 3 wheel designs along with an M Tech Package ( increased drivetrain cooling) and Adaptive M Suspension. I added this as well along with the 3 other packages.

Along with the same individual options as the other 4 (things like cooled seats, HUD display etc), the M440i as configured here topped out at $70,175. Which tells me the new M4 will top if not outright crest $80k if not more. If you can get past the grill, its...I dont know. Honestly I cant get past the grill. Its ugly as hell. But I expect the BMW faithful to not even care.

Textured Soy Protein > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 11:44

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I guess I’m not a member of the BMW faithful and more had a 2-car BMW dalliance, because I think this shit is trash. 

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 11:47

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If any company made a replacement bumper that fit some F82 kidneys, I think they’d make a killing. 

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 11:47

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Everything about this car is awful and borderline insulting. Especially the part where it has 6 of those odd diagonal styling cues on the engine cover implying an i6, which is lies.

LJ909 > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 11:49

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I really hope someone does. Because this thing will not age well.

LJ909 > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 09/28/2020 at 11:54

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I didn’ t even notice that. But that pic is from the M440i which does get an I6. I couldn’ t find a pic of the base I4. Almost like they are embarrassed to show it or something. The only pic I could find of an I4 for the new 4 Series was out of the UK.

And this is for a model we don’ t even get, the 420i.

CompactLuxuryFan > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 09/28/2020 at 11:55

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The engine cover shown is for the M440i, which does have an inline-6.

404 - User No Longer Available > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 11:56

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Did they ever do a 16i/18i with the I 3 Mini engine like for 3-series?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 11:56

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Hot take: BMW purposely made this ugly as sin as justification to kill off the 4- series due to poor sales.

CompactLuxuryFan > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 11:57

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As with every prior generation, I’d take the sedan (or when it actually came down to it, the SUV).

No non-xDrive 440 tells me the RWD M340 (a US exclusive already) isn’t long for this world. They probably need those models gone to 1) open up room for the RWD M3 and M4 and 2) just get rid of what I’m guessing will be a very low take rate, especially after the first year.

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 09/28/2020 at 12:01

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And therefore kill off the M3/M4 so we’re all more willing to accept the electric revolution?

Taylor Martin > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:02

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The grille reminds me of either a.) a baby with a pacifier or b.) the self driving Google car. It doesn’t make sense, so I’ll let some terrible Photoshop   explain it :

Also, for 45 grand, I’d expect a bit more power. It seems a little wimpy from a numbers standpoint, but maybe it’s not supposed to be a powerhouse. Maybe it’s just supposed to be a luxurious city cruiser... but the grille is hard to handle.

404 - User No Longer Available > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:03

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I still maintain... tall grille is fine but they went with the wrong one:

LJ909 > 404 - User No Longer Available 09/28/2020 at 12:04

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I dont think they did a 16i. But they did do an 418i. You could even get it in a Gran Coupe.

But either way, coupe or Gran Coupe it was underpowered. It only had 134 horses.

LJ909 > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 09/28/2020 at 12:05

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This makes sense in a weird way. But then why give the same design to the M3 and not the 3 Series?

LJ909 > CompactLuxuryFan 09/28/2020 at 12:07

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I suspect you’re right. I don’ t think the sales numbers are enough to sustain a sport sedan that’ s specifically for us in a market that’ s gobbling up crossovers. Whatever happens I hope they sell enough of them to make it to the used market. They should be great used buys.

404 - User No Longer Available > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:09

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I’m guessing it’s more for taxation based on displacement.

G overning bodies always stupid and behind the times.

Tripper > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:09

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Looking at this car made me go and look at its competition... and boy its it all pretty sad, not quite as ugly as this but pretty sad. However, I found hope in an unlikely place (for me) over at Lexus! Built me an RC 350 F Sport RWD with a Torsen LSD for 53K ANNNNNND I can get it in yellow! Or some other cool colors.

What a world where a hardened bimmerhead is maybe turned on by a preadator faced automatic Lexus

LJ909 > Taylor Martin 09/28/2020 at 12:10

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Baby with pacifier is a good one. My son says it looks like it has an overbite. But I cant get past it. Something tells me its even more polarizing in person.

The power at 255 horses is low. But that also seems par for the course for near lux/lux base 4 cylinder engines

LJ909 > Tripper 09/28/2020 at 12:12

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The RC is probably the closest competitor for this thing you can find. And the yellow makes it look good. But its old, and even in full on F with the V8 its underwhelming to drive. But that’ s just my personal opinion. But I’d still take it over this though if I had to choose.

Tripper > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:17

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I’ve not driven, but am not surprised at your analysis. I made my way over to Merc’s but ya have to spend a lot more to get into the 6 and of course 8. A5 is another option but meh

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:21

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Because why make the M3, M4, X3M, and X4M when you can just make the X3M and X4M?

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 09/28/2020 at 12:21

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And therefore kill off the M3/M4 so we’re all more willing to accept the SAV revolution?

LJ909 > Tripper 09/28/2020 at 12:25

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Yea I drove one years ago. Its heavy and doesnt do the F badge justice. But you’re right. There’s also the C Class coupe, but I think its getting axed for ‘21. Other than that you have to spend way more to get a coupe that seats 4, or head over to the Big 3 and get a muscle car. 

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:39

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Nope.

But Lexus people still buy Lexuses, so who knows?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Tripper 09/28/2020 at 12:39

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LOL

Cash Rewards > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:40

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You know what? Based off that first picture, I get it. I like that. It looks good. Will it ever look like that in the real world? No, the second picture of it in white is closer to it's "in the wild" appearance. But in get what they were going for.

PS9 > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:42

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Lexus: We shall make the ugliest luxury cars.
BMW: Hold my overbite.

CompactLuxuryFan > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 12:47

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But if you’re getting an automatic I think you might as well just get AWD. Even the E90 335i had too much power to put down through the rear unless the pavement was smooth. At least the M340 has a limited slip diff  standard. The RWD ones will probably become one of those rare sought-after options but AWD probably fits the car’s character better. 

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 13:33

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$45k for a car with less power than my GTI. Got it.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > Tripper 09/28/2020 at 13:36

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And, the Lexus just MIIIIIIIIGHT be more reliable too.......

Tripper > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 09/28/2020 at 13:42

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I guess well never know

LongbowMkII > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 14:38

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I hate it as a 3 series, but I kind of dig the M440i  as a 635i descendant. 

SpeedSix > Tripper 09/28/2020 at 14:51

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Lexus models are the last hurrah for natural aspiration, it seems. The RC has a regular V6 available, and the RC F, IS F, GS F, and LC500 all use a 5.0L V8, while every single one  of their competitors uses a turbo-something.

Tripper > SpeedSix 09/28/2020 at 14:55

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I’ll just stick to my old bimmers. I mentioned to Milky that An L C 500 went past...RIPPING last week on my way home ...sounded great.

Vicente Esteve > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 16:48

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Good thing is I only like old, worthless heaps of BMWs. 

feather-throttle-not-hair > LJ909 09/28/2020 at 17:12

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Okay, here’s what we need to do: BMW LOVES to fill niches right? We need to convince them that the next big niche is the 2-door sedan market! Then we can have a 3-series “ 2-door sedan” presumably with more rear seat room than a 4-series gran coupe!

Also on a more serious note, i’m s urprised by the base engine. Considering they have a 300+ HP version of that 4-banger (see 235i GC) I expected more power from the base 2.0L turbo.

LongbowMkII > 404 - User No Longer Available 09/28/2020 at 17:57

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That actually seems pretty effective for the government.  Gets a few more small displacement, more efficient cars on the road. Or if the consumer chooses the less efficient vehicle there’s more tax to deal with those extra externalized costs

LJ909 > feather-throttle-not-hair 09/28/2020 at 18:26

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At this point I’m surprised they haven’t come out with a 2 1/2 series that slots between the 2&3.

I was really surprised by that as well. In fact, when this car was leaked a few months back I assumed that that engine would be the base engine. It’s a weird move. 

404 - User No Longer Available > LongbowMkII 09/28/2020 at 18:49

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There’s more to those rules, actually. For instance, if I remember back then, in Hong Kong (where registration is also based on displacement), a turbocharger increases efficiency, but regulation-wise it was a multiplier on the fees. And on top of that, we all know underpowered cars are actually less efficient, you end up using my fuel when you’re constantly flooring it.

I just don’t think displacement is the best indicator for that.

LongbowMkII > 404 - User No Longer Available 09/28/2020 at 22:09

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I floor my fit constantly and get ~30mpg city and get low-mid 20’s in the Evora which gets more highway miles which gets driven much more gently.

Saracen > Tripper 09/29/2020 at 17:29

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I’m an Audi head and if I were looking at a sport sedan right now, it w ould be a transverse engined AWD Honda..

Tripper > Saracen 09/29/2020 at 21:49

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Im just going to stick to older cars 

404 - User No Longer Available > LongbowMkII 09/30/2020 at 12:40

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Counterpoint... back when I still had my 3.5L V6 G6, I got better mileage than my friend in is 2.3L 4-cyl Mazda 3.