Tees Life Tees Life issue 4 | Page 23

MOTORING
Tees Life’ s motor man Graham Courtney reviews the BMW 4 Series

ENVY COMES AS

STANDARD

In 2011 BMW launched its new 3 Series and decided to give the sleek coupé and convertible models a new name. The BMW 4 Series arrived.

There are actually now three versions to be found within the 4 Series. First, there’ s the sleek two-door coupé and the gorgeous two-door convertible.
Then there’ s an elegant Gran Coupé which, in effect, offers the same spacious interior as a 3 Series saloon but has the sleek profile of a coupé. It also has five doors, which means it has a handy large boot opening and, if you flop down the rear seats has a sizeable load area. I hope you’ re still following this!
Both the 4 Series Coupé and Gran Coupé start at £ 33,110 while the 4 Series Convertible kicks off at £ 38,260.
This makes owning a stunning BMW 4
Series a hugely tempting proposition.
In terms of specification, gone are the days when BMW was rather stingy with providing some goodies. Every BMW 4 Series comes with sat nav, smart alloy wheels, air conditioning, tyre pressure monitor, DAB radio, Bluetooth, cruise control and central locking. In fact, there’ s no need to dip into the vast selection of optional extras unless something takes your fancy. Having said that, we’ d recommend the M Sport package with its additional body styling. It makes the 4 Series really stand out.
No matter which BMW you go for, there is a great engine range. You can have manual or auto‘ boxes and there’ s the option of fourwheel xDrive which will be handy during winter months or if you live out in the sticks. As for the engines, you can choose from four-cylinder 2.0 litre petrol units in the 420i and 430i models. If you want six-cylinder petrol, head for the 3.0 litre 440i. If you prefer diesel power, there’ s a four-cylinder 420d and a pair of four-cylinder units in the 430d and 435d. The 420i will manage around 48mpg while the most economical diesel, the 420d, will stretch things to over 61mpg. However, even the hunky sixcylinder models aren’ t thirsty yet have the added advantage of extra performance and a wonderful exhaust note. Something like the BMW 4 Series 420d M Sport would be a brilliant all-round compromise.
No matter whether you go for the BMW 4 Series Coupé, Convertible or Gran Coupé, you end up with one of the most stylish cars on UK roads. Speak to Stockton-based Bespoke Motor Works to find you a BMW that ideally suits your needs ….. and desires.
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