The BMW 4 Concept Dials The Grille Up To Eleven

BMW Concept 4

This will, in some form, be the new 4 Series.

BMW brought their latest concept, dubbed the BMW Concept 4, to this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. With it, they previewed the design for the upcoming 4 Series, and pushed the limits of just how much grille you can shove onto the front end of a car. For those who still haven’t picked their jaws up off the floor, rest assured the actual production model’s grille (probably) won’t look anything close to this concept. BMW said in its release Tuesday that the Concept 4 offers “a look ahead at the expressive face of the 4 Series range.” Well, it certainly is expressive.

Naturally, you can’t help but notice the large kidney grille that dominates the front end. According to BMW, that “vertically oriented grille fits seamlessly into both the proportions of the front end and BMW’s illustrious past.” The company references its past iconic vehicles, like the older BMW 328 and the 3.0 CSi.

Around back, the styling is much more restrained, echoing similar design from the G20 BMW 3 Series and the company’s redesigned crossovers. The large, rectangular pipes and diffuser allude to the upcoming M4’s performance credentials. Although, the production model may sport more aerodynamic kit, including more skirts and spoilers.

BMW Concept 4

Possible powertrains

No technical information is available with the BMW Concept 4, so we just have an idea of what it looks like. Odds are the new BMW 4 Series and M4 will mirror other models in BMW’s lineup like the 3 Series. For instance, we’ll likely see a 255 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder at the low end, followed up by a 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six. The new BMW X3M and X4M produce up to 503 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. It’s not a huge leap to assume similar power band across the new 4 Series range.

Check out more of the new BMW 3 Series sedan below: