BMW X4: a new dimension for the mid-sized premium Sports Activity Vehicle
It’s official: BMW today confirmed the all-new BMW X4 Sports Activity Coupe—and it’s coming to America. Not content with inventing the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV), BMW—with the X6 and now the X4—is carving out a new segment: the Sports Activity Coupe. Like big brother X6, the X4 combines premium BMW SAV performance with the style and elegance of a traditional luxury coupe. The X4 is smaller than the X6, but The X4’s more diminutive stature comes with a significantly smaller price tag than the X6. The X4 xDrive28i, with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $45,625 (including destination and handling), will feature BMW’s award-winning 240 horsepower two-liter four cylinder. The top-of-line X4 xDrive35i will feature BMW’s venerable 300 horsepower three-liter inline six—the same powerplant as the X6 xDrive35i—but its MSRP of $48,925 (including destination and handling) is $12,800 lower than the three-liter X6.
The 2015 BMW X4 will make its world debut at the New York International Auto Show in April and begin production this spring only at BMW’s U.S. production facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The new BMW X4 brings the Sports Activity Coupe concept to the premium mid-size segment. There will be no mistaking the X4 for an X3. Like the BMW X6, the X4 has an unmistakable presence. Since the X6 has sold 250,000 units to date, we can assume the motoring public approves of that presence.
2015 BMW X4 Sports Activity Coupe at a glance:
X4 xDrive35i
MSRP $48,925 (includes destination and handling)
Engine: TwinPower Turbo three-liter inline six-cylinder engine
Power: 300 horsepower; 300 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: eight-speed Steptronic sport automatic transmission.
0 to 60 mph: 5.2 seconds
X4 xDrive28i
MSRP $45,625 (includes destination and handling)
Engine: TwinPower Turbo two-liter four cylinder engine
Power: 240 horsepower; 260 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: eight-speed Steptronic sport automatic transmission.
0 to 60 mph: 6 seconds
Length: 184.3 inches; height: 63.9 inches.
Load capacity: 17.7 to 49.4 cubic feet.
Production facility: BMW Manufacturing, Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA.
Debut: New York International Auto Show, April 2014
A unique expression of The Ultimate Driving Machine.
Compared to its stablemate, the BMW X3, the X4 projects a unique and dynamic personality. The X4 is the wolf to the X3’s golden retriever. At 184.3 inches, the X4 is only 0.6 inches longer than the X3, but is also 1.5 inches lower and cuts a much more aggressive figure. The large air intakes on the outer edges of the front fascia and the character lines in the front apron lend the X4 a muscular appearance, seemingly lowering the car’s visual center of gravity. The effect is further enhanced by the LED foglights below the BMW’s signature twin round headlights. The coupe-like roofline of the BMW X4 is at its highest point over the front seats, focusing the lines on the driver, which is as it should be with a BMW.
Sporty and exclusive interior.
The distinctions between Sports Activity Vehicle and Sports Activity Coupe continue inside the X4. In the X3 you sit up in the car; in the X4, you sit down, relatively speaking. The X4’s body is mounted 1.5 inches lower than that of the X3. The driver and front passenger sit 0.8 inches lower and the rear passengers 1.1 inches lower, creating the same relationship and feeling of a classic sports coupe. The feeling of “coupeness” continues in the rear seats, where the side bolsters give the impression of two individual seats when in reality, there are three. Well, technically three. We will have to wait for the test drive to see if the rear seating capacity is based on adult humans or some other creatures.
The X3 with its conventional roofline easily wins the cargo capacity contest. The X4 has 10 fewer cubic feet with the rear seats up and 14 fewer with the seats down, but neither is going to haul a 4x8 sheet of plywood, and owners of both might have to get creative with bungee cords for a trip to Home Depot or Lowe’s. The X4’s available load capacity of 17.7 to 49.4 cubic feet can be used in a variety of ways with the standard 40:20:40 split rear seat bench so it has some flexibility but does cargo space trump looks, or vice versa?
A feature that may get used more than one might think is the optional Smart Opener for the power tailgate, which opens with a wave of the foot under the rear bumper.
All X4s include BMW’s iDrive Controller and central display. The iDrive controller is still evolving. X4s with the optional on-board navigation system also get the new iDrive Controller with touchpad, which allows drivers or passengers to use their finger to write letters for text inputs, such as a navigation destination. Writing is probably less distracting than spinning the controller and looking down to see what letter or number you stopped at, but voice recognition is probably the future so why not put more effort into that?
To emphasize the premium nature of the X4, all models will have even more standard equipment than the X3, such as the power tailgate, sports leather steering wheel with shift paddles, variable sport steering, Performance Control, and rear Park Distance Control.
M Sport and xLine: making the car your own.
For some time, BMW has made exterior styling packages available, at a price, to let buyers individualize their cars. The new X4 can be had with M Sport or xLine styling. The M Sport line includes high-gloss Shadow Line trim, a selection of six paint finishes (including Melbourne Red metallic), four special interior trim strips, sports seats with various leather upholstery options, an Anthracite headliner, an M leather steering wheel, M door sill finishers, an M driver’s footrest, and a choice of 19- or 20-inch M light-alloy wheels add the finishing touches to the car’s appearance.
Powerful and refined BMW TwinPower Turbo engines.
The state-of-the-art TwinPower Turbo engines available for the new BMW X4 boast High Precision Direct Injection, Double-Vanos variable camshaft control, and Valvetronic fully variable valve timing. Together, these technologies provide the high-revving character that we associate with BMW gasoline engines, along with power and efficiency.
The top-of-the-line X4 xDrive35i comes with a three-liter inline six that kicks out a maximum 300 horsepower between 5,800 and 6,400 rpm and peak torque of 300 pound-feet at 1,200–5,000 rpm. That will take the X4 xDrive35i from 0 to 60 mph in just 5.2 seconds. The 240-horsepower turbocharged two-liter four-cylinder powering the BMW X4 xDrive28i produces peak torque of 260 pound-feet and a 0 to 60 mph time of six seconds flat. Both engines are mated to BMW’s eight-speed Steptronic sport automatic transmission.
BMW xDrive: the intelligent all-wheel-drive system with Performance Control.
Naturally, xDrive is standard on all X4 models. Also standard is BMW’s Performance Control, which uses the Dynamic Stability Control system to direct power to the outside rear wheel when cornering, thus improving traction, turn-in, and directional stability. Putting your foot down to power through a corner and get the outside wheels to stick should be second nature to a high-performance driver. BMW’s system works in tandem with the standard variable sport steering to do the same thing and keep the driver out of trouble at the same time. An xDrive status display in the Control Display uses three-dimensional graphics to let the driver visualize the car’s roll and pitch. However, if the car is rolling or pitching, perhaps the driver’s attention should be more focused outside of the cockpit. We’ll have to wait until the test drive to evaluate the need or sensibility of the pitch and roll display.
BMW EfficientDynamics: ECO PRO mode and coasting function reduce fuel consumption.
We like BMWs that perform, handle, brake well, and are comfortable. If BMW can do that in a vehicle that gets great gas mileage, so much the better, but it seems that corporate fuel mileage is becoming the name of the game. Witness the new X4’s ECO PRO mode, ECO PRO Route option, and the eight-speed Steptronic transmission’s coasting function. ECO PRO adjusts all of the on-board systems for maximum fuel efficiency. It even shuts off fuel when the driver lifts off the accelerator. It also provides tips to the driver that would help to drive in a more efficient manner. If we never stop and ask for directions, and we hate the passenger telling us how to drive, would we sit still while the car tells us how to drive more efficiently? Well, if we do, there’s another display that shows us how far we can drive on the gas we have left in the tank. If an X4 has the available navigation system, it gets even better. The ECO PRO Route option prompts the driver to select and follow the route to the chosen destination that would use the least amount of fuel. The X4 also comes with BMW’s auto start/stop function that shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a stop in order to avoid wasting fuel.
Proactive Driving Assistant offers recommendations.
The BMW Proactive Driving Assistant offers additional potential for fuel saving. This technology uses route data supplied by the car’s navigation system to identify situations in advance that will require the car to slow down—for example, on the way into towns and villages, speed limits, and so on—and give suitable recommendations. More fuel-saving advice from the car. At least we still get to do the driving—for now.
BMW ConnectedDrive: Driver assistance and services and BMW Apps.
Optional with the BMW X4 is a full-color Head-Up Display, which projects important driving information and assistance systems displays into the driver’s field of view in high resolution. If the X4 has the Navigation System in the U.S., it also gets Advanced Real Time Traffic Information (ARTTI). ARTTI includes a full-color graphic that shows traffic flow on major roads and can offer route detours to help avoid traffic jams along the selected route.
The array of available driver assistant systems provides an added measure of active safety. Active Driving Assistant + Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go includes Pedestrian and Collision Warning with City Braking function as well as Lane Departure Warning. Also available as options are Active Blind Spot Detection and rearview camera with Surround View that provides a bird’s-eye view of the area around the BMW X4. The available Parking Assistant steers the X4 into parallel parking spaces after alerting the driver to a space large enough for the vehicle. These systems—some for safety and some for convenience—can be pricey and they often duplicate what aware and capable drivers can usually do for themselves. However, having an electronic backup for when a momentary distraction or lapse puts the car in jeopardy may prove to be a bargain.
ConnectedDrive Services allow customers to access embedded services as well as select smartphone applications. The available Concierge Service connects the car with a BMW Call Center to provide real-time help with services as varied as making a restaurant reservation or finding the nearest 24-hour pharmacy. The BMW Assist eCall function adds an additional level of safety when you need it most. It is triggered automatically or can be used manually. As soon as the crash sensors report an airbag deployment, the system sends the precise vehicle location and all key information, including an assessment of the likelihood of serious injury, to the BMW Call Center via the built-in SIM card, thus enabling fast and effective assistance at the accident location. BMW Assist eCall as well as BMW Teleservice is standard in every BMW X4, with service included for ten years at no additional charge.
With BMW Apps, select third party apps may be accessed and operated using the iDrive Controller and display. Apps that are integrated today using an iPhone include Pandora, Stitcher, Audible, Rhapsody, and TuneIn as well as the Amazon Cloud Player.
The BMW X4: The next Sports Activity Coupe
The X6 played its part in creating the Sports Activity Coupe concept and desensitized us to the initially strange look of a “couped” SAV. Now the look has grown on us and with the debut of the BMW X4, some of us even like it. The X4’s smaller size and correspondingly smaller cost puts it within reach of many more prospective owners and will almost certainly draw converts from other marques. The question for BMW CCA members and other BMW X-fans is, if we don’t need the X3’s cargo capacity, does the new BMW X4’s more aggressive styling, arguably better looks, and somewhat better performance justify the $4000 premium over the X3? The market will decide, and the market often favors better looking and better performing cars, so the X4 might do well.
Watch for the new 2015 BMW X4 to start appearing at your BMW dealer beginning spring 2014.
—Scott Blazey
