A fresh report claims the BMW 4 Series won’t see a 3rd generation, which furthermore suggests the current petrol-powered M4 could be the last…
Will the world see a 3rd-generation BMW 4 Series? Well, if a fresh report is anything to go by, the answer may well turn out to be “no”.
Quoting unnamed sources within the Munich-based automaker, BMWBlog claims the current G22-generation 4 Series coupé is “not expected” to have a direct successor. Though it’s not entirely clear, we suspect this would also apply to the G23-series convertible and the G26-gen gran coupé.
While the 4 Series nameplate traces its roots back to 2013 when the F32-generation was launched as a 2-door spin-off of the 3 Series family, the current version debuted in 2020 and was facelifted at the start of 2024.
Based on a presumed 7-year lifecycle, that would see the 4 Series put out to pasture around 2027, if the report turns out to be accurate, of course. Interestingly, the publication adds that the supposed decision to let the 4 Series ride off into the sunset could be “reversed”.
So, why would the Bavarian company consider killing off the 4 Series – a nameplate that has seen great sales success, specifically in North America – in the first place? Well, BMWBlog claims the thinking could be twofold: firstly, there’s the broader shift of focus towards fully electric cars; the i4 would, in theory, live on.
Secondly, there’s the idea that the next-generation 3 Series family – which was previewed by the Vision Neue Klasse concept – will end up covering the space (and indeed taking on a more “coupé-like” shape) currently occupied by the 4 Series.
What does all of this mean for the high-performance M4? Well, since the M-badged flagship is obviously derived from the standard 4 Series, BMWBlog says a next-gen petrol-powered M4 “seems off the table for now”. However, the publication suggests a new M3 sedan remains “under consideration”. Of course, only time will tell…
