{"id":27137,"date":"2021-04-05T15:29:24","date_gmt":"2021-04-05T19:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=27137"},"modified":"2021-04-05T15:29:24","modified_gmt":"2021-04-05T19:29:24","slug":"payne-big-bmw-m440i-grille-zilla-still-has-the-moves","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2021\/04\/payne-big-bmw-m440i-grille-zilla-still-has-the-moves","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Big BMW M440i Grille-zilla still has the moves"},"content":{"rendered":"

The compact-class, BMW 3-series has grown a lot in the past 20 years. Check out the all-new\u00a02021 BMW M440i Coupe prowling my driveway.<\/p>\n

Once the 3-series was offered as both a coupe and a sedan, but in 2014 the coupe grew its own\u00a0dedicated 4-series badge. That new line\u00a0grew M trims like my 6-cylinder M Performance tester (in addition to a turbo-4-powered M Sport and fire-breathing M4). Its pant size grew, too. The \u201921 coupe\u2019s wheelbase has grown nearly half a foot and 450 pounds over my 2001 BMW M3 Coupe. Its wheelbase and weight are about equal to a 2004 5-series, for goodness sake.<\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s the twin-kidney grille.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

M440i is the first car model to feature grille-zilla \u2014 full-fascia kidneys that look like they were taken off the X7 SUV. They are huge. They provoke heated arguments among BMW faithful about whether the grille makes the 4-series look bold \u2014 or like a buck-toothed gopher.<\/p>\n

But one thing hasn\u2019t changed. The BMW 3\/4 series is still the compact class\u2019\u00a0performance standard.<\/p>\n

Hustling over Doyle Road\u2019s rollercoaster turns west of Hell, the M440i was true as an arrow. The comfortable suspension that carried me on a magic carpet west from Detroit on I-96 was now taut \u2014 like the sinewy thighs of a greyhound \u2014 in Sport Plus mode. The balanced torso is an extension of my hands. Turning in to a hard, 90-degree left-hander, the car slid effortlessly across the apex to the edge of the road. Right where I placed it.<\/p>\n

The car\u2019s added girth is apparent. Its two tons tip the scales like the 4,068-pound, 2004 5-series of old. But the 4\u2019s modern chassis feels smaller. About 2,000 pounds of that weight gain is the addition of all-wheel-drive, which means more grip. Lots of grip.<\/p>\n

On a lonely patch of Doyle, I do a launch control-assisted, 0-60 mph sprint. The grip is instant (Car and Driver recorded an impressive 3.8 seconds). The drivetrain roars like a cheetah unleashed.<\/p>\n

Ah, BMW\u2019s unparalleled drivetrains. At the heart of M440i is another terrific\u00a03.0-liter inline-6. This one is blown to 382 horsepower with a single turbo \u2014 52 more horses than my 2001 M3 Coupe. The new M4 Coupe (formerly the M3 Coupe \u2014 sorry, the alphanumerics will make your brain hurt) now makes up to 503 horsepower by adding a second turbo.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

I\u2019ll have a chance to test the M4 sometime soon, but for now 382 horses will do. They make beautiful music.<\/p>\n

Sport\u00a0Plus\u00a0mode cranks up the volume, filling the cabin with fury. The 8-speed automatic throws off effortless, quick shifts. Diving into a tight right-hander, dual pipes out back bark in rev-marching unison with automatic downshifts. It\u2019s effortless, smooth, intoxicating.<\/p>\n

Two years ago, I tested a small-kidneys 2019 turbo-4 BMW 330i M Sport against my (then) brand-new electric Tesla Model 3. Both 55-grand compact sedans. Both rear-wheel drive. Both hot-selling performance compacts.<\/p>\n

After flogging them around M1 Concourse\u2019s 1.5-mile Champion Motor Speedway, M1 instructor Alex Della Torre and I emerged with big grins under our helmets. But the question hung in the\u00a0air: which car handled better?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe BMW, no doubt,\u201d we both said in unison.<\/p>\n

As my 2021 M440i tester confirms, the magic endures. But Tesla has set a new benchmark in technology. The Silicon Valley maker has rewritten the rules with its smartphone-on-wheels experience: voice commands, navigation, screen graphics. Tesla has ridden that experience to the best-selling luxe brand in the U.S.<\/p>\n

\"Everything<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

For the first time in a long time, the Germans have had to play catch up. M440i is a solid response.<\/p>\n

Rather than copying Tesla, BMW has played to its strengths. The California automaker is Apple iPhone simple. The Bimmer is Neuschwanstein Castle posh.<\/p>\n

Slip into the M440i and I was wrapped in 14-way, Cognac Vernasca leather thrones. A robotic arm handed me my seat belt (\u201cYour seat belt, mein Herr\u201d) and Mrs. Payne’s on the passenger side too. I expected the coupe\u2019s 112.7-inch stretched wheelbase to add more room to the rear seats, but my 6\u20195\u201d was a tight fit \u2014 though not as tight as a Mustang that requires six-footers to first remove their legs.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

In contrast to Tesla\u2019s minimalist\u00a0three-button cabin, the BMW is littered with buttons. For the starter. For drive modes. Adaptive cruise control. Favorite radio stations. Lights.<\/p>\n

Everything but that annoying stop\/start button for when the engine stalls at stoplights to gain mpg credits from government regulators. Instead, M440i is equipped with a 48-volt battery (ditching the common 12-volt) to make the transition between stop and start smoother. Mostly, however, it\u2019s there to support the electronic funhouse.<\/p>\n

The sculpted dash is dominated by colorful\u00a0digital instrument and infotainment screens \u2014 the latter operated by (take your pick) touch or remote rotary iDrive. Notably, BMW seems to have punted on voice recognition.<\/p>\n

\u201cGo to Hell, Michigan,\u201d I commanded.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease don\u2019t speak to me like that,\u201d shot back a female voice.<\/p>\n

Um. I\u2019m sorry? Stymied, I connected my Android phone, with which I have a better relationship. \u201cGo to Hell, Michigan\u201d was not only immediately recognized by Android Auto (Apple Carplay also comes standard) in the console screen, but it was done wirelessly. What\u2019s more, directions then appeared on the instrument and head-up displays.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a first. Every other smartphone app-capable vehicle I\u2019ve driven segregates smartphone apps to the console screen. In M440i, it\u2019s integrated into all three displays \u2014 heads-up, instrument\u00a0and console \u2014 making for a state-of-the-art, visual and voice experience to Hell and back.<\/p>\n

The head-up display had other talents. Like scrolling my favorite radio stations via (yet another) button on the steering wheel. The more features in heads-up displays, the better to keep your eye on the road.<\/p>\n

Most passersby kept their eyes on that big, fat kidney grille. To my surprise, most approved. I like its retro vibe recalling the sleek\u00a01940 BMW 327 Aero or ’65 2000CS.<\/p>\n

\"Cool<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Shocking as they appear in photos, the kidneys in the flesh are nicely integrated with the nose. Striking blue\u00a0laser headlights bracket the grille. A lower spoiler and vents frame it like a goatee. Many passersby compared it favorably to the Alfa Romeo\u2019s similar\u00a0full-faced, tri-logo grille.<\/p>\n

Which is appropriate since the Alfa is the rare performance car that can dance with the M440i. The compact Bimmer isn\u2019t so compact anymore, but it\u2019s still got the moves.<\/p>\n

2021 BMW 4-series<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Vehicle type: Front engine, rear- and all-wheel-drive\u00a05-passenger compact sedan<\/p>\n

Price: $46,595, including $995 destination fee ($70,470 M440i as tested)<\/p>\n

Powerplant: 2.0-liter\u00a0turbocharged, inline 4 cylinder;\u00a03.0-liter\u00a0turbocharged, inline 6 cylinder<\/p>\n

Power: 255 horsepower, 294 pound-feet torque (turbo 4); 382 horsepower, 364 pound-feet torque (turbo 6)<\/p>\n

Transmission: 8-speed automatic<\/p>\n

Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.8 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 157 mph<\/p>\n

Weight: 3,977 pounds (as tested)<\/p>\n

Fuel economy: EPA 22 city\/31 highway\/25 combined (M440i xDrive as tested)<\/p>\n

Report card<\/p>\n

Highs: Grille-zilla ain\u2019t so bad; handling and agility<\/p>\n

Lows: Porky curb weight; gets pricey<\/p>\n

Overall: 4 stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The compact-class, BMW 3-series has grown a lot in the past 20 years. Check out the all-new\u00a02021 BMW M440i Coupe prowling my driveway. Once the 3-series was offered as both a coupe and a sedan, but in 2014 the coupe grew its own\u00a0dedicated 4-series badge. That new line\u00a0grew M trims like my 6-cylinder M Performance […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27137"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27137"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27137\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27138,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27137\/revisions\/27138"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27137"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27137"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27137"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}