bmw builds a lot of different variants of their vehicles these days the lineup has the potential to confuse i'm tom volk with driven for the new york times this is not just a four series it's a grand coupe there's a difference recently bmw has refined its model nomenclature for example odd-numbered series like three five and seven are four-door sedans even-numbered series like two four and six are two-door coupes obviously not perfect industry-wide the four-door coupe designation is a bit dear this could also be classified as a hatchback at least the bavarians made it good-looking length width and wheelbase are the same as the two-door 4-series it's just easier to get folks in the rear much like a 3-series sedan or wagon just saying order a 4-28i and the 2-liter turbo 4-cylinder pumps out 240 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque low in the power band this is an eight-speed automatic controlled by bmw's joystick of course it has manual control bmw claims 5.7 second 0-60 runs and that's probably accurate on dry pavement this one's pushed by the back tires all-wheel drive would add a layer of confidence on a day like this for all you purists out there sorry manual transmission not available in the grand coup the automatic is telepathic always in the right gear equipped with the m sport suspension and dynamic handling package gran coupe gains a handling edge but bmw seems to be tuning their cars more comfortably it's compelling but dialed towards mainstream buyers not hardened enthusiasts still there are those days that taking the long way home will be appealing electric power steering has the reputation as being as numbed up as a dental patient this is proof it can be done right the epa rates this drive train at 23 city 34 highway i'm averaging 30 miles per gallon heavy on those highway miles and on the throttle for those with little willpower this is the kind of car that can lead you into temptation budget for speeding tickets perfect for crimson tide fans gronn coupe's cabin can be had in more subdued hues if so desired it's pure bmw in here with downed business gauges heated adjustable and supportive seats plus the decent i drive interface optioned up at 52 300 there's a trick camera system up front that helps when pulling out into a blind intersection grand coupe silhouette is sleek and low i'm an average sized guy at five foot nine and i have just enough headroom back here leg knee and foot room are fine while the four series coupe the real two-door version isn't half bad in the back grand coupe's extra doors are handy creature comforts are appreciated so is the seat configuration that lets you haul four skiers and their gear inside i sure do like this feature the kick to open tailgate very handy when your hands are full all cars should have this strap there's no spare bmw is big on run flat tires that are expensive to give grand coupe a fighting chance i'll ditch the security panel a 3-series sedan can hold five packs of this stuff so grand coupe has the upper hand at six we should all be so attractive athletic and capable because of that i'll argue this four series one ups the three series it's easy to poke fun at some of bmw's variants grand coupe is one that works you