Coupés are not the most practical of cars, but we like them because they certainly know how to have fun. While coupés require you to make compromises for things such as rear-seat space and cargo room, you do so in the name of flashier styling and an overall focus on driving enjoyment above all else.
Case in point is the fully imported (CBU) BMW 4 – a coupé that seats four and is designed to be more fun to drive than the BMW 3 Series saloon on which it’s based. Now, the fairly fresh-out-of-the-oven G22 BMW 430i Coupé M Sport has officially landed in Malaysia and, being an M Sport model, it certainly has gotten plenty of special treatment.
That means the high-gloss chrome kidney grilles – which feature seemingly floating ornaments that form a honeycomb pattern – that pay tribute to the iconic 1936 BMW 328, the very luxurious anthracite headlining, M leather-wrapped steering wheel, M-specific foot pedals, powered front sports seats with memory function (driver side only), aluminium Tetragon trimmings finished in pearl chrome, seat belts with M Sport stripes and Vernasca leather seats (available in Tacora Red, Mocha, Black, Oyster and Cognac colours).
The 430i has short overhangs and long doors (apparently the longest doors BMW has ever made) contribute to a lithe figure that flows fluently into a relatively muted rear end. In Malaysia, the newcomer can also be had in a choice of six exterior paint jobs – Alpine White, Black Sapphire metallic, Portimao Blue metallic, Arctic Race Blue metallic, Dravit Grey metallic and Tanzanite Blue metallic. Of course, the last two special colours will cost you MYR9,160, each.
Powering the rear-wheel drive coupé is the ubiquitous B48 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that makes 258hp and 400Nm of torque from 1,550 to 4,400rpm. An eight-speed Steptronic Sport automatic transmission is standard, propelling the 1,620kg car from standstill to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds, all the way to a top speed of 250km/h.
The car’s ‘M Sport’ tag also means the car comes ready kitted with M Sport-tuned suspension, M Sport brakes with blue callipers, variable sport steering, LED headlights and fog lights, M Sport exterior kit with M Aerodynamics package and BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line, mesh kidney grille with matte aluminium nuggets, chrome exhaust finishers, and 19-inch M light alloy double-spoke style 797 M bicolour wheels with mixed profile (225/40 front, 255/35 rear) run-flat tyres.
You can actually opt for the M light alloy wheels double-spoke style 791 M at no added cost, but should you require grippier performance to complete the upgrade, you do have to pay an additional MYR8,290 for a full four-piece set. Other than that, there’s the Y-spoke style 783 Bicolour rim set with standard tyres at MYR10,120, or MYR18,400 with the performance tyres. There’s also a more unique 19-inch BMW Individual light double-spoke style 793 bicolour that costs MYR13,170,
Inside, the 430i also gets BMW Live Cockpit Professional with a 12.3in fully digital instrument binnacle, a 10.25in touchscreen display in the middle with BMW Operating System 7.0, BMW ConnectedDrive services, wireless charging, and premium Harman Kardon surround sound system and Sensatec instrument panel, making it quite a feature-packed cabin as well.
There’s also a total of eight interior trim options, featuring various aluminium and wood trimmings. These include three BMW Individual finishers – piano black, high-gloss aluminium fabric and ‘Fineline’ open-pore black wood inserts, each costing MYR6,110.
A very welcome addition to the new car is the BMW Driving Assistant, comprising safety systems such as front collision warning with brake intervention, rear cross-traffic warning, rear collision prevention, lane departure warning, lane change warning and cruise control with braking function. There’s also Parking Assistant with reversing assist and a rear-view camera.
Other optional items include adaptive M suspension, powered tailgate, BMW Individual Lights Shadow Line (featuring black inlays on the upper edge of the headlights to ensure improved front view at night or in low light conditions), M Carbon exterior package, M rear spoiler, front seats with lumbar support, heated front seats, ventilated front seats and galvanised switchgears.
Just bear in mind that adding any one of these very desirable extras would just add somewhat substantially to the car’s MYR441,680 (sans extended warranty or service package), SST-exempted price tag. So, spend wisely now…
