“They are cars which with low effort can be made, which are high synergy and which are an additional opportunity for customers who like the proportions of cars that are a little bit more sporty, more dynamic.”
The 4 Series’ long-time Audi A5 rival, for example, is no more – having given its name to what was previously the A4 – and Mercedes has halved its two-door cruiser offering, combining the short-wheelbase C-Class and E-Class derivatives into one new mid-sized model, the CLE.
Either way, the suggestion that the 4 Series will follow its sibling onto the Neue Klasse architecture implies that it will likewise continue to offer a spread of pure-electric and combustion powertrains, with the next-generation ‘i4’ twinned with the upcoming i3 underneath.
That means a range of updated (and Euro 7-compliant) petrol engines in the 4 Series and an EV with a choice of rear- or dual-motor powertrains and a 108kWh battery that is likely to offer an official range of more than 500 miles.
It also paves the way for the return of the M4, suggested Post.
“These derivatives are very often the base for the sports cars,” he said, hinting at a third outing for the performance coupé.
BMW has already strongly suggested the next iteration of the M3 will be available as either a mega-powered, quad-motor EV with advanced torque vectoring or a more traditional petrol option with an updated version of its venerable ‘S58’ straight-six engine.
Post doubled down on this possibility, emphasising that BMW has a “bigger advantage in comparison to a few others” because it has engineered its next generation of ICE powertrains to be compliant with upcoming European emissions rules.
“We can fulfil Euro 7 with some optimisation in the exhaust system – with things like the catalysts – so that’s why we have a big advantage in that Euro 7 is not that high an investment for us,” he said, confirming that even the 6.0-litre V12 used by BMW-owned Rolls-Royce could continue.
Post stopped short of confirming exactly which engine could be used in the next M4 and M3 but he did confirm that there will be four-, six-, eight- and 12-cylinder engines in BMW’s next line-up.