The BMW 4 Series will remain part of the German car brand’s lineup for another generation – despite possible overlap with the 3 Series sedan on which it remains based – and will almost certainly include another popular M4 coupe performance flagship.
BMW has confirmed an electric version of the next-generation 3 Series, expected to be unveiled in late 2026 or early 2027, including an electric-powered M3 variant with four motors and output of up to 1000 hp (746 kW).
What appears to be a pre-production M3 prototype with a hybrid powertrain has also been spied in testing, with the Bavarian automaker saying it won’t be ditching petrol engines any time soon.
BMW switched to the 4 Series name for the two-door coupe and convertible versions of the 3 Series in 2013 and introduced the four-door Gran Coupe hatchback the following year before launching the second generation of the 4 Series family in 2020.
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But the 4 Series Gran Coupe was discontinued in Australia at the end of 2024, and while the popular i4 electric sedan – a rival to the Tesla Model 3 – remains for sale here, there is still no official confirmation of a next-generation 4 Series, nor has one been spotted testing by automotive spy photographers.
The lack of a next-generation 4 Series would potentially jeopardize a new i4, although the upcoming i3 electric sedan will be part of the next 3 Series range based on BMW’s Neue Klasse electric vehicles. The demise of the 4 Series would also mean the end of the M4 badge, a benchmark for performance cars, in showrooms worldwide.
The demise of the 4 Series would also mean the end of the M4 badge, which currently adorns BMW’s mid-sized performance coupe and, outside Australia, the convertible and Gran Coupe models.
The 3 Series, which celebrates its 50th production anniversary in 2025, began life as a two-door model before expanding the range to include sedan, station wagon and convertible versions.
German arch-rival Audi followed a similar approach, branding two-door coupe, convertible and five-door “Sportback” versions of its A4 sedan and station wagon as A5 models, corresponding to BMW’s 3 Series and 4 Series rivals.
While Audi is now abandoning this naming strategy with the latest A5 sedan and will follow suit with other future models, BMW will continue the convention and launch a new 4 Series after the launch of the next 3 Series in about 12 months.
This is what BMW’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Joachim Post, said Autocar Both the 3 Series and 4 Series fulfill separate, important roles for the automaker and will continue in the brand’s next generation of vehicles.
“The 4 Series is an important car for us. It is sportier (than the 3 Series) and BMW is a sporty brand that also has a clear tradition on the performance side. It will continue to play an important role in the future,” he said Autocar.
This suggests that a new 4 Series will continue to follow its 3 Series donor model, sharing all-electric and petrol-electric hybrid powertrains.
“Making a completely new car is not (that) expensive, and when we build a 3 Series or an X3, we still think about the 4 Series or that
Like the 4 Series and 3 Series sedans, the
“With the X4, for example – and X6 is the same – they will play an important role in the future. That’s why we make cars with huge synergies: from the X4 to the X3, from the X6 to the X5, from the
“They are cars that can be produced with little effort, that offer a high level of synergy and represent an additional opportunity for customers who like the proportions of cars that are a little sportier and more dynamic.”
Mr Post also hinted at a new M4, adding: “These derivatives are very often the basis for the sports cars.”
BMW unveiled the first of its Neue Klasse-based electric models, the iX3, at the 2025 Munich Motor Show, while also introducing new-generation versions of its core models equipped with advanced new powertrains and in-vehicle technology.
MORE: Explore the BMW 4 Series showroom
