The rollout party that took place last week in Munich for the unveil of the 2012 BMW 3-series sedan is over, and the next 3-series coupe has taken to the street. This car might be heavily camouflaged, but it doesn’t take much guessing to figure out that the car will look like a two-door version of the sedan. Still, the bigger question remains: Will it be badged 4-series?
Reports have surfaced that BMW is pondering a move to a naming scheme wherein characteristically conventional vehicles—sedans and wagons, for example—are denoted by odd numbers, while supposed sporty vehicles such as coupes and convertibles would all be even. The company previously considered this approach with the E46 3-series, but thankfully came to their senses and shelved the idea. We’re not sure why the idea isn’t still on the shelf collecting dust, if not rotting in a landfill outside Munich.
Regardless of whether the coupe is called 3- or 4-series, its mug should mirror that of the new sedan, with the headlights stretched inward to meet up with the grille, and a lower intake that flares wide at each corner. The greenhouse will be lower than the sedan’s, and the trunk appears to have the same upkick on its trailing edge as do the 3 sedan and latest 6-series. Additionally, this mule shows an unfilled exhaust cutout on its right side, which tells us that higher-output models will continue to boast split dual-exhaust finishers. We expect lesser variants to continue to have their two pipes clustered together on the left, as seen here.
The sedan’s powertrains and new interior design will transfer into the coupe unchanged. Underhood, that means the 328i will pack the new N20 2.0-liter turbo four, offering 240 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, while the 335i will again pack the wonderful N55 turbocharged 300-hp six-cylinder. Transmission options will be a six-speed manual or an eight-speed auto. Once initial production gets underway, xDrive all-wheel drive will once again be added to the lineup.
As BMW typically launches its sedans first and follows up with coupe and convertible derivatives about a year later, figure on seeing the new coupe about this time next year. Whether they call it 3- or 4-series is anyone’s guess, but we hope a year is enough time for BMW’s marketing department to realize they should leave well enough alone.
