I Drove This BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe in Milan During Fashion Week To Make a Chic Statement

You don’t have to be that much into fashion to realize that during Fashion Week, the streets of Milan become more vibrant, as people showcase their creativity and style in public. Fashion Week isn’t just confined to the runways – it spills into every corner of the city, from the iconic Via Monte Napoleone all the way to San Siro.

This year, Fashion Week coincided with the Derby della Madonnina between AC Milan and Inter, which made the streets of Milan buzz with anticipation. Everyone from radio personalities to people roaming the streets believed Inter would win (especially Inter fans), but Milan managed to grab a late winner, coming out on top 2-1. I digress.

Back to Fashion Week, it’s interesting seeing all the influencers, designers and fashion enthusiasts come together under one skyline. In turn, people dress more boldly and adventurously, far removed from the more subdued elegance which is typical of the Milanese style. Clothes become statements and everything feels curated, as if people become aware that the entire world might be watching.

There are tons of parallels to be drawn between the world of fashion and the automotive sector. I don’t think I’m breaking any news here. Trends are cyclical in both industries, and people can just as easily make a statement through what they drive as they can through their outfits.

Sure, you make the biggest statements when driving luxury cars and exotics, but what about something a little more affordable? Something fashionable yet practical, and not so out of reach. To me, arguing in favor of buying a car like the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe over a conventional sports sedan is easy.

If you recall, I wrote an editorial last year dubbed Fastback Revolution. Allow me to quote myself from that piece, simply because I can: “Let’s face it, the three-box design has run its course. It’s outdated and it belongs to the 20th century. In a few hundred years when we’re off to Fhloston Paradise at light speed for our vacation, the spaceship is sure as hell not going to be three-box-shaped. In the end, the design that maintains the most uniformity always wins, on every single level.”

That’s what it’s all about. Fastbacks, by design, feature a more uniform aesthetic than sedans, as do crossovers and SUVs, and even station wagons, although most people tend to have a love/hate relationship with the latter.

Italy is a perfect example of how disagreeable sedans have become. Perhaps more than in any other country, Italians heavily prefer hatchback and hatchback-styled vehicles, such as crossovers. There’s literally no reason for your car, if you’re trying to be fashionable (and ahead of the curve) to feature a three-box design anymore. If you draw a car right now and you keep going once you get to the C-pillar (resulting in a rear overhang), it's not going to aid practicality, efficiency or performance.

Once you’ve come to terms with that, models such as the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe should appeal to you even more. I’ve always liked four-door coupes and coupe-styled SUVs, because they sent out a unique message. They told the world that your car means more to you than something that just takes you from point A to point B. Technically speaking, this Bimmer's only got one major rival in the Audi A5 Sportback, and when specified properly, it can still turn heads in the streets with ease.

My test car was a 420d xDrive model, equipped with the M Sport package, Shadowline package, and a set of 19” Y-spoke M wheels with red calipers. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Grey Metallic exterior brought everything together nicely. It’s the type of spec that’ll get you noticed even in places where people are used to seeing extremely expensive cars.

Speaking of expensive, yes, the 4 Series Gran Coupe costs a few grand more than the equivalent 3 Series, but if you can swing for the latter, I reckon you can swing for the former too and live happily with the extra practicality and the sportier, more elegant design. Oh, and here’s a pro tip for you. The 4 Series Gran Coupe doesn’t depreciate as fast or as much as the 3 Series. It was true for the first-gen model and it’s certainly true for this latest one too.

Going forward, I’m very curious to see what BMW does with the 4 Series in terms of styling. We know the next 3 Series (at least in EV form) will be heavily based on the Vision Neue Klasse concept, and I’m not exactly sure how they’re going to make a four-door coupe using this all-new design language. I have faith in the BMW brand, though, and the fact that they’ve recently shaken up their design team gives me reason to hope that all future models are in safe hands.

As for my Brookly Grey 4 Series GC tester, it managed to turn heads all the way from Milan to the Italian Riviera. It’s what happens when the specification is perfect, and it serves as a reminder that you don’t always need a $100,000+ luxury car to stand out.