The “New Class 4 does everything” narrative is well received today, but it’s worth separating what BMW actually put on the list and what fills in around it. In an interview at CES 2026, Autocar UK quotes BMW development boss Joachim Post, calling the 4 Series “important” and positioning it as a sportier, more style-conscious counterpart to the upcoming New Class 3 Series/i3 family. That’s a real quote, and it’s important – because it’s the first time a senior manager in the New Class era has publicly defended the idea of a future 4 Series derivative.
Road and rail Then the next step is extracted: If the New Class 3 Series is expected to offer ICE and EV offshoots, then a future 4 Series should logically do the same – right down to the possibility of petrol and electric M4s. However, “logical” is not the same as internally approved.
Apparently only the i4 NA2 is approved
According to our sources (as we have also reported in the past), the only car in this range currently registered is the next-generation i4, known internally as the NA2. This electric i4 program was signed years ago as part of BMW’s broader rapid launch plan (the same one that was widely discussed as the “40+ models by 2027” push).
What hasn’t been approved – at least so far – is an entirely new successor to today’s internal combustion engine 4 Series (G22 Coupe, G23 Cabriolet and the Gran Coupe form that currently houses the i4). We’re told there’s still an internal debate about whether the segment justifies the outlay on an all-new ICE 4-Series family, especially as the market continues to trend toward crossovers and higher-volume body styles.
And timing is crucial.
The current 4-series is supposedly expected to run until 2029
Even if Munich were to give the green light soon, it would be extremely difficult to bring a brand new ICE 4 Series onto the market before 2029. Development, validation, emissions certification and production ramp-up will not be compressed just because the internet wants a nice “ICE + EV for everything” storyline. Meanwhile, it’s already widely reported that the current generation still has a long runway ahead of it: multiple reports suggest the G22/G23 (and the associated G82/G83 M4) will push forward by mid-2029.
So yes – BMW can certainly wish for a future 4 Series in the New Class era. Post’s comments suggest that the door is open and BMW’s long-standing “derivative with synergies” principle makes it easier to justify a stylish spin-off once a base car exists. And we hope that an ICE 4 Series will be approved because it is a wonderful car in the BMW range.
But for now, the most defensible reading is this: the electric i4 NA2 is moving forward, while an all-new replacement for the ICE 4 Series remains a current internal question. If that changes, we will know – because the clock is already ticking until 2029.
