We don't envy BMW's M4 engineers. The new 2014 BMW 4 Series coupe will debut this summer with the lowest center of gravity of any current BMW. Combine that with its significantly wider track and slight weight loss and you've got what we expect to be a quick, capable, and good-looking two-door that may just come close to the outgoing M3 in objective test measures. For $1800 more than the 3 Series Coupe it replaces, the 2014 4 Series is more efficient, arguably more attractive, and offers a wider array of options than we've ever seen on a 3 Series two-door.

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Not much has changed under the hood of the newly renamed 4 Series coupe. The 2014 BMW 428i -- available in rear- and all-wheel drive -- is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 that makes 240 hp at 5000-6500 rpm and 255 lb-ft between 1250-4800 rpm. With summer performance tires and an eight-speed automatic, BMW estimates a 0-60 mph run will take 5.7 seconds -- just 0.2 seconds off the pace of the automaker's estimated time for a 2012 335i with a six-speed manual. Unfortunately, the manual 428i isn't available with BMW's all-wheel-drive system, which can reduce oversteer or understeer, depending on the driving situation. The 2014 435i is powered by the same turbocharged 3.0-liter I-6 in the 335i sedan, with 300 hp between 5800-6000 rpm and 300 lb-ft of torque between 1200-5000 rpm. Go with the manual transmission and you'll reach 60 mph in 5.3 seconds, or an estimated 5.0 seconds with the eight-speed automatic. Considering we've tested an automatic-transmission 2012 BMW 335i sprinting to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, expect an easy sub-5.0-second time for the 2014 435i as well. Don't expect 420i or diesel 4 Series variants in the U.S., however.

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Of course, there's much more to the 2014 BMW 4 Series coupe than straight-line acceleration. For a coupe to last an entire generation, it needs to look good. The current 3 Series sedan design lends itself well to a two-door coupe look, and we're happy to see most of the 4 Series concept's styling details have remained on the production car. The so-called Air Breather vents just behind the front wheels have stayed put, as has the sharply defined character line that stretches from the top of the front wheel wells to the L-shaped taillights. More so than on the outgoing 3 Series coupe, the 2014 4 Series' roofline more seamlessly blends with the top of the trunk lid for a streamlined look.

Park a 2014 4 Series next to a 2013 3 Series two-door and you'll probably notice how much wider it appears. The 4 Series is 1.7 inches wider, with the rear track stretched 3.1 inches. The car's wheelbase is two inches longer than before, but its height is 0.6 inches lower. Sadly, it doesn't appear the 4 Series concept's cool LED accents that pointed toward the dual-kidney grille have made it to the production car, but the calligraphy-inspired LED taillight details are present.

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Thanks to lighter-weight materials, BMW says the 4 Series coupe is between 44-99 pounds lighter than its predecessor. Even so, BMW offers more than enough technologically advanced options to weigh down the car's price. A color head-up display can show the car's speed, speed limit info, and even passing restrictions. The display also adjust automatically to light conditions, and that's far from the only automatic tech offered on the 4 Series. An Active Driving Assistant can slow the car down to avoid or minimize an impact with a pedestrian, thanks to a camera mounted in the rear-view mirror. Full LED headlights are available, and an automatic parking system can take care of the steering when attempting to parallel park.

iDrive has been updated, too, with an available touchpad with which users can write out addresses or contact names -- we look forward to seeing just how practical this system really is. Then again, the 2014 BMW 4 Series isn't about practicality. It's about 50:50 weight distribution, a more aerodynamically efficient body, and greater fuel efficiency with good looks. Will 3 Series coupe buyers balk at the higher prices? Not likely. We can't wait to get behind the wheel of the 4 Series, before the lineup expands to cover Gran Coupe and convertible variants.

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2014 BMW 4 Series BASE PRICE $41,425-$48,925 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front engine, RWD/AWD, 4-pass, 2-door coupe ENGINE 2.0L/240-hp/255-lb-ft turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4; 3.0L/300-hp/300-lb-ft turbo DOHC 24-valve I-6 TRANSMISSIONS 8-speed automatic; 6-speed manual WHEELBASE 110.6 in LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 182.6 in x 71.9 in x 53.6 in 0-60 MPH 5.0-5.7 sec (mfr est) EPA CITY/HWY FUEL ECON 20-23/30-33 mpg (est) ON SALE IN U.S. Late Summer 2013