The imitation game

To many motoring enthusiasts, the act of attaching the coupé suffix to anything with more than two doors is seen as something of a cardinal sin. But with vehicular definitions expanding to meet buyers’ diverse aspirations, many lines have been blurred. For instance, outside of the mildly jacked-up and plastic-bottomed hatchbacks with “cross” in their names, there’s even some debate as to where crossovers end and SUVs begin … and that was before BMW further muddied the waters by labelling its X5 an SAV (sport activity vehicle). In this alphabet soup of categories, the concept of a four-door coupé reared its head and with understandable reason; buyers aspire to the sporty looks of a traditional coupé but need rear accommodations beyond a chair-shaped, upholstered parcel shelf and a useable boot.

M235i: A striking and agile step up from the hatch but cabin is cramped Gareth Dean

M235i: You could have a lightly used M2 for the same money. Case closed Terence Steenkamp

M235i: Good engine and felt dynamically better than M135i Wilhelm Lutjeharms

M235i: Slightly less powerful but for the price, I’d have the accomplished 330i Marius Boonzaier

Cue BMW’s crop of Gran Coupés; essentially