In the world of sports cars, two doors are better than four. Don’t argue – them’s the rules. Just look at Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, and Koenigsegg – all of their latest and greatest are coupes. They set the standard for driving pleasure and performance. But for mere mortals who still enjoy their driving, but don’t rake in the kind of stratospheric fortunes needed to fund such dream machines, there’s plenty of fun to be had. Speak to most people, and the new BMW M4 is one of the best cars on sale. It offers a blend of quality, style, driveability, driftability, and involvement that is very difficult to match. But one car does match it, arguably in more style. The BMW M3. Now, before you jump out of your seat to compose an e-mail to tell me I’m wrong, think about it for a minute. The proportions of the M3 are very good, it must be said. It has presence, with its flared guards, power bulge and carbon-fibre roof. Its performance is virtually identical to its coupe sibling. And feels the same on the road, too. But in the practicality stakes it wins, hands down. Try fitting a baby seat in the M4, and then put your child in, go for a drive, and take them out. Do that a few times and you suddenly start cursing the flip-forward front seat and sloping roofline. Take a few friends out for a night, and they will undoubtedly start cursing you for buying a coupe. But the M3? You’ll have none of those issues. Style and substance – isn’t that the best combination? Which brings me to my point: Four doors are better than two doors. Put aside performance for a moment, and just think about not only looks but also how usable a car is. When kids come along, your priorities change somewhat. To clean a coupe, to detail it or vacuum it, you need to be some kind of yoga instructor. A saloon, however, makes things rather simple. As a family man, it’s nice to share a nice car, rather than making those in the back suffer while the driver takes all the enjoyment. The good news, though, is that you don’t have to be lumped with boring metal. The M6 is a brilliant car. But the proportions of the M6 Gran Coupe just suit it so much better, yet no-one would argue with its credentials. And while the 4 Series is nice, the 4 Series Gran Coupe is just stunning. But this “four is greater than two” equation is not just limited to the BMW range, however. The Aston Martin DB9 is a cool car, no doubt, but the Rapide is so much more liveable. The C 63 AMG is much better looking in sedan form, the E-Class Coupe looks ridiculous next to the E-Class sedan, and the Audi RS 4 is the car you’d buy over the RS 5. Bentley’s Flying Spur is also the pick over the Continental GT. And the Rolls-Royce Phantom arguably makes more of a statement than the Phantom Coupe. There are exceptions, of course. I can’t forgive the five-door Mini, and the Merc S-Class Coupe is infinitely cooler than the S-Class saloon. But just assuming a coupe is going to be better than its sedan counterpart tends to show a fairly shallow attitude to motoring. Real car enthusiasts appreciate all body styles. Which is why if I see you drive past in an M3, I’ll be giving you the thumbs up.
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