True.
Geko's 3 Series and your IS500 are some of the few classic sedans remaining.
BMW's compact 4-door coupe is the sporty 4 Series 4-Door Gran Coupe with the squeezy interior.
Likewise, Audi has the classic A4 sedan and the A5 with the sporty low roofline 5-door fastback.

 

But then even within just those brands you also have the BMW 5 and 7 series, both of which are traditional sedans, and only one has a related "gran coupe", the 8 series (based on the 5). Likewise with Audi, they also have the A6 and A8 on the sedan side, and the A7 on the swoopy side. They're just covering all the bases.

 

Sedan: Check

 

Plus the S Class sedan's 4-door gran coupe is the AMG GT 5-door lift back to the 7 Series sedan's 8 Series 4-door gran coupe.
However, the A8 doesn't really have a 4-door gran coupe equivalent.

Meanwhile, Benz CLS & BMW 6 Series 4-door gran coupes with low rooflines and squeezy interiors have both been discontinued.

With Toyota and Honda having long discontinued their twin model sporty variants, I am amazed that the Germans spend the money to make these sporty variants that barely sell.
Conversely, if Toyota actually made the Camry in two separate body styles: the first a conventional sedan, and the second a low roofline 4-door gran coupe, then perhaps sedans would still sell in large numbers.



Almost forgot this one.
8 Series 4-Door Gran Coupe:





NB
EPA chart incorrect.
Mercedes AMG GT Gran Coupe is actually 5-door Liftback.





Unlike the Germans who sell sedans along with 4-door gran coupes, TMC with only the one body style in the Camry, ES and LS - I have to wonder why they choose to sell only the lower roofline sedans at the cost of smaller interior space and complaints by people like Steve - only to see sedan sales decline...

 

Sedan: Check #2

 

I may be wrong but I always thought coupe means 2 doors.

Four doors is a sedan.

I'm not sure a 4 door coupe really exists.


 

The original beetle was called a 2 door sedan. Also many 2 door cars in the 50s and 60s were marketed as “2 door sedan”.

 

Have you ever sat inside any of these models below?
A 4-door gran coupe has 4-doors, albeit often with a lower roofline and a noticeably smaller interior eg:

3 Series vs 4 Series 4-Door Gran Coupe.
A4 vs A5 5-Door Fastback.

E Class vs Discontinued CLS [4-Door Gran Coupe].
5 Series vs Discontinued 6 Series 4-Door Gran Coupe.
A6 vs A7 5-Door Fastback.

S Class vs AMG GT 5-Door Gran Coupe.
7 Series vs 8 Series 4-Door Gran Coupe.

Because of the distinction in body style, we must give it a name.
Back in the 1980's and 1990's, Mazda used to call it a "hardtop", while Toyota and Honda didn't bother to call it anything.
The Germans tend to call it a "gran coupe", but when the original Benz CLS was released, they didn't really call it anything either.






In the old days, the Camry was the sedan, while the Toyota Windom nee Lexus ES300 was the upmarket sporty 4-door hardtop with lower roofline, frameless windows, and a smaller interior. By 2012, the ES became different with a longer wheelbase to match the Avalon sedan.

 

These are the wrong equivalencies. The AMG GT sedan is based on the E-class platform (specifically the E63 wagon with the performance chassis), and the 8 series (which is just a rebranded 6 series) is based on the 5 series. Yes the 5 and 7 series share the same modular platform now, but the 8GC's wheelbase is exactly halfway between the standard 5er and the LWB 5 that we don't get here, while the 8 coupe/convertible's wheelbase is 6 inches shorter than the standard 5. The G12 7-series' wheelbase is 7 inches longer than the 8GC, and 15 inches longer than the coupe/convertible.

 

True, the AMG GT has similar wheelbase to the E Class, and likewise the 8 Series has similar wheelbase to the 5 Series.
However, all the Benzes and on the MRA platform, and all the Beamers on OKL platform.

While the discontinued CLS is the Gran Coupe of the E Class, the equally discontinued 6 Series Gran Coupe is the grand coupe of the 5 Series.
It looks like the Benz AMG GT 5-door Gran Coupe and the BMW 8 Series 4-door Gran Coupes have replaced the discontinued CLS and discontinued 6 Series?

However, both AMG GT and 8 Series pricewise slot in between the E and S Classes, and 5 and 7 Series.
What probably confused me was that they called the 8 Series 4-door Gran Coupe an 8 Series [above the 7 Series], and not called a 6 Series in between the 5 and 7 Series as its price suggests.
Never mind, it is only the naming/nomenclature...

 

Sorry that's just not correct. The AMG GT sedan directly shares its specific chassis with the E63 wagon:

Source: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a1...s-still-exist/
They then replaced the rear subframe and front axle with AMG-specific bits.

Likewise for the 6/8 series. They are different generations of the same car. The 8 was a direct replacement for the 6, and it got just 2" longer between generations. Drivetrains are also shared even up through the high end, with the M5, M8, and X5M all sharing the exact same S63-based MXdrive, which is not available at all in the 7 series or X7.

Most importantly, the GT sedan and the 8 GC are both officially classified and sold as E (Executive) class cars alongside the 5 and E-Class, not F (Full-size) class cars like the 7 and S-Class

Edit: I see you found some of this for yourself while I was composing.

 

That is correct. Back then, 2-door sedans and two-door coupes usually had different rooflines. I learned to drive in 1960s-vintage Plymouth Valiants...both two door and four door sedans, one with automatic and one with stick.

 

True.
Long story.
Because many years ago when I researched both the new Benz AMG GT and Beamer 8 Series Gran Coupes, both were sold directly alongside the cheaper CLS and 6 Series Gran Coupe, and there seemed to be no talk that the CLS and 6 Series Gran Coupes were going to be discontinued, so I thought that the AMG GT and 8 Series were a class above the CLS and 6 Series Gran Coupes.

So now it all makes sense.
Both CLS and 6 Series Gran Coupes have been discontinued, and so AMG GT and 8 Series Gran Coupes must have been used to replace the former two.

The only other deceptive part that really fooled me was the name change from 6 Series Gran Coupe to 8 Series Gran Coupe - this automatically inferred to me that the 8 Series Gran Coupe was above the 7 Series sedans!
However, calling it the 8 Series Gran Coupe is a bit of an anomaly, because the 8 Series Gran Coupe is both smaller in wheelbase and in entry price than the 7 Series sedans.

 

Sedan, check lol

 

.....Well, here it is in back and white, from J.D. Power itself.

What Is a 4-Door Coupe?

https://www.jdpower.com/cars/shoppin...a-4-door-coupe

Vehicles like sedans, convertibles, hatchbacks, SUVs, station wagons, pickup trucks, and vans are all rather distinguishable. But as seemingly straightforward as they may seem, each of these individual car categories draws certain ambiguities. In all its simplicity, a coupe is a two-door car with a fixed roof, an engine compartment, passenger cabin, and trunk space, all separated from one another in a standard three-box form. A little over a century ago, the Society of Automobile Engineers began recommending the names for different body styles, and the name “coupe” was on the list. The word initially was derived from the French language, hence the coupé alternative. The past principle of the French verb “couper” means “to cut,” so it makes a lot of sense to apply this term to the modern meaning of the word, as a vehicle that is made shorter than standard.

During the 1940s and the 1950s, coupes were easily recognized by their shorter roof area. But by the end of the 1970s, two official standards emerged. Governing bodies began to define the coupe differently. According to the International Standard ISO 3833, the coupe is categorized as a vehicle with two doors. On the other hand, the United States Society of Automotive Engineers J1100 publication does not specify the number of doors at all.

Car manufacturers have taken advantage of this discrepancy, continuing to produce four-door coupes over the past decade and extending the confusion around the “coupe” narrative.



There are four key features that all 4-seater coupes have in common. Turmoil exists in defining the four-door coupe, and some consumers even compared them to 2 door sedans. Of course, a two-door sedan doesn’t exist. So why are 4-door coupes the exception to the rule per se? Let’s take a look at some specifications of these vehicles and decide for ourselves:

• Four-door coupes have an increased seating capacity, with manufacturers guaranteeing a four-passenger capacity. This isn’t the case with a classic two-door coupe. While many models did offer passenger space in the back, it was often very cramped and wasn’t necessarily designed to accommodate four adult passengers.
• The size of 4-door coupes has also increased significantly. One great example is the BMW M8, which has grown considerably over its predecessors in recent years.
• Four-door coupes are often considerably more expensive than their two-door counterparts.

Pros And Cons Of A 4-Door Coupe - Find the best car deals!

There are numerous benefits and drawbacks of this unique car category.

Pros:

• The impeccable interior and exterior style of many four-door coupes can be quite attractive to consumers.
• Standard engines are often very powerful in comparison with traditional coupes.
• Many four-door coupes can be classified as sports cars based on their performance capabilities.

Cons:

• Four-door coupes are often more expensive than their two-door contemporaries.
• If you are looking for additional options and trim packages, you’ll often have to pay much more.
• The sloped roofline of 4 door coupes is practically a synonym for “less space,” regardless of what marketing experts say. The lower the roofline, the less headroom space for passengers in the back. For those looking for coupe performance in the body of a “sedan,” you may find it. But seeking the roominess and comfort of a sedan in these coupes will likely leave you underwhelmed.

While there may be some similarities between them, there are still many differences that separate traditional coupes from 4-door varieties. At the end of the day, it’s not the number of doors the vehicle has that gives it the “coupe” title, but rather the specific design, notably, the sleek roof that runs all the way back to the trunk.

The decision on whether or not to purchase a four-door coupe comes down to your budget, your personal preferences, and how often you have passengers in the back of your vehicle.