BMW M4: Extra Bang, (Barely) Much less Bucks

Mild cosmetic surgery on Beemer’s 4 Series also comes with a power bump on its most hardcore model.

BMW has facelifted its 4 series Coupes and Convertibles, with a new front light cluster that features standard LED units which produce high and low beams using the same lighting module. New rear lights utilising laser technology are now standard, too, but the Big 4 series story concerns both tin- and rag-top versions of the hardcore M4 Competition models. Their twin-turbo, 3-litre inline-six motor gets a 20-horsepower boost that bumps total output to 523bhp, a peak that’s now delivered at 6,250rpm compared to the previous 5,600. Maximum torque, at 648Nm, remains unchanged except for the fact that it’s now available in a broader rev band, from 2,750 to 5,730rpm, meaning greater flexibility in spite of the fact that the 0-100km/h acceleration time of 3.5 seconds for the coupe is unaltered (with the heavier convertible taking a tiny fraction longer) – as is top speed, which can be as high as 290km/h when the optional M Driver’s Package is specified. Standard transmission is the eight-speed M Steptronic automatic with Drivelogic, though a six-speed manual box can also be specified on the M4 Coupe.

Moreover, the M4 is now available only with BMW’s all-wheel-drive xDrive system, with axle-specific 18-inch M forged light-alloy wheels at the front and 19s at the rear on regular models, and an inch larger on M4 Competition versions fitted with the M xDrive package. On the inside, the high-performance models have been refreshed with an M-specific sportswear cockpit featuring new steering wheel designs and interior trim.

Granted, these aren’t massive changes and nor do they significantly alter the essential character of what’s probably BMW’s high-performance flagship, but they do make it an even more attractive proposition. Better still, they even come with a slight price cut in some markets.