The BMW M4 coupe and convertible take the excellent bits of the BMW M3 and add swoopy styling with coupe proportions. We’ll examine the specs of both the F8X and G8X generations to discover which might fit your needs.
In the beginning, there was the BMW M3 coupe, and it was good. But when BMW decided to split the 3 Series coupe into the 4 Series lineup in 2014, the M3 coupe died.
In its place was the M4 coupe. Don’t be fooled by the name; the M4 still shares powertrains and interiors with its four-door brethren, just as the M3 coupe and Sedan did.
F8X BMW M4 Generation Offers Over 400 Horsepower
BMW notes generations by chassis code, and the F82 coupe and F83 convertible were the first generation of the M4. Both were powered by the S55 three-liter inline-six, good for 425 horsepower and 406 lb.-ft. of torque.
Opt for the Competition Package and you’ll get 444 horses. The base price of the coupe was $69,150, with the convertible starting at $77,650.
Also included in the Competition Package is a quicker steering ratio, revised damping for the electronic suspension, and small cosmetic changes such as black badging on the trunk.
You can have your M4 with a six-speed manual or a dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT).
While the manual is the purists choice, the DCT is the faster of the two. “Modern-day DCTs, like Porsche’s PDK or this BMW DCT, can successfully up-shift in around 60 milliseconds consistently,” reports BMW Blog. “This makes high-performance cars significantly faster.” The DCT operates just like an automatic transmission, with a PRND selector on the center tunnel.
The M4 convertible features a retractable hard-top that folds into the trunk. Performance is somewhat dulled due to the added weight (485 pounds) of the hard top, with 0-60 coming in at 4.4 for the six-speed manual, as tested by Automotive Addicts. However, the hard top offers better weather insulation from the elements, and what some perceive as a sleeker profile when deployed compared to a soft-top.
Car & Driver was impressed with the M4 coupe’s performance, too. “Our M4 competition test car with the automatic zipped from zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds,” reports C&D, “the same time it took its main rival, the Mercedes-AMG C63 S coupe.”
F82 BMW M4 Special Editions: Faster & Extra Sporty
The M4 was available in a few unique trims known as the GTS and CS, or “Club Sport.”
The GTS model was only available in 2016, and only 300 were brought to the U.S. A price tag of $135,195 before options ensured exclusivity. The S55 in the GTS was pumped up to 495 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque, in part thanks to a water-injection system not available on the standard M4.
“Essentially, above (approximately) 5,000 rpm, water is sprayed into the intake plenum via three injectors,” explains Motor Trend. “The water evaporates instantly, cooling the post-intercooler air by about 80 degrees to around 115-120 degrees.” The GTS was good for a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds.
If you didn’t get a chance to snap up a GTS, the CS was introduced in 2018 as a slightly less hardcore version. Here, the S55 makes 455 horsepower, along with a revised suspension from the M4 Competition, unique bodywork, and Alcantara touches inside (beware, the center arm rest goes away in the interest of weight savings). At a base price of $104,095, it splits the difference between the GTS and base model.
G8X Generation: AWD, Better Traction & More Power
The G82 M4 coupe and G83 M4 convertible were introduced in 2021 to replace the F8X. You’ll draw your own conclusions about the polarizing styling, but the car is much improved over its predecessor.
A new engine is available, the twin-turbocharged three-liter S58, with 473 horsepower and 406 lb.-ft. of torque in the base model. The Competition has 503 horses and 479 lb.-ft.
Transmission choices have changed from the last generation. A six-speed is still available, but only on the base model. The Competition is automatic only, with the DCT being replaced by a traditional eight-speed transmission.
Available for the first time on the M3/M4 is all-wheel drive, or M xDrive in BMW nomenclature. The system is taken from the upmarket BMW M5, and it’s only available on the Competition.
Though it adds weight, M xDrive allows for superior wet traction, as well as better launches off the line.
The M4 convertible will be available in the same trim lines as the coupe (coming Fall of 2021), but now features a soft-top to ease the weight gain of the previous hard-top.
“Raising or lowering the roof takes 18 seconds and can be done at speeds of up to 31 mph,” notes Motor Authority. “And due to the more compact dimensions of the soft-top roof compared to the previous generation’s retractable hard-top, rear trunk volume is 1.2 cubic feet higher at 9.0 cubic feet.”
Which M4 is Right as a Daily Driver?
Purchasing a car like the M4 has as much to do with emotion as it does with capability. Both the first- and second-generation M4 have aggressive styling, excellent performance, and enviable German build quality.
Though an Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio has sometimes been rated higher due to its connection to the driver, you may have to deal with reliability issues and a dealer network not nearly as vast as BMW.
Whichever generation you choose, you’re in for one fast ride.
Photos: BMW
