After a long period of teasers, sky shots, and leaks, BMW has finally lifted the veil off the M3 and M4 duo, and its simply breaks my heart to say that our worst fear just came true, even though we all pretty much knew about it. The new BMW M3 and M4 do come with the protruding flared-nostril grilles borrowed from the recently unveiled 4-Series, making it one of the most controversial designs by BMW, even though almost all the BMWs have been launched with debatable grille designs. But if you choose to look beyond the massive vertical kidney grilles, the new M3 and M4 siblings are very impressive. But before we jump on to the mechanical bits, let’s talk about other design changes received by the duo. To accommodate the new polarizing grille design, the bumper has also been tweaked with sharper styling and aggressive looking air intakes. The hood has also been restyled as a continuation of the grille’s styling. Completing the look for the front are the full-LED units with U-shaped daytime running lights.
The new M3 and M4 are also bigger in size as compared to models they replace. The M3 is 4.6 inches longer, 0.4 inches wider, and 0.1 inches higher, while the M4 is 4.6 inches longer, 0.7 inches wider, and 0.4 inches higher. To fit a wider track, the wheel arches have been flared at all four corners. The interior of the M3 and M4 share the same layout as their non-M variants, but they get plenty of ‘M’ touches like sporty steering wheel, paddle shifters, gear knob, and really cool racing seats.
The new M3 and M4 will be offered in two separate trims: a standard model and a Competition model. The entry-level M3 and M4 are powered by a 473-hp variant of the upgraded S58 twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six. Listening to auto enthusiasts, BMW will offer a six-speed manual transmission for the standard variants. The power is upgraded to 503 horsepower for the Competition models. However, the competition trim is solely available with an eight-speed automatic sourced from ZF. BMW has also announced an all-wheel-drive variant that will be offered solely on the automatic-only Competition models with a rear-biased system with the possibility to switch off the front axle entirely. The optional M Drive Professional package adds a 10-stage adjustability of the axle slip. The 0-60mph sprint takes 4.1 seconds in the regular models which drops to 3.8 seconds in the Competition variants. The top speed is limited to 155mph, which can be increased to 180mph. Pricing for the M3 starts at $69,900, while the M4 starts at $71,800. The Competition models are offered at an extra $2900. The new BMW M3 and M4 will be launched in March 2021 and deliveries will start soon after.
[Via: Car And Driver]
