Richard Hammond reviews the M4:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/lifestyle/mo...anages-3725985
Quote:
BMW's M4 is so good it even manages to justify its £56k price tag
June 19, 2014 22:00
By Richard Hammond
They’re filming a new Star Wars epic I wouldn’t have heard about had a door not fallen on Harrison Ford’s ankle and broken it.
Get well soon, Mr Ford, and may the force be with you.
If you like sci-fi, a new Star Wars film is as exciting as it gets and if you like fast cars, a new BMW M3 is also big on the fever-o-meter.
And so it is here at last, the latest super-hot Three Series. We’ve been through it before but just to remind you, the M3 is the four-door saloon version and the M4 is the coupe.
BMW reckons the M4 will outsell the four-door version by five to one so although we’ve driven both versions, we’ll concentrate on the M4.
That said, there’s so little difference between them that you can assume you’re reading about the M3 as well.
First we must lift the bonnet – if it isn’t right under here then it isn’t a proper M car. The previous-generation M3, which BMW insiders and anoraks refer to as the E92, was powered by a 4.0-litre V8 engine with 421bhp.
Now V8s are great and have a gorgeous sound, but there’s a school of thought that says a high-performance BMW should really have a straight-six engine under the lid.
The new one has. It’s a 2,979cc motor with a pair of turbochargers and a power output of 431bhp. Only 10bhp more than the old V8 but that isn’t the full picture because this new motor has a massive 406lb ft of torque against the V8’s 295lb ft.
That, and the fact the M4 is 80kg lighter than the old car, means it does 0-62mph in 4.1sec. In other words, just over a second faster than the old car. There’s a six-speed manual gearbox or seven-speed dual clutch auto. Most punters will go for the latter so that’s what we’re driving. The car is quicker with this gearbox, you get launch control and better fuel economy.
All UK M3s and 4s come standard with BMW’s M adaptive damper control – you can switch between Comfort, Sport and Sport+ modes with the last of those the setting for superior racetrack enjoyment. Those same choices also change the electric power steering’s sensitivity, weight and speed and also adjust the exhaust note. Ah, the zorst.
A couple of flaps at the back of the system open to increase the volume of the music and BMW’s engineers have also fiddled with the induction system to create one of the best-sounding cars in ages.
The first thing new owners need to do is get the atlas out and find some long tunnels in which to hear the full effect.
In a world in which 431bhp doesn’t sound much, the M4 is truly quick. The engine produces an enormous amount of thrust that never tails away. There’s no surge of power as you get over 5,000rpm. The engine simply pulls all the way from about 1,800rpm. Your licence will always be in danger.
Both the M3 and M4 look the part. Both have CFRP (carbon-reinforced plastic) roofs to save weight and feature M-trademarks such as bulging wheel arches and what BMW calls the powerdome on the bonnet and what the rest of us would describe as a bulge.
Inside there’s a load of equipment and a few special details such as illuminated M badges in the bucket seats’ backrests.
All this for £56,650 (that’s for the M4 – the M3 is £56,190). A lot of money but then this is one of the best sports saloons in the world at any price – and considerably better than its predecessor.
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