F82 M4 Test Drive/Review - Wow (Current C63 Owner)

[Milban]

Mr 34,
Great review! Valuable perspective. I'd consider your opinion of highway noise level informative. wind and or road noise? Thank you!

[JSP///M4C]

Great right up! Thanks for taking the time to do so.

[gthal]

I feel very similarly to you on the C63 and M4

M-DCT is WAY, WAY, WAY better than MB's option... that is the single biggest improvement MB could make to the C63 IMO.

[///M ARMY]

Very interesting review. I find that the seats are great but the leather they used I'm not really fond of. The car has torque which I love. The HUD is a must have spoil. I have driven around 1400 miles on car and truly enjoy the brakes. The DCT to me is amazing.
Thanks for the review

[gblansten]

Originally Posted by gthal

I feel very similarly to you on the C63 and M4

M-DCT is WAY, WAY, WAY better than MB's option... that is the single biggest improvement MB could make to the C63 IMO.

Agree 100 percent on the transmission comment.

[jc05e46m3]

Thanks for your input. Very honest and level-headed review!

[M6-Coupe]

Originally Posted by gblansten

Agree 100 percent on the transmission comment.

This...

[RickMonet]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

The ride quality was excellent. The suspension soaked up road imperfections with ease. As a matter of fact, the car rode quite a bit "softer" than my C63 (the LCI C63s have very firm rides with quality damping). This ability to handle crappy pavement pleasantly surprised me, as the car was equipped with 19" wheels whereas my C63 only has 18s.

Thanks for the review - very informative.

Can you comment more on ride quality when used as a daily driver? Compared to your C63 - is the cabin noise more in the M4? More road noise? Wind noise? Engine noise when normal driving? Anything to comment on compared to your AMG as a daily driver?

Thanks.

[CanAutM3]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

Looks:
My only knock on the car visually is the rear. It looks like sort of an afterthought. The exhaust tips look kind of "American" too, if that makes sense. I wish there was a more prominent rear diffuser and more color contrast at the rear.

I'm sure the aftermarket can dress up the rear a bit. Straight, non-slant cut exhaust tips would look better too, IMHO.

Thanks for the review

I agree with your comments about the rear look and exhaust. I am not a fan of the slanted exhaust tips. What do you think of the picture below? That is the look I want . I will get the MPE and diffuser as soon as they are released in the fall .

[gthal]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

Furthermore, the M4 does feel lighter on its feet than the C63. I didn't feel the weight discrepancy between the E92 and the W204 as much as I felt it today with the W204 and the F82.

I completely agree with this. I find the F82 feels very light and responsive. I felt the E92 was better, in this regard, than the C63 but only by a small margin. The F82 improvement is more dramatic. It may not be the weight reduction in the F82 (as I believe it would be difficult to "perceive" this) but could be chassis and suspension improvements.

The other thing I like about the F82 (and E92 for that matter) is the thickness of the steering wheel. That may be insignificant to many but I really dislike thin steering wheels (Porsche are the worst IMO) and a steering wheel is your most direct interface with the car itself. The C63 wheel wasn't "thin" necessarily but it was much less meaty where you grip it at 9 and 3. I find the meatier steering wheel feel in the M cars much more enjoyable and sporty.

[gthal]

Originally Posted by Audio Fan

How did it pull relative to the C63 off the line as well as one you were moving? My ideal car would be one that was a combination of C63 muscle with M3 agility and luxury (not C63 luxury).

Not to answer for the OP but my impression is the F82 and the C63 (with PP) pull in a similar way. If anything, the F82 feels a bit more explosive (in a good way) but that could simply be the way torque is delivered in a turbo car versus a NA car. I think you will find the F8X is pretty close to your "ideal" car with a ton of muscle and even better agility than the E9X M3. The more I think about it, the more the F8X is kind of like a bastard child of a C63 and E92 M3 with the best traits of both

[Audio Fan]

Originally Posted by gthal

Not to answer for the OP but my impression is the F82 and the C63 (with PP) pull in a similar way. If anything, the F82 feels a bit more explosive (in a good way) but that could simply be the way torque is delivered in a turbo car versus a NA car. I think you will find the F8X is pretty close to your "ideal" car with a ton of muscle and even better agility than the E9X M3. The more I think about it, the more the F8X is kind of like a bastard child of a C63 and E92 M3 with the best traits of both

Thanks for the feedback. I hope your analogy is spot on. I've love my last four M3s, but always wanted them to be more like a muscle car.

[BKMK5]

I too had a test drive of an M3 today and I enjoyed it. With all the hullabaloo regarding the sound, I was very skeptical and man what a bunch of trolls out there commenting on a car the haven't heard in person. I've owned the E90 M3 and I was asked 'which is better?'. Neither is better than the other; they both are great. The E90 M3 without an aftermarket exhaust actually sounds a bit muted and tame compared to other V8s. Even my X5 50i with turbos I think sounds better than a stock E90 M3. However the E90 M3 had a unique, smooth run out to 8,400. This new F80 M3 is loud(drove with the windows down) and as others have said 'manic'. It crackles, its raspy, its throaty and there is a bit of engine and turbo noise as well when you let off. I know I spent the last 8 sentences trying to explain the exhausts but they simply are different.

Some other comments...

• Steering was direct, knew where the front end was at all times
• Steering in Sport + at low speeds was STUPIDLY weighted; like why even have the setting?
• Exhaust note isn't better or worse than the outgoing V8.
• throttle response in Sport + was a bit more manageable than the outgoing M3. The car didn't buck nearly as much with it being in its most responsive setting.
• Interior carbon fiber looks at home, similar to the C63 AMGs carbon fiber.
• The idrive seems cheap compared to the ceramic controls I have on the X5
• The AC display in the F30 I suppose is like a dot matrix read out and not nearly as nice to look as compared to the X5s AC display(sourced from the 5 series I believe)
• Extended leather interior was fine but at the cost of getting full leather, its worth the upgrade.
• Power delivery. When isn't it delivering? It a different ride than the 335i or the E90 M3. The N54 had lots of usable torque and was great but ran out of steam rather quickly. The E90 M3 had no torque unless you were at 5k or above. So this car you can short shift all the way up and still feel like you're being pushed in the chest.
• I couldn't really beat on the car but went around a few turns ~65 MPH and it felt very flat and well poised. Granted I didn't push the car and I haven't driven my old M3 in almost 2 years so it was hard to compare if one was any stiffer than the other. They both felt phenomenal.
• Heads up display, yeah... its wonderful. Not something I need to gloat about, I have it on the X5 and it works as advertised.

[Lups]

I think the HUD will just annoy me to death. The thing is, I don't want to know how fast I'm going, and I certainly don't need more reasons for road rage. I'm cool with the ones I already have.

[ybbiz34]

Originally Posted by IMrMark

thanks for taking the time to post your impressions! very cool

Originally Posted by FTS

Thank you for the write up

My pleasure gentlemen! Thank you for reading!

Originally Posted by Audio Fan

How did it pull relative to the C63 off the line as well as one you were moving? My ideal car would be one that was a combination of C63 muscle with M3 agility and luxury (not C63 luxury).

Off the line/from a dig, the M4 feels like it pulls harder because of the copious amounts of torque (the turbos really do their job well) and the lightning quick throttle response (DCT is amazing). In the lower revs, the M4 once again feels like it pulls harder when you are in the meat of the motor's torque curve.

Once you get to around 4,500-5,500 rpm, the C63 really pulls like a freight train. The C63 will happily break loose the rear tires when mashing the gas from a roll. I think that the LCI/tuned/507 Edition C63s (i.e., MCT-equipped cars) will start to gain a bit on the F80s/F82s during rolling highway pulls.

Originally Posted by 1stm3f80

Great job!! Sounds more fun than my 535i. Can't wait to get my M3 in the garage!!! 6-8 more weeks to go!!

You're going to love the M3.

Originally Posted by Milban

Mr 34,
Great review! Valuable perspective. I'd consider your opinion of highway noise level informative. wind and or road noise? Thank you!

Thanks Milban! You know, the wind noise wasn't even that bad on the highway (and this was with the windows down). I could easily still hear both the motor and the exhaust when standing on the throttle.

Originally Posted by jsp335is

Great right up! Thanks for taking the time to do so.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by gthal

I feel very similarly to you on the C63 and M4

M-DCT is WAY, WAY, WAY better than MB's option... that is the single biggest improvement MB could make to the C63 IMO.

Agreed. Overall, the DCT is a better/sportier transmission than the MCT. MB/AMG needs to start outsourcing their transmission work.

However, the MCT is excellent during normal driving in Comfort mode. It is very smooth and the downshifts are imperceptible (which is nice when you're wanting to take it easy).

Originally Posted by ///M ARMY

Very interesting review. I find that the seats are great but the leather they used I'm not really fond of. The car has torque which I love. The HUD is a must have spoil. I have driven around 1400 miles on car and truly enjoy the brakes. The DCT to me is amazing.
Thanks for the review

Thank you, ///M ARMY. How is the leather holding up after 1,400 miles? It is indeed very soft and that has me wondering a bit about long-term durability. My C63 has a synthetic alcantara (it's called DINAMICA) on the seat's contact surfaces. Consequently, the seats still look brand new.

Originally Posted by jc05e46m3

Thanks for your input. Very honest and level-headed review!

Thank you very much!

Originally Posted by RickMonet

Thanks for the review - very informative.

Can you comment more on ride quality when used as a daily driver? Compared to your C63 - is the cabin noise more in the M4? More road noise? Wind noise? Engine noise when normal driving? Anything to comment on compared to your AMG as a daily driver?

Thanks.

This car will be fantastic as a daily driver. The C63 rides a little firmer (it has a passive suspension) but that doesn't mean that the M4's damping wasn't well sorted. I can't comment on the passive suspension option but the Adaptive M Suspension performed flawlessly. There was very little road noise. My Continental ExtremeContact DWs on the C63 are extremely quiet/smooth but the Michelin PSS are also excellent in the road noise department.

I cannot comment comprehensively regarding the wind noise topic because I had the windows down the entire time (so that I could hear the ferocious exhaust note better).

I didn't hear any creaks or rattles while driving the M4 (my C63 doesn't have any either).

I daily my C63 quite a bit and absolutely love it. With the MCT set to Comfort mode, the shifts are seamless and the exhaust note is somewhat subdued (but still throaty). During casual driving, the AMG's engine and exhaust notes are a bit more pronounced. That said, with the Active Sound doing its job, you still hear plenty of engine and exhaust sound when cruising in the M4.

The C63's cabin is well insulated but with the windows down and the car in S+ or M Mode, both the motor and exhaust are very loud/raucous. That's just the nature of the beast. Whenever I have buddies following me, they tell me that the C63 sounds absolutely gnarly. Apparently the car sounds even better if you are directly behind the exhaust. I expect nothing less from a 6.2L NA V8.

Originally Posted by CanAutM3

Thanks for the review

I agree with your comments about the rear look and exhaust. I am not a fan of the slanted exhaust tips. What do you think of the picture below? That is the look I want . I will get the MPE and diffuser as soon as they are released in the fall .

Thanks buddy! Glad you enjoyed it!

I absolutely love the M Performance Exhaust and diffuser. When I get my F80 M3, those two upgrades are a must for me. BMW absolutely knocked it out of the park with the M Performance line. AMG could benefit from a similar line. They have released a few upgrades for the C63 via the AMG Performance Studio (upgraded cooling package, alcantara steering wheel, alcantara gear selector with AMG/Affalterbach logo, etc.). AMG's aftermarket offerings still pale in comparison to BMW M's

Originally Posted by gthal

I completely agree with this. I find the F82 feels very light and responsive. I felt the E92 was better, in this regard, than the C63 but only by a small margin. The F82 improvement is more dramatic. It may not be the weight reduction in the F82 (as I believe it would be difficult to "perceive" this) but could be chassis and suspension improvements.

The other thing I like about the F82 (and E92 for that matter) is the thickness of the steering wheel. That may be insignificant to many but I really dislike thin steering wheels (Porsche are the worst IMO) and a steering wheel is your most direct interface with the car itself. The C63 wheel wasn't "thin" necessarily but it was much less meaty where you grip it at 9 and 3. I find the meatier steering wheel feel in the M cars much more enjoyable and sporty.

Well said. I completely agree that the weight differential can be more readily felt when comparing the W204 with the F82.

I'm a sucker for the flat-top, flat-bottom wheel in the C63. I also enjoy the perforated leather found on the 9 and 3 positions. That said, the M4 steering wheel had a very nice thickness and quality feel. The leather was more supple than the leather on my old F30 M Performance wheel. Furthermore, the contrast stitching looks really, really nice.

Originally Posted by BKMK5

I too had a test drive of an M3 today and I enjoyed it. With all the hullabaloo regarding the sound, I was very skeptical and man what a bunch of trolls out there commenting on a car the haven't heard in person. I've owned the E90 M3 and I was asked 'which is better?'. Neither is better than the other; they both are great. The E90 M3 without an aftermarket exhaust actually sounds a bit muted and tame compared to other V8s. Even my X5 50i with turbos I think sounds better than a stock E90 M3. However the E90 M3 had a unique, smooth run out to 8,400. This new F80 M3 is loud(drove with the windows down) and as others have said 'manic'. It crackles, its raspy, its throaty and there is a bit of engine and turbo noise as well when you let off. I know I spent the last 8 sentences trying to explain the exhausts but they simply are different.

Some other comments...

• Steering was direct, knew where the front end was at all times
• Steering in Sport + at low speeds was STUPIDLY weighted; like why even have the setting?
• Exhaust note isn't better or worse than the outgoing V8.
• throttle response in Sport + was a bit more manageable than the outgoing M3. The car didn't buck nearly as much with it being in its most responsive setting.
• Interior carbon fiber looks at home, similar to the C63 AMGs carbon fiber.
• The idrive seems cheap compared to the ceramic controls I have on the X5
• The AC display in the F30 I suppose is like a dot matrix read out and not nearly as nice to look as compared to the X5s AC display(sourced from the 5 series I believe)
• Extended leather interior was fine but at the cost of getting full leather, its worth the upgrade.
• Power delivery. When isn't it delivering? It a different ride than the 335i or the E90 M3. The N54 had lots of usable torque and was great but ran out of steam rather quickly. The E90 M3 had no torque unless you were at 5k or above. So this car you can short shift all the way up and still feel like you're being pushed in the chest.
• I couldn't really beat on the car but went around a few turns ~65 MPH and it felt very flat and well poised. Granted I didn't push the car and I haven't driven my old M3 in almost 2 years so it was hard to compare if one was any stiffer than the other. They both felt phenomenal.
• Heads up display, yeah... its wonderful. Not something I need to gloat about, I have it on the X5 and it works as advertised.

Excellent observations! They are very consistent with my impressions. Thank you very much for taking the time to share.

I've had the ceramic controls before on my 750i. They are a very nice touch. They would look great in the M3/M4.

[JL M3]

Originally Posted by BKMK5

I was very skeptical and man what a bunch of trolls out there commenting on a car the haven't heard in person. I've owned the E90 M3 and I was asked 'which is better?'. Neither is better than the other; they both are great. The E90 M3 without an aftermarket exhaust actually sounds a bit muted and tame compared to other V8s.

I felt the same way about my E92 M3. Too quite stock...had to put a titanium exhaust on it before I was happy (very happy). With the F8x, I'm actually happy with the stock sound. Maybe I'm getting old. Don't get me wrong, I would still love the akra or mpe. Heard both at nurburgring and they sounded great.

[M6-Coupe]

Thanks for great review
I have couple questions and appreciate if you have time to answer...
1. I know and I feel DCT is so fast and as you said when grab the shift it's there, but what do you mean with "jerkier than MCT" ? are you referring to smoothness of MCT over DCT at gear changing?
2. Did you have chance to drive in MDM mode? if yes how was it?

[m3rxn]

Thanks for the review. Loving the Silverstone. 95% this will be my color of choice. Any more pics BTW?

[ybbiz34]

Originally Posted by M6-Coupe

Thanks for great review
I have couple questions and appreciate if you have time to answer...
1. I know and I feel DCT is so fast and as you said when grab the shift it's there, but what do you mean with "jerkier than MCT" ? are you referring to smoothness of MCT over DCT at gear changing?
2. Did you have chance to drive in MDM mode? if yes how was it?

My pleasure, M6-Coupe! I truly appreciate the kind words.

1. With the M-DCT, when you lift off the pedal without braking in lower gears, the engine braking effect is rather intense (I don't mind it). Furthermore, if you gently accelerate and then suddenly lift off in 1st (again without braking immediately), the car has a tendency to "buck" a bit as it slows down. All of this can be easily avoided though as the user/driver is the one manipulating the throttle/braking inputs and the transmission settings/shifting programs. The MCT is just a bit more forgiving in the same situations. I hope that all made sense.

2. I did have a chance to utilize the MDM. I was able to have fun but the tires were a little on the slick side. We also had a heavy downpour here earlier in the morning so some patches of road were still moist.

Originally Posted by m3rxn

Thanks for the review. Loving the Silverstone. 95% this will be my color of choice. Any more pics BTW?

Thank you for reading/replying! Silverstone Metallic looks stunning in person. I have definitely found my exterior color choice.

I do have several additional photos! I will post them up or provide the link sometime in the morning.

[Maddict3]

haha! So glad you got to drive one ybizz34. The M4 is truly wonderful

[M6-Coupe]

Originally Posted by ybbiz34

My pleasure, M6-Coupe! I truly appreciate the kind words.
1. With the M-DCT, when you lift off the pedal without braking in lower gears, the engine braking effect is rather intense (I don't mind it). Furthermore, if you gently accelerate and then suddenly lift off in 1st (again without braking immediately), the car has a tendency to "buck" a bit as it slows down. All of this can be easily avoided though as the user/driver is the one manipulating the throttle/braking inputs and the transmission settings/shifting programs. The MCT is just a bit more forgiving in the same situations. I hope that all made sense.

Thanks for nice clarification! Now I understand what exactly you are talking about. I feel the same thing (with M6) specially in 1st gear.

[CardinalZeus77]

Nice write up. Thanks for sharing.