Performance Tour: Episode III – BMW M4
PERFORMANCE TOUR – EPISODE III
BMW M4
MASTER OF PERFORMANCE
Words: Alessandro Marrone
Photography: Gian Romero
It happens that sometimes, you’re watching but you are not really able to see. A bit like listening to a Pink Floyd album (yes, this month I’ve listened to them a lot) by compiling the tax paper – what will you end up with? Absolutely nothing. Those shades, those little accents and those deeply hidden ribs can only be picked up with a careful look, otherwise you will not even notice ‘em, you will miss out on an unspecified number of emotions without being able to go back and ending into the so-called missed opportunities. One thing I’ve always been careful to do is always to put my soul and body in every single action, starting with the simplest ones, until I get to those that concern my passion, my job: driving dream cars. And not always the answer to all of our questions is wearing a supercar-like shape with a big spoiler and a look that snaps to the ground – well almost every time – in some cases it chose to dress with sobriety, winking the eye to a much larger customer segment and possibly wanting to be able to drive these babes even for a simple home-work journey, perhaps crossing the city chaos, or facing various road and weather conditions, without necessarily making the sign of the cross every one hundred meters. The M4 is the latest generation M3, with a new name to emphasize that it is the two-door coupe version, while the iconic M3 badge goes to the 4-door sedan.
M, that M, that single and simple letter that containsso many meanings and a series of nuances – yes, just what I was talking about just a little earlier – still able to transform a few hundred meters of tarmac into something very similar to a close encounter with Mike Tyson. Who, from time to time, does not need an adrenaline shock? Who of us, and I’m sure we are more than we think, need that so badly, in order to remember that life is only fully lived when crashing the barriers of routine, order, and logic? That being said, I’m sure that at the dawn of the fifth generation, BMW has further shifted the level of engagement to the next level, and not caring if the name has changed I have the task of going to figure out what’s really different in the transition from a V8 to a twin-turbo 6-cylinder that slightly increases its power but promises further performance and drivability. We talk about the M4 as if we were talking about the M3, where the witness has been picked up and carried on with the same pride that featured the Munich’s propeller in the years when they introduced a coupe able to offer true sports cars performance to a traditional family sedan. Imagine having to leave home the traditional supercar you luckily own, since loading luggage for your vacation would be impossible and then tell me how you’d feel in front of a curved road that does not hesitate to play Russian roulette with the points on your driving license. The goal of the M3 has always been to get you out of this scenario, grounding the power needed to attack any strip of asphalt out of the ordinary, then return to wearing the civilian clothes of a comfortable and practical all-rounder. Several years have passed since the legendary E30 (32 to be precise) and many things have changed, not least the downsizing that many feared, and even the transition from turbocharged, well twin-turbocharged after the naturally aspirated of the previous generation. Exactly, so much has changed and with today’s chassis, engines, braking systems and onboard comfort, the needs and expectations of customers have changed, but one thing remained the same, the fact that a BMW M, and especially the M3/M4 has to be up to the task avoiding any barriers with concreteness, in typical old Europe style.
For the third episode of the Performance Tour, Gino Luxury & Motorsport has given us the main ingredient for an adrenaline recipe, speed and a driving feeling that has not yet been matched – the new M4 Coupe equipped with DKG is here and waits for me with it shiny black dress, almost as if it wanted to be taken out for dinner, but in fact it is both me and her that we know very well that behind that image that does not scream and does not turn heads of non-car guys, there’s a secret ingredient, that spicy chili pepper that would slowly launch me into an unstoppable sensorial storm. You could solve the matter quickly – a lot – but I’ve always been drawn to those situations where you have to dig deeper into the true meaning of a story and the M4 seems to have come to the right time and in the right place. A hot sun shines in the sky above me and Gian – the faithful photographer – is in perfect time with microfiber cloths and everything that will make the M4 a beautiful model to be immortalized on a typical drivish road and test drive the work done by BMW supermen. The 19-inch wheels do not do much to hide the generous braking system (also available with carboceramic discs), while the Sakhir Orange leather interior creates a perfect contrast with the shiny black exterior. Aesthetically, the M4, just like all the various M3s before it, does not scream any miracle: its curves are almost identical to those of a normal 4 Series with M Sport package, but the double exhaust tailpipes (two per sides) help to make things happen here. Although perfectly stock, the suspension give a ground hugging look and unequivocally my thoughts are already projecting in the middle of a series of bends and switchbacks – I can’t wait any longer, I rudely break the shooting and sling at the wheel. After adjusting my driving position, I give life to the 3-liter 6-cylinder and move the DKG lever into Drive. At that point, without even moving a millimeter, I go to customize and select one of the two “M” driving modes (which can then be recalled by two comfortable buttons on the left stroke of the steering), adjusting gearbox, suspension and engine in the most sporty setting , while for the steering I prefer Sport to Sport +, the latter making the wheel unnecessarily heavy and less communicative.
It is finally time to move and I immediately notice how the front wheels are a natural extension of my arms – not a long wait and in front of me there are some corners of those that make you thank the hurry that cost your breakfast this morning. I bend the M4 head down and begin a descent into the perfect storm: torque is instant, with the 550Nm coming into play at just 1,850 revs and pushing the coupe at speeds I thought unthinkable. The extra horses compared to the previous model are just a handful, but the delivery of its 431 hp is what makes the experience different, but equally effective. It pushes like a supercar, but it reacts to the inputs as you would expect, always keeping the M3 V8 on the stage of comparisons. By disabling traction control and pushing down the throttle, the rear wheels tire desperately try to put down the power and end up spinning from second to third gear too – a little dangerous but extremely satisfying. Brakes are glorious, the chassis seems stuck to my body and without the slightest uncertainty its ton and half moves from one curve to the other without ever unbalancing the center of gravity of the car. The speed I reach is crazy, I would never have expected it and on more than one occasion I would have preferred an additional step to further tighten the suspensions, but in the end, for the action that this kind of road allows me, all of this is enough. The exhaust is not as dramatic as the V8, nor metallic like the 6-cylinder of the legendary E46, but when you climb the revs scale approaching the limiter, everyone will turn their head and you won’t drive the M4 as before. Of course, just press a button, a simple plastic square centimeter, to disengage the violent side of this beast and cruise relaxed and with an average fuel consumption of 8.3l/100km but that’s not the case here. I wrap my hands on the thick crown of the three-spoke steering wheel and with the perfect view of the world around, I leave a bit of rubber on some of the hectic and memorable miles of my life.
The M4 is not an easy car, no way – the first time you go full throttle you might end up against a tree and start doubting ‘bout your “Sunday Driver” skills, thanking that electronics that saved for the millionth time your neck and your reputation. This is true – point that on the fridge – but it is also true that when I decide to dive more into it and turn off traction control, going to induce oversteering situations, I find myself controlling the rear with the tip of three fingers. The ease with which you maintain a controlled drift during a spacious corner and the quickness needed to straighten the car, without the slightest pendulum effect, blends the cards on the table, making me understand that the balance and the M4’s responsiveness is something pretty extraordinary. Yes it’s a bit too sober, it may need an aftermarket exhaust system and the dash seems to have changed a little compared to its predecessors, but when it comes to ticking the important voices of a driving experience, it succeeds in everything that matters most today. The infotainment system is quite intuitive and yet very accurate, with the Harman-Kardon audio system, which adds a few extra Euros to the list price, that offers a very high quality to your favorite playlist, while from the practical point of view you will be perfectly able to accommodate two people on the rear seats and enough luggage for an outdoor vacation. But is there some drawbacks or this time BMW has managed to overcome the odds? In fact, this time BMW has been also able to overcome my most optimistic expectations, because if I was expecting and ready for such clear and strong feedbacks, I would never have thought to find such a ease in reaching similar speeds. 4.3 seconds to go from 0 to 100 kph and a top speed electronically limited at 250 per hour do not do justice to the new M4, because what will happen when you’re sitting at the wheel and with your belt looped up, will be something you can really understand ending face to face with the talking cricket of your conscience. Probably he will ask you to slow down, even surprised by the performance of the performance car par excellence, but most likely you would not listen and you will be heavily looking for the very limit of a car that is able to disintegrate a mountain road in the morning, a racing track in the afternoon and accompany you to a luxurious romantic dinner the same evening, without even the slightest smell coming from the boiling brakes. The only evidence of your darkest side, will be kept under the dress, with your legs still trembling for that hectic race against the laws of physics and logic.
BMW M4 COUPE (2017-)
Layout – front-engined, rear wheel drive
Engine – 6 cylinder 2.9cc – twin-turbo
Transmission – 7-speed automatic gearbox
Power – 431 hp @ 5.500 rpm
550 Nm @ 1.850 rpm
Weight – 1.560 kg
Acceleration – 4,3 sec.
Top Speed – 250 kph (limit.)
List price – from € 102.735
Gino Luxury & Motorsport Price – € 83.900