The BMW M3 is an icon. It has been the sports sedan to beat for nearly three decades because it's among the most sharply focused driver's cars on the planet. And BMW just shat all over that heritage in the name of branding.
That doesn't mean the new M3, er, M4 is anything less than amazing. In fact, it's the fastest, most powerful BMW ever. But first, about that branding blunder.
BMW has decided to divide the coupe and sedan versions of what was the superlative 3 Series into the 3 and 4 Series. OK, fine, we get that. German automakers seem determined to fill every niche conceivable, including some you never knew existed. But in a sartorial effort that defies logic, BMW assigned the 3 Series name to the sedan and 4 series to the coupe. This is akin to reformulating Coca-Cola and then calling the product everyone really wants "Coke Classic." If the heads in Munich had any sense, the 4 Series would be the sedan because it has ... four freaking doors.
Instead, the iconic M3 is the M4, as if the name meant nothing. Which is a shame, because the M3, er, M4 is quite something.
The M3 and M4 siblings are the most BMW M3s ever. BMW's ditched the V8 and has gone back to its trademark silky smooth inline six. Props for that. To make up for the power lost by lopping off two cylinders, the 3.0-liter engine gets a pair of turbos. Oh yes. Yes, please. The new engine puts down 431 horsepower (up from the V8's 414) and, more importantly, a tarmac-shredding 406 pound-feet of torque. This little screamer redlines just shy of 8,000 rpm.
The magic of turbocharging, direct injection, and other wizardry means the M-twins are more powerful than the previous model and cleaner to boot -- fuel consumption and emissions are down by 25 percent. Weight's down, too. BMW's engineers cut 200 pounds of blubber through body mods and liberal amounts of carbon fiber, bringing the coupe to 3,300 pounds and the sedan to 3,350. Combine an epic powerband with that reduced weight and BMW claims these babies will hit 60 from a standstill in 4.1 seconds.
A electronically controlled rear differential can change up the amount of lock to allow the Bimmers to do what they do best: grin-inducing powerslides. A host of aerodynamic tweaks, including Gurney flaps and massive fascia intakes, help keep things under control.
The only thing German automakers like more than filling niches is installing dual-clutch gearboxes, but at least BMW throws purists a bone by offering a proper six-speed with three pedals. Tick that box on the order form, though, and you'll lose a rumored option called "smokey burnout." Seriously. Apparently the latest generation of BMW drivers can't do a brake stand without electronic assistance.
Maybe we'll save our pennies for a properly sorted E30 M3 instead.
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