2020 BMW M4 Coupe 0-60 Australia

2020  BMW M4 Coupe 0-60 Australia

Get behind the wheel of the M4 and prepare for explosive acceleration and razor-sharp handling. This two-door variant of the legendary BMW M3 sedan is offered as either a coupe or a hardtop convertible but retains its rear seats and uses the same running gear as the M3.

Power comes from a 425-hp twin-turbo inline-six, with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and rear-wheel drive. The Competition package increases power output to 444 ponies but it adds nearly $5000 to the bottom line. Our M4 Competition test car with the seven-speed automatic zipped from zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, the same time it took its main rival, the Mercedes-AMG C63 S coupe. The ride is firm but the driver is paid back for the abuse with genuine agility on twisty roads. At the track, the M4 can be dropped into the Sport+ mode where it will devour corners and blast down straightaways with the best of them.

2020  BMW M4 Coupe 0-60 Australia

2020  BMW M4 Coupe 0-60 Australia

The M4 shares its interior with the decidedly less racy and far less expensive 4-series two-doors and the 3-series four-door sedan. That means good build quality but a relatively uninspired design that looks particularly dour in all black. Luckily, BMW offers three two-tone interior options—Sonoma Beige, Silverstone, and Sakhir Orange—to spice things up a bit. The rear seat is less spacious than the sedan but can still fit two adults in a pinch; the trunk space is generous for a coupe and fits four carry-on suitcases. The M4's sport seats are supportive and comfortable, and the driving position is perfect for spirited motoring. All M4 models come with BMW's iDrive infotainment system, a Harman/Kardon audio system, and several driver-assistance features including automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection; automatic high-beam headlamps, a head-up display, a 360-degree exterior camera system, and a self-parking feature are also available as part of the optional Executive package.

The latest generation M3 and M4 are very quick cars indeed. In our own testing the car managed to crack 100mph in just 8.6 seconds, which makes it as quick as a Ferrari 430. Cars equipped with optional DCT gearboxes can hit 62mph from a standstill in just 4.2sec according to BMW's own official figures. Although the six-speed manual version will reach 62mph in 4.3 seconds, and so puts it slightly behind the DCT model in acceleration terms, it still remains a deeply respectable figure for a 1595kg, rear-wheel drive car.

BMW claim the lighter, more powerful M4 GTS wearing Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres can reach 0-62mph in 3.8sec. However, we recorded an even quicker time of 3.7sec and 0-100mph time of 7.8sec.

2020  BMW M4 Coupe 0-60 Interior

While bhp figures might not be as considerable jump as you'd expect over the old E92 M3 coupe, the acceleration figures are definitely a cut above. The old, naturally aspirated M3 coupe for example took 10.3 seconds to hit 100mph according to our timing gear.

A sophisticated launch control system – which the driver can adjust to suit the grip levels – helps the new car to get away from the line as quickly as possible every time.

Top speed is electronically limited to 155mph in all versions except the GTS which is limited to 190mph.

The latest generation model might have lost the previous versions’ soulful, high-revving V8, but the switch to turbocharging has lifted it to a new realm of performance. With considerably more torque the new model is not only faster off the line, but significantly more accelerative through the gears, too, which makes it feel much faster in real-world use.

Codenamed the S55, the 3-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six found in the current generation M4 puts out 424bhp, just an 11bhp increase over its predecessor, the M3 coupe. The big jump for the turbo’d motor over the old naturally aspirated V8 in the is in torque, which is up from 295lb ft at a peaky 3900rpm to a mighty 406lb ft from just 1850rpm.

As such, real-world straight-line performance is drastically improved, although the free revving nature and spine-tingling soundtrack of those motorsport-inspired engines in M-cars of old has been lost.

Equipped with Competition Package, the M4’s power increases by 20bhp to 444bhp but peak torque stays the same. The extra power doesn’t dramatically change the attitude of the engine and, as the standard car’s performance is so strong, you don’t really feel the effect either. The Competition Package makes changes to the chassis too, and that’s where real improvements can be felt.

Where BMW deserves credit is in the work it has achieved with turbocharging. This engine is among the very best performance car turbo engines currently on the market. It boasts sharp throttle response and a willing top end. It easily can compete with the highly impressive 'Hot V' engine found in the C63 AMG and AMG GT.

In an effort to recreate some of that emotional engagement, BMW augments the sound of the new turbo engine by using the speakers within the cabin. The result, unfortunately, is not entirely convincing. 

The DCT 'box is extremely compelling, both in manual and auto mode. It tends to be somewhat inconvenient when left to its very own gadgets, especially when cold, yet moves are commonly smooth and snappy. In manual mode they blast in with a genuine force, reacting promptly to the driver's changes of the directing wheel-mounted oars.

2020  BMW M4 Coupe 0-60 Australia

2020  BMW M4 Coupe 0-60 Australia

We do have a few worries over the way the drivetrain reconnects, however, particularly when changing from third to fourth gear under full throttle load. At the point when the new rigging comes in, the torque conveyance is so fast and unexpected that it can agitate the back pivot and cause the tires to break footing.

The M4 GTS's motor is essentially equivalent to the standard M4's, be that as it may, it makes 493bhp from its 2979cc straight-six gratitude to the assistance of a water infusion. The framework alone doesn't include strength, what it does is splash atomized water into the bay to cool the gases and in this way permit significantly higher lift weights which increases control. The standard vehicle's water-to-air intercooler takes into account an increase in 2.2bar, though the water infusion enables the GTS's lift to increment to 2.5bar.