BMW M4 Gets More Power, Loses RWD Option

There was a time when the BMW M3 and its coupe derivative, the M4, were steadfastly rear-drive, the de facto car of choice for the oversteering skid merchant. That’s no longer the case, as the current M4’s mid-life facelift sees M’s mid-size coupe go four-wheel drive only. However, there is a workaround…

The change comes as part of a broader facelift for both coupe and convertible versions of the whole 4 Series range, although anyone hoping for a change to its capybara-resembling front end will be disappointed. Exterior changes are largely limited to redesigned lights at both ends of the car. Specify adaptive LED headlights and BMW will also throw in what it’s calling Laserlight rear lights, which feature the intricate design previously seen on the M4 CSL. BMW calls it an “innovative light scenario.” Okay then.

Both M4 and 4 Series get some new wheel designs, and the 4 Series now comes in a handful of new colours. It’s on the inside where some bigger changes have been made: both get new steering wheel designs, ambient lighting, and an upgraded operating system paired with the latest version of BMW’s iDrive. Both retain BMW’s rather good Curved Display screen setup.

Those are the highlights of visual and software changes across both 4 Series and M4, but what about the stuff we’re really interested in? The M4 retains its brilliant 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six, but now makes 523bhp compared to the old car’s 503, courtesy of an upgraded ECU. 0-62 times, though, are unchanged: 3.5 seconds for the coupe, and 3.7 for the convertible. Top speed is an electronically-limited 155mph, although BMW will get rid of the limiter if the M Driver’s Package is selected. That takes the coupé up to 174mph and, oddly, the convertible to 180mph. Once again, a six-speed manual will be available in certain markets, and once again, we’ll only get the eight-speed automatic in the UK. Good thing BMW has just announced a manual for the Z4 M40i.

The really big news, though, is underneath. Throughout its press release, BMW insists on rather clunkily calling the car the BMW M4 Competition with M xDrive. That’s because, for now at least, UK-market M4s are now only available with a four-wheel drive system. It’s still a rear-biased setup, and the driver can still cycle between 4WD and 4WD Sport modes, the latter sending more power to the back.

There is also still a cheat for those who lament the passing of the purely rear-driven M4: turn off the stability control, and you’ll unlock a 2WD drive mode, disconnecting the front axle and sending all 523bhp through the rear wheels. Probably best to exercise some caution with that one, especially if you’re trying to beat your best score on the M Drift Analyser.

Pretty much everything else is as it was, including the multi-stage stability and traction control systems and the adaptive suspension with three different maps. There’s also the usual suite of M Performance visual parts, should you want to make your M4 just that bit uglier.

At present, the M4 is only available in the UK in Competition trim. We wouldn’t bank on a return of the limited-edition CSL, but a CS is known to be on the way that will bring some of that car’s upgrades to a non-limited model. We wouldn’t be surprised to see some of these tweaks appear on the M3 in due course, which means the days of the purely rear-drive mid-size M car could be numbered.

If you fancy a new M4, the coupé starts at £84,250 and the convertible at £88,255, with UK deliveries expected in April. The 4 Series, meanwhile, is now only available as either the 2.0-litre, 181bhp, rear-drive 420i or the 3.0-litre, 369bhp, four-wheel drive M440i.