The BMW M3/M4 Competition Package Is Like A GTS Without The Bonkers Price Tag
As the big daddy of the compact super saloons, the BMW M3 is more under threat than ever. Many - myself included - reckon the more powerful Mercedes-AMG C63 is the superior car, and then we have to consider the rave reviews the Cadillac ATS-V is getting. It has more foes on the horizon too, including the incoming Alfa Romeo Giulia QV - a car that’s already trounced the M4’s Nurburgring lap time.
BMW is on the fight back, however. The M4 - the M3’s coupe sibling - has spawned a super fast, super expensive GTS version, and now for people who can’t quite stomach the £121,770 price tag of that beast, there’s a ‘Competition Package’ for both the M3 and M4.
For an as-yet unspecified price (the Competition Package on the old M3 cost just over £3000) added onto the cost of either the M3, M4 or M4 convertible, you get an extra 19bhp from the 3.0-litre twin-turbo six, bringing the total to 444bhp, while the torque figure remains unchanged. This’ll get you from 0-62mph 0.1sec quicker in each variant.
The suspension has also been overhauled, with new springs, dampers and anti-roll bars added. The car’s three driving modes have been reconfigured too. Forged 20-inch multi-spoke wheels - similar to the ones found on the GTS - round off the exterior, while the interior is treated to a set of sports seats with ‘M’ stripes stitched onto the seat belts. Nice.
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
Still can’t afford it :( someday soon though, discovered my new car goal!
You can’t genuinely think that the Alfa or Cadillac are a threat to the M3? The kind of person that buys an M3 probably isn’t even aware of those cars. Let’s have some realistic journalism rather than blind writing.
Just becuase the owners are unaware, it does not mean the Cadillac and Alfa are any less of a threat to the M3 nameplate. The M3 has a lot to live up to considering it’s great lineage. And to some, that is worth more than anything. I know this because I work in the Automotive sales industry and the individuals I have talked to are well aware of competition. I personally would love any of the three, but the Cadillac and Alfa have shown what they can do and have taken down the M3 and M4.
Steering wheel is on wrong side tho
Since the majority of the world is LHD, I’d say it’s on the correct side.
Those seatbets are pure sex !!!!
yes
I have to applaud bmw though, whereas most other manfucatorers are just going for more and more horsepower, bmw sticks to only what the car needs to be enjoyable le and fast
Can you still have the Competition Package with a manual?
In my opinion, the M3 and M4 are by far the best in their segment, which they created, and they always have been.
The Alfa has trounced the M3s laptime? Or do you mean a marketing guy in Italy has written some numbers on a page? All these manufacturers claim laptimes, but you should only believe the ones you see…