M3/M4 COMPETITION

THE ICON

Regardless of your feelings towards BMW’S new design language, the arrival of a new M3 and M4 is big news in the performance car world. It’s the original pace-setter, the sports saloon that all rivals still benchmark against. But its role has evolved. It’s matured, it’s grown and its performance has increased to levels previously unthinkable for a family saloon (and now an estate car). UK customers won’t get a manual gearbox, but rear-wheel drive remains (four-wheel-drive models will come later). For some the M3 now blends elements of the M5 in its more measured approach, but it will also remain the car on which M is judged. No pressure.