BMW M4 has big grille, big power — and big identity crisis
Say hello to the 2021 BMW M4 coupe. B stands for “big”: big kidney grille, big proportions, big power, big sticker price. And big ambition.
As the M4 (now the coupe’s badge, M3 is a sedan) has grown, it has shed some of its athletic identity to the nimbler M2. If today’s M2 is a scalpel, then the M4 is, well ... having a bit of an identity crisis.
It’s a tweener between the M2 and the 600-horsepower M5 hammer. Like a 6-foot-8-inch NBA player who wants to play guard. Or an electric guitar player who prefers Beethoven concertos.
On M1 Concourse’s Champion Speedway track, the M4 felt confused. Exploding out of the Turn 6 hairpin onto the back straight, the 473-horsepower, twin-turbo, 3.0-liter mill soared. I ripped off quick manual shifts as BMW’s inline-6 cylinder’s endless torque curve lit up the digital RPM instrument display.
But as I entered Champion’s long Turn 7, M4 suddenly wanted to be a Fast and Furious drifter rather than firmly planted like Ms of old. The rubbery manual shifter doesn’t help, making it hard to find gears under heavy g-loads. The smooth engine and ragged handling clash.
Blame M’s confusion on three traction modes — Stability control ON, Stability Control OFF and the M Drift Analyzer (aka, drift mode) with its 10 settings.
The Drift Analyzer is a fun challenge to harness — though by the time you figure it out, your expensive tires may be reduced to dust.
It all felt like too much.
How do you say “jump the shark” in German?
I pined for the simplicity of my ol’ 2001 E46 M3. Today, that simplicity is found in the M2, the E46’s true heir.
On country roads, the turbo-6’s siren song was addictive. On longer interstate stretches, the BMW’s superb interior shines.
Ergonomics are some of the best in the industry. The fat steering wheel felt rooted to the road. The M4 adds a head-up display that contains relevant speed/ navigation/radio details so your eyes never have to leave the road.
One big M4 ambition I took a shine to was the full-fascia kidney grille. They are aggressive. They are grille-zilla, and they match M4’s masculinity and power.
Grille-zilla is also available on the cheaper M450i, AWD version of the 4-series that I drove earlier this year. Endowed with the same interior tricks as M4, this may be — pound-for-pound — the best 4-series. Big grille, big power, but without the big sticker.
For those who want the legendary M thrill on the track, let me suggest M2 Jr.