BMW took to the legendary Nurburgring Nordschleife to show off its newest versions of the M lineup, the M3 sedan and M4 coupe. The inline six cylinder engine with M TwinPower Turbo technology will go into both versions and is expected to output as much as 430 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque – an upgrade of 30 per cent over the previous model. Impressively, the new powerplant, mated to BMW's optional 7-speed M double-clutch transmission (6-speed manual is standard), is also expected to reduce emissions by approximately 25 per cent.
The new M3 and M4 feature a redesigned lower slung, wider body complete with exposed carbon-fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) and a new rear tail diffuser, reducing weight and giving the duo a lower center of gravity and improved balance of virtually 50/50 front and rear.
The new Ms were tested and developed using the support of factory DTM drivers including reigning series champion and Canadian Bruno Spengler.
Speaking on the car during the development process, Spengler said, “I’m proud to have made a contribution to the set-up work on these two cars,” explained reigning DTM champion Spengler. “The development work may not be totally completed yet, but the driving experience is already sensational. The suspension has a very sporty set-up, the feedback from the front axle is extremely direct and the grip at the rear axle is phenomenal. The engine is impressive, too. The power is right there, even at low rpm, and you can sense that you’ll be able to access the output and torque over an extremely wide rev band.
The new BMW M3 and M4 are expected to take showrooms later this year.
